According to the American Trucking Association, 10.5 billion tonnes of freight are transported by truck each year. For others in the industry it is difficult to understand how much time it takes to deliver this amount of freight, how much time drivers spend away from home, how they miss family and friends, and how the products that we all depend on get where they need to go. Motorists have an important claim in a crisis situation that can be 200 km long or 2,000 km long, with consequences that can have a negative impact on food security. (ATA)
Without the luxury of fresh food at all times and a fully equipped kitchen, it can be difficult to prepare healthy meals. Those living in the Midwest do not have access to many staples such as wheat, corn, and soybeans.
Many drivers are tempted to stop at restaurants, truck stops and fast food restaurants because it is fast and convenient. But you end up sitting in the shop for six to eight hours waiting to unload your truck. You rarely see your family, rarely shower and get little respect from motorists, police and major retailers. 2
A few drivers told The Washington Post they earn $100,000 a year, but many said their annual salary is under $50,000, even though government statistics say the median wage in the industry is $42,000.
The survey was distributed to truck drivers at the Brisbane and Queensland Truck Show 2015, the most important event in the Australian transport industry. A total of 419 lorry drivers completed the questionnaire, resulting in a response rate of 69.5%. The transport industry employs 209,000 people as truck drivers on Australian roads. Show Source Texts
The prevalence of diabetes was 50 percent higher compared to the general population and 87 percent of truck drivers had hypertension or pre-hypertension compared to the national average of 58.3 percent (Joem, 2009 ). Among obese truck drivers, 8% reported having type 2 diabetes, 2% of obese drivers reported having type 2 diabetes, and none of them were of normal weight (kh2 / 2 = 12,123, p < 0.002). Fifteen lorry drivers were excluded for travelling short distances or staying at home, and 404 lorry drivers were included in the data analysis. Show Source Texts
The states issue more than 450,000 new licenses each year, according to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. The ATA estimates that there are between 300,000 and 500,000 truckers in America. Costello adds that 71 percent of goods are delivered by truck to the U.S. Show Source Texts
America’s food industry is suffering from pandemic truck driver shortages. IFDA Members stated in a recent survey that it had been difficult to fill open driving and warehouse jobs. 97 percent of respondents said that their vacancies had remained open longer than ever before before the pandemic. To combat the shortage, shipping companies and recruiters have tried a number of tactics, including higher salaries and bonuses. Show Source Texts
The Sun-Times said Mark Allen, president and CEO of the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA), that the farmers’ sensitivity to pandemic truck shortages is exacerbated. The IFDA has 131,000 drivers and needs 17,000 more to keep pace with existing demand. Show Source Texts
The truth is that if the haulage industry stopped, everyone would be affected, including the grocery workers, healthcare professionals and delivery staff that I have already mentioned. Show Source Texts
The health of lorry drivers is an issue that receives too little attention, especially among CDL drivers. On average, lorry drivers have more health problems and shorter life expectancy than people in other professions because of their lifestyle. Here are some of the most common health obstacles the average lorry driver regularly faces. Show Source Texts
In order to address the risks associated with the working environment of truck drivers, it is important to understand their diet, physical activity and associated health behaviors in order to address them. Studies have looked at these issues in US truck drivers [4-6], but there is little data from the Australian context, and most of these studies focus on safety issues. Show Source Texts
Whether they deliver emergency loads or standard goods, truck drivers do what is necessary to keep themselves and others healthy. As demand for food grows across the country, so does the demand for indispensable workers who are not getting the recognition they deserve. Show Source Texts
Cited Sources
- https://sjvsun.com/u-s/whats-driving-pricey-food-and-goods-heres-a-look-at-americas-truck-driver-shortage/ 0
- https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/26/business/britain-truck-driver-shortage.html 1
- https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/truck-drivers-delivering-during-coronavirus-crisis-need-more-private-sector-support 2
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/05/28/america-has-a-massive-truck-driver-shortage-heres-why-few-want-an-80000-job/ 3
- https://www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com/article/american-crisis-health-of-our-nation-s-truck-drivers 4
- https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2021/05/25/999784202/is-there-really-a-truck-driver-shortage 5
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6708403/ 6
- https://www.businessinsider.com/labor-shortage-food-suppliers-prices-cost-wages-drivers-truckers-salaries-2021-6 7
- https://www.smart-trucking.com/truck-driver-health/ 8
- https://www.primeinc.com/trucking-blogs/healthy-simple-truck-driver-food-ideas-from-prime-inc/ 9
- https://www.chrobinson.com/blog/why-we-need-truck-drivers/ 10
- https://www.kwch.com/2021/09/27/food-shortages-partially-due-truck-driver-shortages/ 11
- https://bmcnutr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40795-019-0326-3 12
- https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/macon/a-lot-of-freight-not-being-delivered-nationwide-truck-driver-shortage-impacting-georgia-consumers-2/93-71c6da66-2d41-447b-ba35-26718bdbc0e6 13