Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/376180
26 | Overdrive | September 2014 D river Scott LeVan of Watsontown, Pa., recently went to the Concentra clinic in Wilkesboro, Pa., for his regular U.S. Department of Transpor- tation-required physical to renew his medical certification. "I passed everything," LeVan said. But the examiner, citing LeVan's body mass index (BMI) measurement over 32 and a history of high blood pressure, said: "I'm going to hold your certification." The issue was the possibility that LeVan had sleep apnea. It's a disqualify- ing condition under the medical rules if reaching a severity that affects daytime sleepiness and is left untreated. Nothing new there, but the examiner didn't issue a conditional certification for LeVan so that he at least could continue working while it was determined via an in-lab sleep study whether he suffered from the condition or not. LeVan says the examiner and others As new medical certification processes come into play, more drivers are being asked to get sleep apnea testing. Some are asking questions, getting inconsistent answers — and being taken off the road prematurely. BY TODD DILLS & Sleep apnea