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+--- Thread: [CPAP] Im a cdl driver they said i have to have at least 4 hours of machine and 70% (/Thread-CPAP-Im-a-cdl-driver-they-said-i-have-to-have-at-least-4-hours-of-machine-and-70)
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RE: Im a cdl driver they said i have to have at least 4 hours of machine and 70% - DeepBreathing - 10-17-2017
G'day denarmy. Welcome to Apnea Board.
The posts above have given you an indication of the legal position. As some members have said, it's really best to try and get as many hours as possible in one stretch. It's very hard at first for most people, and after a couple of hours there is an overwhelming urge to pull the mask off. But if you can find a mask that works for you (you might have to try several) then it will do your body a whole lot of good to get long periods of uninterrupted sleep.
It's really worth working at this - you will feel much better for the effort (quite apart from being a much safer driver). If you are having problems with the therapy, let us have the details (and a screen shot from your software if possible) and we'll try to help optimise things for you.
RE: Im a cdl driver they said i have to have at least 4 hours of machine and 70% - KSMatthew - 10-17-2017
(10-17-2017, 04:12 AM)Sleep2Snore Wrote: Is there any restrictions on driving over there or is it just an insurance compliance thing so as you can keep using the equipment?
Answers on a post card please.
If there is, how would the law there affect visiting drivers?
Mind you this might generate a whole load of answers with different states and laws!
Your last sentence is correct.
There is no "National Drivers License", there are 50 different State licenses. Each State recognizes the licenses from the other States.
My State (Kansas) doesn't have a restriction on sleep apnea or CPAP compliance. I believe you are expected to "self certify", if you don't feel safe to drive then you shouldn't drive. For commercial drivers, the rules are different.
As far as a visiting, international, license: I don't know how any of that works. My guess is that as long as your local license is valid, you should be able to get a US version that allows you to drive over here without any questions about OSA.
edit:
I did a little more checking (I'm not a lawyer, so I might have missed something) - in Kansas, a doctor or optometrist CAN report you to the KS Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) if they feel you have a medical (physical or psychological) condition that makes you unsafe to drive. The DMV then follows up with an investigation. The reporting physician, by State law, is protected from any doctor-patient confidentiality breaches, and there is no requirement that the physician report anything.
And here is the info on foreign drivers inside the US:
https://www.usa.gov/visitors-driving
RE: Im a cdl driver they said i have to have at least 4 hours of machine and 70% - HalfAsleep - 10-17-2017
(10-17-2017, 04:12 AM)Sleep2Snore Wrote: Is there any restrictions on driving over there or is it just an insurance compliance thing so as you can keep using the equipment?
Answers on a post card please.
If there is, how would the law there affect visiting drivers?
Mind you this might generate a whole load of answers with different states and laws!
The original poster was asking about specialized licenses for commercial (e.g. truck) drivers. I’m not sure what the rules are for non-commercial drivers. I suppose we could look that up. Undoubtedly, they vary by state.
If by “visiting drivers” you are referring to renting a car, AFAIK the car rental company just uses whatever driver’s license you have from your home country. Same as everybody.
If you have a car here and you live abroad, you’d get a license from a particular state. Expats pick a state.
If you fall asleep at the wheel in many states in the US, you’d have legal liability.
Note: you have to obey the laws for the state where you’re driving at the time, so you could become a drowsy driver offender if you get pulled over by a cop (or have an accident etc.) in a different state than your own.
It’s likely that at a doctor’s say so you could lose your license. This is true of epileptics and diabetics who don’t control their diabetes and lose consciousness while driving.
I found a link for laws by state.
http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/summaries-of-current-drowsy-driving-laws.aspx
RE: Im a cdl driver they said i have to have at least 4 hours of machine and 70% - OpalRose - 10-17-2017
(10-16-2017, 01:26 PM)denarmy Wrote: Does those 4 hours have to be all at one time or can I stop and start again 2 or 3 hours later does any one know ????
Hi denarmy,
Just trying to get back to your original inquiry. Hope you have found some responses that help.
I realize that meeting compliance is very important, especially if it means retaining your license.
The more you try to use the machine, the easier it will become. Ask questions anytime. If you need help with your machine or settings, we will try to assist.
Let us know how you are doing.
RE: Im a cdl driver they said i have to have at least 4 hours of machine and 70% - SarcasticDave94 - 10-17-2017
Adding in what I can remember from my CDL days: again I reiterate I was not being treated during my truck driver days but I did hear a few in conversation snippets that were CDL drivers and on CPAP. As I recall, it is basically the same as insurance compliance AKA 21 of 30 days at 4 plus hours a day. I think the thought was the more you can do per a single session the better it was received. But more than a single session was permitted, much like split sleeperberth time.
Best on your therapy.
Dave B.
RE: Im a cdl driver they said i have to have at least 4 hours of machine and 70% - foss - 10-18-2017
Splitting hairs with xPAP compliance is not really the issue. Truck drivers need to get enough quality sleep to be alert when they drive multi ton rigs at highway speeds. My wife was side swiped off an interstate by an 18 wheeler in Oklahoma a couple of months ago. He woke up enough to continue on down the road after almost killing her and causing major damage to her car. Who knows whether it was sleep apnea or two log books? You see horror stories in the news on a regular basis where truck drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel.
Stop somewhere and get enough sleep regardless of the scores on your apnea machine. The DOT should come up with compliance verification that ensures wakefulness. Four hours of sleep 70% of the time is a joke when other's safety is involved.