The Positive Impact of Driver Wellness Programs

In our second blog post about the trucking industry, we observed some of the causes of the truck driver shortage in the U.S. One major factor is the unhealthy lifestyle comprised of poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and sleep deprivation that can make the occupation unappealing to potential new recruits and force current drivers into early retirement for health reasons. In this post, we look at how some innovative trucking companies are taking important steps to improve the health and wellbeing of their employees.

The NIOSH Study: A Picture of Poor Health

The degree to which a truck driver’s heath can be impacted beyond accidents and runaway turnover rates is often much greater than most people imagine. Many drivers have had their careers – and in too many cases, their lives – cut short by diabetes, heart attacks, and stroke.

A 2017 study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) revealed that of the 1,670 long-haul truckers they interviewed:

• 69% were obese
• 54% smoked
• 88% had at least one risk factor for chronic disease

These rates are much higher than the general population. To make matters worse, some carrier companies have been unable to re-certify many of their employees based on their Department of Transportation (DOT) physical results since the DOT tightened its requirements for drivers.

Innovative Carrier Companies Leading the Way

A recent story published by Trucking Info featured carriers that are creating innovative wellness programs for their employees. Companies such as Melton Truck Lines in Oklahoma and Celadon Trucking in Indiana are using a structured approach to wellness that combines education, counseling, and access to support programs.

The overall strategy is a focus on personal engagement—in other words, encouraging drivers and their spouses to participate in managing their own health. By identifying and understanding the health risks presented by this lifestyle, truckers can take specific actions to lower these risks and to improve overall health.

Specifics of this approach include:

• Hire an internal medical practitioner who can offer free health screenings, such as blood pressure and glucose blood levels
• Hire a company wellness manager to counsel drivers and their families on healthy diets, exercise routines, diabetes prevention, and advice for using health benefits
• Subsidized gym memberships, weight loss programs, and smoking cessation programs
• An online community for fitness support and fitness-tracking mobile apps to help drivers meet fitness goals

Staying Healthy, Staying Happy

Although it may be difficult to measure a monetary ROI for wellness programs, they seem like a no-brainer if the industry wants to recruit and maintain a fleet of healthy, happy drivers. Wellness programs help prevent high turnover rates, and keep employees devoted to their careers without losing them to disease or poor health. That’s a goal we at SmartSense thoroughly support.

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