Combating Obesity in the Trucking Industry: Part 2

In part one, we gave the grim statistics, as they stand right now. In part two, we will show you how to NOT be part of those stats. With your help, we can even change those numbers for the better.

Remember Tony? He prioritizes his health. He chose a gym membership that allowed him to exercise at any location along his route. You can do the same! Lack of time is not an excuse; we make time for what is important to us. His family and health top that list, and he knows that if he wants to be around to see kids and grand kids grow up, he needs to maintain that health. It is important to overcome those obstacles and thoughts that are fighting you every single time you think about exercise.  

But what about food? It is more challenging to make healthy eating choices when on the road, but not impossible. In many ways, this part is more important than exercise. You can lose weight and improve your health if all you did was eat healthy and never exercised, but the same isn't necessarily true if the roles were reversed. That said, there are immense benefits to doing both, which is why we highly recommend taking baby steps towards increasing exercise time and healthful eating.

Here are a few tips from seasoned truck drivers that will help you on your road to better health:

Combating Obesity in the Trucking Industry: Part 1

The problem of obesity among truckers is very real, and needs to be addressed. In this 3-part series, we hope to bring light to the situation and also educate truckers who struggle with obesity to find ways to combat the disease.

Today, we are going to present you with some sobering numbers, in order to illustrate the stark contrast between worker health in the trucking industry and the population in general. The statistics below emphasize how important it is for the industry as a whole to promote healthier living, from the inside out. Rather than letting this discourage you, use it to help encourage you to live a healthier life!

Remember: Just because you are a truck driver, it doesn’t mean that you will be obese.
Ultimately, that is a choice you make. If we join together, we can work to change these statistics for the better. In this series, we are going to show you how to make that choice easier by presenting you with the facts, and then showing you simple ways to avoid becoming a statistic.

Trucking is the #1 occupation with the highest rate of obesity, at nearly 69%. 17% were classified as morbidly obese.

The average life expectancy of owner-operator truckers: 55.7 years old.

The average life expectancy of union drivers is 63 years old.

The average life expectancy of the American general populations is 78.7 years old.

Obesity-related health statistics:

87% of truckers have hypertension, vs. 58.3% of the general population in America.

54% of truckers smoke, vs. 21% of the general population.

8% (8%!!!) of truckers exercise, vs 49% of the general population.

80% of truckers report unhealthy eating habits.

Most common obesity-related health issues among truckers:

-heart disease

- high blood pressure

-cancer

-gallbladder disease

-sleep apnea

 http://www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com/focused/american-crisis-health-of-our-nation-s-truck-drivers/

http://consumer.healthday.com/public-health-information-30/economic-status-health-news-224/truck-drivers-top-list-of-overweight-workers-683816.html

http://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2015/03/03/truck-driver-health/

How Truckers Successfully Keep New Year's Resolutions

The start of a new year is as good of a time as any to try and kick a bad habit or develop a good one. But, like anything worth doing, you're going to have to work for it. Conventional wisdom tells us that it only takes doing something for 21 consecutive days to develop that habit. If only it were that quick! On average, it really takes 66 days. Which still isn't bad, when you consider the long-term benefits of self-improvement.

For truckers, that average can be easily raised or brought down, based on your level of dedication. This is when you can make your career work for you. Think about it: because you spend most of your day alone, you're not exposed to temptations unless you choose to be. That's one upside when you're trying to cut back on sugar or quit smoking. However, it can also be a downside if you're looking to be more active.

Life in the Truck Driver's Seat: Tony's Story

He isn't what most people would consider the stereotypical truck driver. Sure, he listens to country music and enjoys being out on the open road, but that's pretty much where the stereotype ends.

A former bodybuilder and self-described gym rat, Tony was looking for a career that would allow him to increase his earning potential while still being able to enjoy time with his 5, yes, FIVE boys. His goal was to eventually go from working for a company to become an owner-operator, which is what he does now. He doesn't recommend getting into it right away, though. More on that later.

So how did a bodybuilder get into trucking? Well, much like Brian, it became somewhat of a family business. Tony's older brother was already a professional truck driver, and the lifestyle appealed to him. He had previously been working in sales, but did not like the uncertainty of his paycheck, since it was totally based off commission earned. Since he has five children, he felt much more comfortable knowing how much (or at least the minimum) he would be bringing in each month.

SWTDT 2015 Trucking Wrap Up

2015 has been a wonderful year for SWTDT. Before we look ahead into what's in store for our company in 2016, we would like to stop and reflect on the blessings this year has brought.

First and foremost, we are thankful for our students. Without you, we would not exist. We would like to thank our graduates for their contribution to the trucking industry, and the U.S. economy as whole. We have been able to see more students than ever earn their CDL, and start great careers, as a direct result of attending our training.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: SWTDT Breaks Ground on New CDL Training Location!

Center (blue shirt): Travis Williams Director of Veterans Affairs. To his right: Sean A. Williams President of Southwest Truck Driver Training Inc. Also pictured: Sun State Builders, Winton Architects, and members of the development team

Soon, Southwest Truck Driver Training will have a brand-new campus to serve you! On December 17, 2015, we celebrated our new location with a groundbreaking. Our new, state-of-the-art CDL training facility will be located at 2323 S. 51st Avenue in Phoenix. 

This is part of SWTDTs continued effort to provide students with the best instructors and training resources available. Many thanks to Sun State Builders, Winton Architects, and members of our development team for helping us to make this happen. Stay tuned as we post updates and more details in the coming months!

2016 Trucking Industry Outlook and Projections

If you're wondering how the future trucking job market will look for you, the new CDL holder, we can confidently tell you that it looks very bright! 

Industry leaders echo our sentiments: “The outlook for all modes of freight transportation remains bright,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello in releasing U.S. Freight Transportation Forecast to 2026. “Continued population growth, expansion of the energy sector and foreign trade will boost trucking.”