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The National Fatty Registry
Yes, we have one, and apparently I’m on it.
Today I went to see a doctor to clear up his misconceptions about whether or not I am required to seek a sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment to maintain my physical qualification for a commercial drivers license. During the paperwork (which takes more time than the actual physical) he said, “I wonder if I put you on the registry?” He flipped through a notepad and declared me one of the first he had reported to the government for having an above average BMI and/or other risk factors for obstuctive sleep apnea and stated that he would have to update the information.
Yes, the guy is a military physician, but the registry is part of the Department of Transporation. He is required to report his findings because he is qualified to issue driver physical certifications. Big Brother is watching what I eat. Maybe I should too.
Published in General
“Dad, what was a truck driver?”
Your line of business is dying due to technological advancements. Time to adjust.
I’m actually a crane operator, but a CDL is required to move the mobile cranes around, and I’m still required to maintain all my qualifications for the transportation side of the Handling and Transportation division. I’m one of those very rare civil servants who can do (and is required to do) several different jobs.
One of the weirder things I drive is an 8 axle version of this thing:
I’m glad the Feds are keeping us safe. What’s your top speed, KP? 6?
Not going to happen anytime soon. Semi trucks are still the cheapest way to deliver goods en masse to different parts of the country. Automated trucks will be impossible to get through in the current legal regime.
We won’t see driverless vehicles until the DOT closes its doors.
Private oversight organizations aren’t necessarily good either. Remember the doctor groups thought Obamacare was a grand old idea. Just because the government isn’t doing it doesn’t mean it’s being done well.
In the end the guy driving the truck should have the most interest in not falling asleep behind the wheel. Failing that (and we all know that’d fail from time to time) the company itself ought to be policing it’s employees. They have plenty of interest in not suffering the loss of life and expense that goes with people falling asleep on the road.