WAUKESHA, Wis. — Riteway Bus Service Inc., a family-owned transportation company, partnered with Sleep Apnea Solutions Inc. (SAS) to create a Sleep Apnea Health & Safety Program for employees.

The voluntary and confidential program is aimed at promoting employee wellness and helping prevent accidents associated with driver fatigue.

People with untreated sleep apnea do not get the restorative sleep they need, leaving them excessively tired when they’re awake. According to statistics, driving while tired puts a driver at a seven times greater risk of being in an accident. About 28 percent of CDL holders are expected to be at risk for sleep apnea.

Under Riteway’s program, drivers are educated about sleep apnea and perform a brief sleep evaluation with SAS sleep specialists prior to completing the home test. Results of these 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 is covering a portion of the costs associated with testing and treatment.

“We’re grateful for the program SAS has put together for us,” Riteway Safety Director David Butcher said. “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.”