Schneider honored for innovative driver sleep health program

WASHINGTON — Schneider National’s groundbreaking obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) detection and treatment program for its drivers has been recognized by the National Sleep Foundation in Washington.

Schneider National, one of the largest truckload carriers in North America, is the ninth recipient of the NSF Healthy Sleep Community Award which recognizes “outstanding efforts by businesses to initiate activities or programs based on sleep science with the goal of providing long-lasting results to benefit a significant portion of a particular community.”

The sleep apnea program administered by Schneider National was created in response to a study sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the American Trucking Associations which revealed up to 28 percent of commercial drivers have some severity of OSA.

A potentially life-threatening breathing-related sleep disorder that often goes undiagnosed and untreated, OSA is characterized by pauses in breathing that last at least 10 seconds or more and can occur up to 400 times per night.

Schneider to take a lead role in helping the DOT shape
guidelines for screening and treatment of OSA in drivers

After considering the extensive dangers of OSA on its drivers, Schneider initiated an education campaign to raise awareness within the organization. Also, the carrier tested 547 of its drivers from April to December 2006; 445 of those tested — an astonishing 80 percent — were diagnosed with a sleep disorder and were provided treatment, which improving the health and safety of its driver workforce.

“Ideally, we expect our program will serve as a model for the entire trucking industry,” said Don Osterberg, vice-president of safety and training for Schneider National. “The industry needs to generate awareness of this problem, educate drivers to the dangers of untreated sleep apnea, provide resources to help them get treated and ultimately make the roads safer for everyone.”

Richard Gelula, NSF’s chief executive officer said truck and motorcoach drivers are a significant ‘at risk’ group for OSA and will continue to be so as the average age of drivers continues to increase over the next 20 years.

“Schneider National recognized the problem and took steps to make its drivers healthier and the highways safer for everyone. It is an admirable and very necessary campaign,” he said.

Not only goes the program ensure a healthier, more alert pool of Schneider drivers, the company also saw a reduction in health care costs which were passed onto its drivers, as Schneider provided each identified driver with a free continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine — the standard treatment for OSA. In addition, Schneider plans to take a leadership role in promoting industry change by helping the Department of Transportation shape future guidelines for screening and treatment of OSA in commercial drivers.

Signs of sleep apnea include daytime sleepiness, falling asleep at inappropriate times, loud snoring, depression, irritability, loss of sex drive, morning headaches, frequent nighttime urination, lack of concentration, and memory impairment. Research shows that untreated sleep apnea puts drivers at increased risk for motor vehicle crashes as well as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes and may contribute to obesity.