Occupations that require people to sit relatively motionless for long periods have health consequences, and that include truck drivers.
Reports indicate that long-haul truckers have a life expectancy more than 15 years shorter than the national average. This statistic is largely supported by health and wellness conditions linked to lack of exercise, road food, and other driving-related issues. If the data doesn’t persuade CDL professionals, consider the normal hours-of-service mandates from a lack of exercise perspective.
- Truckers can sit in the driver’s seat for 11 hours after taking 10 off duty.
- Truckers need only take a 30-minute driving break within an 8-hour on-duty period.
- Truckers are allowed to drive up to 70 hours within 8 days.
Perhaps the most significant health setback is that CDL holders spend upwards of 10 hours in the sleeper berth. Although an increased number of truckers are taking time out of the rig, the sedentary nature of the profession can undermine health and wellness. These are critical health issues the men and women who deliver America’s goods and materials struggle with and ways to buoy your health.
- Weight Gain: Over-the-road (OTR) drivers are more likely to gain body fat than wide-reaching professionals that allow movement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) attributes conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea to eating habits and lack of physical activity. Dietary solutions typically involve transitioning a menu with more plant-based options and steering away from fast food and diners. Drivers would be well-served to develop exercise regimens that include counting steps and calisthenics. Although roadside pullovers may not always be conducive, making an effort to lay up at rest areas and truck stops with open spaces and walking paths can improve health and wellness.
- Smoking: According to CDC research, male truck drivers smoke cigarettes at twice the rate of other professions. Making matters worse, the roughly 6 percent of female truckers smoked three times more than their women counterparts. Drivers routinely point to cigarettes helping to keep them awake and focused when pulling full hours-of-service shifts. Cancer, emphysema, and unnecessary strokes are simply not worth the money. Viable solutions to getting off cigarettes to work long hours include drinking more water, improving diets, eating smaller meals, exercise, and getting a complete restful sleep each night.
- Reduced Wellness: The lure of the seemingly peaceful open road attracts people to the occupation. But what many do not understand going into trucking is that long hours, stress, and isolation can have a negative impact on wellness. In some cases, stress has roots in other missteps such as poor diets and lack of restful sleep. Depression and other mood-oriented issues can often be traced to spending extended periods alone. Among the solutions that truckers employ are strategies such as mindful meditation, audiobooks, and setting up times to talk or video chat with friends and family members, among others.
Although truck drivers struggle statistically with health and wellness, that does not necessarily mean everyone must. Part of living a robust trucker lifestyle tasks CDL professionals with a certain amount of discipline. Setting boundaries around food, substances and remaining aware of mental health needs often prove fruitful.
Source: alltruckjobs.com
The fact that most truck stops are closing restaurant’s and only putting in fast food isn’t helping along with E-Logs not giving driver’s the time to sit down and eat a proper meal without the clock clicking away, carrier’s are also asking driver’s to take that 3hr sleeper time in the dock while loading or unloading.
The clock no longer ticks away. As long as you stop for 2 hours your clock freezes. You have time for lunch. You have time to walk. You just have to prioritize your health over everything else. If your company doesn’t take that into consideration maybe you need a new company.
The 14 hour on duty clock doesn’t stop.
Try this- go off duty for 2 hours or more. The clock doesn’t freeze but you get all your on duty time back. I’ve taken a 4 hour break when I had 5 hours left, to find I now have 7 hours left after the 4 hour break.
I agree with you 100٪ and that’s exactly what I do. Take the time to rest and prepare yourself a healthy balanced meal. Steer clear of the junk on the roller grill at the truck stop. Most of all either early or late get in a 30 minute walk. Stay Safe and Be Blessed
I guess you don’t run much. I drove for 7 years OTR and my health when to the sewer. I start trucking I was 180 pound for 5,9 (little heavy) 3 and half year I was 320 pound. No fast food and I was eating from my cooler and/or cooking.
So please don’t lecture me about this issue.
In the United States you have this awful habit to put high Fructose corn syrup every where.
Witch world are you leaving in?
When I start Trucking I was 180 pound for 5.8 (little heavy but I can manage). After 3 years OTR I was 280 then 320 fews month after that.
I eat my own food. No much calories. No fastfood. Later I I find from a doctor that I was allergic to Corn and derived.
So please, don’t try to teach anything. This Trucking jobs are madness. You pu a load at 2am, you deliver at 10 am next 2 days and you pu another one at 5pm for delivery at 11pm.
Keep writing what truckers go through is more Stress instead giving solutions.
No, the 14 hour clock doesn’t stop but how long do you need to eat anyway? You can make healthy meals on your truck. I never eat in the restaurant or fast food and eat quite healthy. I also manage to walk around rest areas that are safe and beautiful. Your sleep is your fuel so you don’t need Mountain Dew or cigarettes to keep going. I prefer to keep that 15 years on my life. It’s your choice.
Under the new hours of service regulations the clock does freeze… your company may not have your ELD setup that way and that’s their choice! Any continuous break of more than three hours will result in your 14 being extended! This is a fact, if you don’t understand the rules please research before speaking, the rules have recently changed and you need to refresh yourself on the new rules!
I thought it only applies to sleeper berth and you can’t use that all the time.
Here’s an idea: make these recruiters , dispatchers and d o t and government bearucrats drive a truck for awhile and than shit will change majorly!
I guess you don’t run much. I drove for 7 years OTR and my health when to the sewer. I start trucking I was 180 pound for 5,9 (little heavy) 3 and half year I was 320 pound. No fast food and I was eating from my cooler and/or cooking.
So please don’t lecture me about this issue.
In the United States you have this awful habit to put high Fructose corn syrup every where.
For every 1 person that “can make it”. There is 100’s that cant or struggle like a mfker. The industry needs to make sweeping changes. Only when goods stop moving and these bureaucratic bullshit regulations hit the road will We make progress. As in all things in life, you have to “do it” to know whats going on. Other than that, you don’t know jackshit about it and have no grounds to speak upon said topic. My 2 cents. Go get a cdl. And otr for 2-3 years. I bet these “regulators and law-makers” will be changing the tune far before that time limit is up.
Slow cookers & a microwave pay big dividends in health, time & money. Try to get in a good routine. Get yourself in a dedicated position & keep a time routine schedule or better yet, just find a good local position or yard spotter job and go the hell home every day. Some can be 4 on 4 off with a 48-hour paycheck. Or possibly 4 on 3 off.
U are a deception.
For me doing a split just messes up my sleep pattern. The next day I’m dragging ass. The split does nothing to benefit me as a driver. Only ones it helps is the company.
Do any of you want to ask Stops to put in a small workout gym. Or maybe we could also think about starting one. I thought I could by taking a trailer to whatever stop that those who want to can use. Like all the 24/7 exercise places. Just need a parking spot to do it or maybe 2 for a nicer gym.
Tell me what you guys think, those who would workout not those who care not to please.