September 2017

This week, the ATS joined a letter with sister sleep and medical societies to Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. The letter expressed concern over the Department's recent decision to withdraw a notice initiated under the Obama administration of proposed rulemaking on screening for sleep apnea among individuals occupying safety sensitive positions in highway and rail transportation.

In the letter, the groups point out that the proposed rule-making process was based on decades of peer-reviewed and published research, including studies supported by the Department of Transportation itself, showing that sleep apnea is a primary risk factor for vehicle crashes and that screening efforts are widely supported by large transportation and rail companies, some of which have already voluntarily implemented sleep apnea screening programs for drivers. Referencing the opportunity the rulemaking affords to improve public health and safety, the groups urge Secretary Chao to begin a new rulemaking process to implement screening for sleep apnea among safety-sensitive individuals in highway and rail transportation.