A trucker doesn’t just drive trucks, they drive the economy forward. They’re a crucial part of any business’s supply chain. The job of a trucker is crucial to the economy. Because it can be quite the wear and tear job, trucker health and work-life are important to help prevent driver shortages. But, besides the weight of modern commerce on their shoulders, what else impacts the health of truckers on the road? Awareness of the job’s health concerns is essential. Learning how to balance life behind and away from the wheel is essential to the morale of both the drivers and everyone they are driving for.
Importance of Trucker Health and Work-Life Balance
Keeping up your health and holding a balanced work-life as a trucker is possible, despite the job’s stressors. The life of a trucker is a drastic difference compared to other industries. Gladly, truck drivers have a lot of options for balancing their health and work-life balance while on the road.
Some of the most common health concerns that truckers face are rather self-evident. A poor diet while on the road leads to obesity, which many truckers struggle with. This opens the flood gates for other issues, like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. Long hours on the road alone and social isolation often result in being more prone to depression and anxiety. Lack of quality sleep on the road can cause intense fatigue and serious accidents.
Options to Improve Trucker Health
Bringing healthy snack options for journeys not only helps physically but mentally as well. Nuts, dry fruit, protein bars, and yogurt are all great for the road. You’ll simply feel better, lighter, and more energized, and it helps to avoid obesity and fatigue.
Just hearing about the physical demands of the job makes your neck and back ache. Sitting, for extended periods, in a cramped truck cab does not sound like a routine that most personal trainers would suggest. The mental stamina of driving a large truck towing a gigantic box full of large items behind it, where the slightest mistake can have major consequences, is draining.
Truckers can take precautions and plan to avoid or at least minimize the threats these issues pose.
Bring a Companion
Many truckers bring their little furry friends with them to keep them company! Cats and dogs are common sights in the passenger seats or dashboards of freight trucks and offer a cure for loneliness when drivers are away from home for a long time.
Stay Active
Finding time to keep the body active while on the road may seem like a stretch (pun intended), but it’s crucial to stay active. Rest stops, truck loading phases, and being around friends and loved ones at home are opportunities to take time to relax, exercise, and keep the body and mind strong to endure long road voyages.
Stay Social, Volunteer
When drivers are home, spending time with friends and family alleviates the isolation experienced on the road and provides a strong work-life balance. Volunteering for something in the community as well leads to a sense of happiness, and fulfillment, and offers more social interactions.
Balancing Trucker Health and Career
There are three types of career paths for truckers. Each path has its positives and negatives. Choosing which path they take can have a major influence on them. Not only on themselves, but also on those they keep as part of their daily life. It’s best to keep the future in mind and how these schedules could either help or hinder you.
Being a Regional Trucker
Regional drivers operate from within a specific region. While some of these could be operating from the Midwest, Northeast, or West Coast. Other regions are included as well, but not commonly commented about within articles. With these shorter distances, a trucker is normally back home after a weeks worth of driving. While some truckers may be happier with this. Others may believe the distance isn’t a short enough period for them and their family. It all comes down to what schedule works best for you and your family.
Over the Road
For Over the Road (OTR), the career path tends to have the highest paying salary. However, it can also have the highest number of cons as well. Truckers operating this method of driving transport goods from coast to coast. Imagine spending multiple weeks, or even longer, away from home. This is not very desirable for those with a family or friends they regularly spend time with. While the demands for this job, along with a regular change of scenery, could be wonderful for single drivers.
Local Trucker
In addition, being a Local Driver is the career path that the significant other most likely prefers. These truckers keep themselves within a designated location. Not only that, they return home the same night that they departed. Under those circumstances, this career path might be perfect for those with families and or friends they wish to spend time with. Although, it does have its cons. This career path may not be as physically or lucratively exciting for truckers as the other two.
Thank you!
Logistics is an industry that the world and our economy rely on to keep things flowing and the industry strong. Having proper health and work-life for each trucker leads to a happy, healthy economy. Thank you to all the drivers who play such an important role in the supply chain. If you’re looking to support these drivers with an upcoming shipment, you can contact us. FreightCenter is happy to assist and is available online and through our number (844) 210-7447.
