I am / was? a Western Australian Truckie, and can see roadside tests happening pretty easily.
Upon entry to mine sites and many major industrial or construction sites we are already required to take an alcohol test, fill out a medical and fatigue related questionnaire, and submit to "random" drug tests which are not that random. [which is fine by me!]
On many mine sites there is also an alcohol test as you leave.
These results are compiled by the site OH&S staff, and if any red flags show - they head for our company office to cross reference driver logbooks and medical records.
Our trucks are all tracked on GPS, and location, speed, stops, engine shutdown and run-time are all on computer.
While on the road, there is booze busses and every police car has breathalyser equipment [and I am pretty sure drug testing kits] on board - and refusal to take the tests will get you in big strife.
I had no idea that I had sleep apnoea - being tired was the norm for me as I have worked dodgy shifts and long hours for practically all my working life.
It was only an "off the cuff" remark from my G.P. during my commercial drivers medical that rang alarm bells
[any problem with snoring? / no problem at all Doc, missus jabs me in the ribs and I stop]
.........and off for a sleep study test I went......and everything fell in a heap
Our transport fatigue regulations state no more than 5 hours at a time, no more than 17 hours within a 24 hour period, and 57 hours in the truck before the mandatory 10 hours in a motel.
I can get from Perth to Emerald [QLD] or the Innamincka area, or well into the Tanami Desert via Adelaide inside the hours limit.
However - driving "two-up" is very hard - although legal - as you need to be able to trust your co-driver,[I don't] while sleeping for short stretches.
Many two-up drivers have developed the habit of driving 3 hours on / 3 hours off.
I found this pretty hard as you never get a TRUE sleep.
I am by no means overweight - but seeing the state of many truckies out there, I welcome the day that fatigue testing arrives.
Too many of us are dying from fatigue related accidents, and our long term health is being sacrificed to keep the wheels turning.
As a bare minimum, I would like to see a mandatory annual sleep study before licenses are renewed, instead of the current "tick-a-box" questionnaire on a form that gets signed off by a G.P.
Too many bleary eyes with droopy eyelids are out there behind the wheel.
stephen