Truckers Die at 61? The Health Crisis We Ignore
Truck drivers die at 61? Jeremy Reymer breaks down the driver health crisis, mental health tools, sleep, nutrition and the 5 axles of health. In this FreightWaves Today interview, the Project 61 founder explains why trucking works against nearly every basic rule of long-term health—and what drivers, fleets and the industry can do about it. […] The post Truckers Die at 61? The Health Crisis We…
Truckers have an average lifespan of 61 years, a statistic that has been cited by the industry for about 12 years. This figure is the driving force behind Project 61, a nonprofit that aims to address the health crisis affecting commercial drivers. Project 61 has expanded its free mobile app with mental health resources, which are aimed at the more than 3.5 million commercial drivers who face numerous health risks due to their daily routines.
The app is built around the "5 axles of health": fuel (food and nutrition), move (physical activity), recharge (sleep and recovery), mental health, and preventative maintenance. Nutrition is identified as the most actionable lever for improving health outcomes, as truck drivers eat roughly 20 times per week, providing frequent opportunities to make healthier choices.
Sleep deprivation is another major factor, with drivers averaging fewer than five hours of sleep per night due to the constraints of federal hours-of-service rules. The app also addresses social isolation, which can carry health risks equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Mental health tools are included within the app to provide coping resources and links to professional support when needed.
Fleet owners can utilize the app to run health challenges, build a health-forward culture, and improve driver retention, all of which can have direct business implications.
Written by urgent.news from FreightWaves's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
