Medical Care

Welcome to the forum DrJ. There's already a very small amount of truck stop clinics out there. There are four major truck stop chains. Pilot, Love's, TA (Truckstops of America) and Petro. TA and Petro are owned by the same company. Pilot recently bought out the Flying J's, the other large chain.

There are many drivers that don't have a primary care physicians and there is a market for your services. I see a few clinics in parking lots and a few set up inside some truck stops.

DOT physicals would probably be your #1 service for owner operators. Company driver physicals are usually predetermined by the company.

There is a large array of drivers out there. You definately want extra gloves, lol.

You could set up at a truckstop near one of these mega-carrier's terminal and secure their DOT physical business and even drug testing. Rates I seen start at $40 and run up to a couple hundred. I know I always shop for a physical. So you have to be competitive. You can even get on these major insurance provider networks.

I had a filling fall out once and I couldn't of been happier there was a dentist set up at the TA in Walcott, IA. So someone having medical problems would definately be happy you were setup catering to drivers.

Where do you live at and maybe we can throw some ideas your way?

 

I just recently got my DOT physical done at the Petro in Girard, OH. We definitely need more clinics at or near truck stops. I have high blood pressure and if I didn't get 3 months of refills at a time, I'd go without pills for 1-2 weeks. A lot of times the only reason I even take hometime is to get a new prescription.

 

I think this would be good to have care available at truckstops.My Hubby has been sick on the road and it would have been nice to see a dr and not worry where to park the big truck.RX refills,Blood Pressure checks,Sugar checks all could be taking care off and not worry "when" you get hometime.I see a need for this,i also wish all truckstops would have fitniss centers available.

 

There is a need for it. But I'm not sure there is a market for it. West Memphis Petro had a doc in it. He couldn't keep his doors open because, while many truckers need to and should see a doc, most refuse. I don't know if it's because the doc's office expects to get paid and that takes away some of the trucker's buffet money, or if it's keeping their heads in the sand trying to out-wait diabetes.

 

I would think that if you could afford it, try looking into the mobile clinic route and set up a calender with a few truck stops. Put up flyers announcing the days that you will be at certain locations. Some drivers have dedicated roues that they stop at theses stops on a periodic basis. Also what would help is to b flexible o your hours. Like most people drivers like to run during the day and rest at night so you might to think of doing the oppisite. Open for the majority of the afternoon and part of the evenings. Well it's just my two cents. Good luck...and welcome..

 

I live above Chattanooga. You aren't too far away. I use to work out of Henegar, AL. There isn't much population in that area. Your nearest truckstop of any size is in Rising Fawn, Ga. The Pilot truck stop on I-59 exit 4. But I'm sure business would be slow there for a doctor.

Over in Dalton, GA is another large Pilot on I-75 exit 326 (Carbondale Road). Over there would be better as I-75 is a heavy truck lane and you have all the carpet manufacturers with their own trucking fleets. If you could hook up with Shaw carpet with the physicals you would have a good thing going.