RICHFIELD, Wis. Riteway Bus Service Inc., a 50-year-old, family-owned coach company, has launched a joint program with its employees to diagnose and treat any cases of sleep apnea among its drivers and other staff.

Riteway is partnering with a relatively new company, Sleep Apnea Solutions Inc. of Waukesha, Wis., to institute the voluntary and confidential program to promote employee wellness and help prevent accidents associated with driver fatigue.

It is estimated that 28 percent of commercial drivers license holders are at risk for the medical disorder known as sleep apnea, or failure to get adequate sleep. Earlier this year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Medical Review Board recommended that all CDL holders be tested for sleep apnea and treated if they are found to have it.

"Given the FMCSA's interest in sleep apnea and driver fatigue, we believe this issue is going to impact drivers in the next couple of years in regards to medical qualifications. We want to get ahead of the curve on this," said David Butcher, safety director at Riteway Bus. "And besides that, it is just the right thing to do."

Individuals with untreated sleep apnea do not get the restorative sleep they need, leaving them excessively tired when they're awake. Driving while tired puts a driver at a seven times greater risk of being in an accident.

For commercial drivers, untreated sleep apnea is particularly dangerous and potentially much more deadly -- not just for themselves but for the individuals they transport and for other drivers sharing the road.

While conducting conversations with Riteway employees on the topic of sleep apnea, Butcher learned that drivers do not pursue testing for sleep apnea for two reasons: first, they don't want to go to a lab for an overnight sleep study and, second, it costs too much.

But, as Sleep Apnea Solutions points out, there is technology available today that has made testing for sleep apnea easier and more economical than it used to be. And this portable testing makes more sense for commercial drivers, including bus, motorcoach and limousine drivers who are constantly on the go.

"We're grateful for the program (Sleep Apnea Solutions) has put together for us. It allows us the opportunity to assist our employees in getting tested and treated at a far more reasonable cost, provides them with the convenience of testing in their own home, and most importantly can be done on their own schedule, which tends to vary most of the time," said Butcher.

Riteway drivers are educated about sleep apnea and perform a brief comprehensive sleep evaluation with Sleep Apnea Solutions specialists prior to completing the home test. Results of the tests are scored by a registered sleep technician and reviewed by a board-certified sleep physician.

If the results indicate a high likelihood of sleep apnea, the driver is encouraged to start treatment immediately.

Riteway's program makes both the company and the participating employees accountable for a portion of the cost.

Riteway employs more than 600 people and operates terminals in Germantown, Milwaukee, Milton, Cedarburg, Portage, Slinger, Columbus and Oak Creek, Wis. The company management team consists of three generations of the Bast family. Its website is www.ritewaybus.com.

Sleep Apnea Solutions also is a family-owned business that was established in February of last year to educate consumers, employers and the medical community about the need to identify and treat sleep apnea. Its website is www.SleepApneaSolutions.biz.