Few truckers have dreamed of an over-the-road driving job. Most racing 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 in desperation. Driving the right company pays well, but the repercussions of the driver take a high toll.
Driving ten to eleven hours a day has many negative effects on truck drivers health. Lack of movement and exercise causes back and circulatory problems and leads to heart disease. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also common among high-speed drivers. Truckers eat what they can, when they can. A non-solo diet usually consists of fast food, junk food, and mainly artery-clogging meals. Toilet breaks are rare, which leads to bowel, prostate, kidney and digestive problems. An over-the-road mattress usually consists of a thin foam mattress in a narrow shelter. Inconvenient sleeping arrangements, stillbirths, restlessness and restlessness cause sleep disorders. Most truckers rely on a large supply of caffeine and alcohol to get them through their days. The health risks of those two are innumerable. Being stuck in a truck all day for a week or more has negative effects on the driver’s emotional and mental health. Depression is common among professional truck drivers. Many have become social outcasts because of loneliness.
Every day, truckers face risks that most people don’t even think about. Drivers are often forced to park in hostile areas at night. The parking lot of truckers at night has the potential for robbery, murder, and even kidnapping. Many drivers wake up to find that their trucks and trailers have been damaged and the goods that the driver was responsible for have been damaged or stolen. The murderers were often harassed by harlots and beggars. On the road, truck drivers face other dangers in addition to bad weather and heavy traffic. Everyone with a license can be a driver with a very bad motor, but truckers deal with bad drivers all day. People who crash or cut trucks off, don’t realize that they have to stop pulling a large truck with a loaded trailer. In addition, motorists do not notice that semis need more space and time to negotiate turns. The resulting accidents are often blamed on the non-lonely, non-careless motorist. Drivers are shot by people trying to commit fraud insurance. There has also been a trend with truckers deducting property taxes for “kickbacks.” In September 2007, Matt and Travis – truck drivers with their wives and big children at home – almost passed under the bridge in Novo Caesarea they lost their lives. A large stone was hurled over the bridge into the hood of Matthew’s wagon, and after a little while, when a gust of wind passed under the same bridge, it was thrown away. Thankfully, the only damages were to the trucks, but both men could have been killed by these “isris”.
Many professional drivers only see their homes and families only one day out of ten. Duane, a non-lonely career, was driven over-the-road when he was 18 years old . He estimates that the time that the family has spent with his family in the last 33 years is about three years altogether. First of all, it doesn’t hurt to be free of games and birthdays. He also regrets the time he was unable to spend with his wife of 30 years while he was alive. Duane’s story is a common one for truck drivers. Some marriages survive happily, but others are not so lucky. Time apart drives a wedge between couples whose only contact is a quick phone call. In order to maintain positive contact and not waste another day, couples will rarely discuss problems over the phone. This causes communication problems within the relationship. All family and household responsibilities are placed on the spouse staying at home, which creates anger and frustration. Divorce among truckers is common for these reasons. As families stay together, the emotional distance between the driver and loved ones takes years to bridge.
Almost every product has at some point been transported by a truck driver. Obstacles can only go as far as the path. Ships and airplanes must stop at docks and airports. The clothes you wear, the monitor you ask for, the cook you drink – everything is brought to the store by truck. Truckers provide great service and should be respected. Instead of getting upset the next time a nonsolotango makes you waste a few minutes on the road, take a moment to live a nonsolo- sion.
Information for this piece was gathered through interviews with Duane Atnip, Travis Atnip and Matthew Walter.
Report:
-
Interviews with Truckers Duane Atnip, Travis Atnip, Matthew Walter
