Few truckers dreamed of an over-the-road driving job. Most current truck drivers find themselves behind the wheel because it’s all they know. Unable to attend college or find other jobs that pay enough to support their families, many men and women turn to trucking out of desperation. Driving for the right company pays well, but the repercussions take a high toll on the driver.
Driving for ten to eleven hours per day has many negative effects on a truck driver’s health. The lack of movement and exercise causes back and circulatory problems and leads to heart disease. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also common in truck drivers. Truckers eat what they can, when they can. A trucker’s diet usually consists of fast food, junk food, and artery-clogging diner specials. Restroom breaks are infrequent, which leads to bowel, prostate, kidney, and digestive problems. An over-the-road trucker’s bed usually consists of a thin foam mattress in a narrow bunk. The uncomfortable sleeping arrangements, delivery deadlines, and restlessness cause sleep disorders. Most truckers rely on large amounts of caffeine and nicotine to get them through their days. The health hazards of those two items are innumerable. Being stuck in the cab of a truck all day for a week or more at a time has negative effects on a truck driver’s emotional and mental health as well. Depression is common in professional truck drivers. Many become social recluses as a result of loneliness.
Every day, truckers face dangers that most people don’t even think about. Often, drivers are forced to park in dangerous areas at night. Parked truckers face nightly the possibilities of robbery, murder, and even rape. Many drivers awaken to find that their trucks and trailers have been tampered with and goods which the driver is responsible for have been damaged or stolen. Truckers are very often solicited by prostitutes and harassed by beggars. On the road, truck drivers encounter other hazards besides inclement weather and heavy traffic. Everyone with a driver’s license copes with annoying motorists, but truckers deal with bad drivers all day long. People who slam on their brakes or cut trucks off don’t realize that it takes longer to stop a large truck pulling a loaded trailer. Motorists also fail to notice that semis need more space and time to negotiate a turn. The resulting accidents are often blamed on the trucker, not the careless motorist.Company drivers are targeted by people seeking to commit insurance fraud. There has also been a trend with teenagers damaging truckers’ property for “kicks”. In September 2007, Matt and Travis – truck drivers with wives and small children at home – passed under a bridge in New Jersey and nearly lost their lives. A large rock was tossed over the bridge onto the hood of Matt’s truck, and moments later, Travis’s windshield was shattered by a chunk of wood as he passed under the same bridge. Thankfully, the only damages incurred were to the trucks, but both men could have been killed by these “pranks”.
Many professional truck drivers only see their homes and families one day out of ten. Duane, a career trucker, has been driving over-the-road since he was 18 years old. He estimates the time he has actually spent with his family in the last 33 years to be about three years altogether. He regrets not being home for his children’s first words, school plays, and birthdays. He also regrets the time he wasn’t able to spend with his wife of 30 years while he was making a living. Duane’s story is common for a truck driver. Fortunately his marriage survived, but others are not so lucky. The time apart drives a wedge between couples whose only contact is a quick telephone call. In order to maintain positive contact and avoid ruining the other’s day, spouses will seldom discuss problems over the phone. This causes communication problems within the relationship. All family and household responsibilities are placed on the spouse remaining at home, which causes resentment and frustration. For these reasons, divorce among truckers is common. For families that stay together, the emotional distance between a truck driver and his loved ones takes years to bridge.
Nearly every product is at some point transported by a truck driver. Trains can only travel as far as the track goes. Ships and planes must stop at docks and airports. The clothes you’re wearing, the monitor you’re looking at, the Coke you’re drinking- all were hauled to a store by truck. Truckers provide an important service and should be respected. Instead of being annoyed the next time a trucker causes you to lose a few minutes on the road, please take a moment to consider the life of a trucker.
