New trucker sleep study may not be valid

Some experts in the trucking industry have taken exception to the studies used by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) with regards to the 34-hour restart regulations, Trucking Info reports.

The FMCSA recently proposed that drivers remain off-duty for 34 consecutive hours before restarting their weekly clock and get two nights of rest. A study from Washington State University revealed that the 34-hour restart gives day time drivers a chance to catch up on their sleep. However, this rule was found to not work as well for nighttime drivers.

The second section of the study revealed that the effectiveness of the break was improved by adding an additional night sleeping period. However, in the research, the participants were not certified truck drivers and the study has not been peer-reviewed for validity.

"It is a stretch for FMCSA to rely on this study to make policy," David Osiecki, senior vice president for policy and regulatory affairs at ATA, told the news source. "That is clearly not representative, especially in light of the author's recommendation for FMCSA to conduct a validation study using actual truck drivers operating in the real world."

Safety directors can enroll their employees in CDL training classes to help provide education on the new and emerging trends in the trucking industry.

New trucker sleep study may not be valid

Monday, February 14th, 2011