5 challenges truckers face on the road

The trucking industry is facing a shortage of people in the past few years. This is due to the fact that most truckers face an immense amount of challenges on the road. Even though trucking is not just another job but a way of living the toll of being a driver is sometimes too high. Here are 5 obstacles that truck drivers encounter on daily bases.

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Too much work load

Long shifts, hectic weather conditions and the pressure whether they will make it on time or not. This is the life of every truck driver. It is not a secret that truckers might spend more than 12 hours a day driving. Often drivers get one day off per week. Some could hardly catch upon their sleep before their next shift. Even though legislation regulations monitor the amount of hours that drivers spend on the road a lot of truckers go often working after hours in order to deliver the freight within the deadline and in the right conditions.

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Poor payment

People tend to think that truck drivers get well deserved reward for their hard work. Even though truckers are constantly under pressure and exposed to high risks on the road, the salary they get rarely responds to the stress and tough conditions they go through. Experts state that the chances of fatal accidents are high in this field. It is reported that 12% of work related deaths in the US come from the trucking industry. This is why an annual salary of $38,000 seem absolutely insufficient. On an average a trucker might end up having worked 4400 hours per year which results an hourly pay of $8.70 - an amount that is too little considering the workload.

Health risks

When it comes to the life of a trucker who is always on the road there are too many factors that threaten their health. From the lack of sleep and good rest, bad eating habits and less exercise to accidents on the highways the need for a proper healthcare and insurance is vital. The number of drivers who suffer from obesity is rising and so are the cases of other diseases connected the condition. According to research, only 14% of the 3 million US truck drivers don’t fall in this category. Authorities claim that more and more truckers complain from heart problems and high blood pressure. Even though law prevent some people suffering from specific conditions such as diabetes from becoming a  trucker it is reported that the lifestyle a lot of drivers have often lead to developing the disease.

Photo: Bobtail.Insure

Many drivers complain from other health issues such as spine pain, bladder and kidney malfunction, stomach irritation or even some psychological problems for example trauma or even depression.

All those health risks lead to a major drop of people in the field. In fact, the low number of truckers provoke self-driving technology supporters to advocate for those innovative trucks.

Photo: Bobtail.Insure

Inconveniences on the road

From having to sleep inside the truck and using a toilet only on a few occasions to the lack of proper warm shower whenever you need, the basic inconveniences that truckers meet on the road would annoy any of us. A large number of the drivers complain that there are not enough parking places where drivers can have a break. Others complain that long driving and the responsibility of taking care of  thousand pounds of truck and cargo put too much pressure on them. Not to mention the fact that most of the time you are alone on the road which, according to truckers, which might lead to depression or burnout.

Being away from home

Truck drivers spend most of their time on the road far away from their families. A lot of them never get the chance to properly celebrate Christmas or Thanksgiving Day with the ones they love as ironically enough sometimes they have to deliver goods to make They miss birthday parties and school events. Often the circumstances of the profession lead to divorces or problematic relationships.