im a trainman not driver but..

[cheesedips]

my job is holding me to this standard for some reason.;. where can i get the actual DOT guidelines in print in my hands??crazy..cant find a thing specific to my job...FRA? DOT? whos making the rules???

[darkcat]

Hi Cheesedips,

The best way to get the information you want is to simply ask your company HR department what the exact LAW is or it may be a company policy. They may simply be choosing to follow the DOT guidelines to protect them self's. Also you most likely can find the regulation you want under FMCSA. And remember when you request the information from your company be vary nice and you should have no issues getting the info. Hope this helps.

[PaulaO2]

If they do not have a ruling already in place specifically stating it, they can probably do it due to some umbrella statement about health issues. Add in the fatal derailment in NYC a while back where the train driver was shown to have undetected/untreated sleep apnea and fell asleep, it is probably making them twitchy.

A search got me this statistic from Sleep4Safety:

Recent reports from the National Sleep Foundation confirm that sleeping problems impact job performance in the transportation industry as a whole. According to the poll, however, train operators experience the greatest issues when it comes to sleep and job performance. A staggering 44% of operators state that their weekday routines do not allow for adequate sleep. Furthermore, 14% of operators suffer from some sort of sleep disorder, which results in a feeling of waking up “unrefreshed” and groggy. With 18% of operators attributing a “near miss” accident at work to sleepiness, it is clear that getting a better night’s sleep and treating disruptive sleep disorders is necessary.

I found other similar statistics and the like, but nothing solid saying yes, there is an official rule. I found tons on CDL license holders.

Like darkcat said, your best bet is to go to HR and politely request the documentation. Meanwhile, use your machine, be compliant, and do what they tell you. This isn't just your job. It's your life.

[trish6hundred]

Hi cheesedips,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
What Paula and darkcat said.
Best of luck to you and hang in there for more responses to your post.

[Homerec130]

Cheesedips,

When I requested something like that from a former company I worked for, I worded it along the line "I would like to know what the standards you are using so I can keep you out of trouble." Works every time.

[cheesedips]

still waiting for something in writing from job.only thing ive seen is they are useing DOT rules for drivers..im not a drive just a trainman..still waiting for fra response....

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federal dot has nothing