Las Vegas – Government decisions on screening commercial motor vehicle drivers for sleep disorders should be made through rulemaking, which requires cost-benefit analysis, and not "through the publication of regulatory guidance," according to a new policy statement from the Arlington, VA-based American Trucking Associations.

The policy statement also recommends that efforts to address sleep disorders focus on conditions that post “substantially elevated crash risk” determined by a science-based process. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee met in February to discuss potential rulemakings for screening truck drivers for obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that has been linked to increased fatigue behind the wheel.

ATA said any new rules should be cost-beneficial and focus on providing drivers with effective treatments.

The policy statement was announced Oct. 10 at ATA’s annual Management Conference & Exhibition.