Top job benefits should be pay and wellness

I was driving along listening to Dave Nemo when a guest made a comment that got my attention. He is a recruiter, and he complained that it is just too easy for drivers quit. I thought, “Maybe you aren’t doing enough to keep them.”

Later that week, I got an email from a woman with a Master of Science degree in health and wellness. She wanted to know how to reach truck drivers. I started putting these two events together.

We have a lot of problems in this industry. One of them is driver health. The turnover rate is another. These two problems feed off each other. We can change our way of thinking. If drivers accumulate benefits like health packages that include wellness over time, then drivers would have incentive to stay.

What if companies put their money where their mouths are and show they care? Start a wellness program. Drivers could get involved. When we are being recruited, ask about pay and wellness. Instead of asking if a company has health insurance, ask them if they have a wellness program.

The FMCSA Medical Review Board is getting ready to set BMI standards for sleep apnea testing. That could affect 30 percent of drivers. Companies are already complaining that they can’t find enough quality drivers. Instead of recruiting new ones, they will need to keep the ones that they have.

Health care costs can be reduced through wellness care. Health insurance companies are recognizing the value of wellness, and itis time for trucking companies and their drivers to do the same.

Communication in the trucking industry is becoming more impersonal. With electronic communication, a driver can go weeks without even hearing a voice from the company. If a trucking company had a wellness coach, drivers could have a real connection with the company. It would show the driver that the company does have the drivers’ long-term interest in mind. Maybe then it wouldn’t be too easy to just quit.

Jeff Clark is a trucker, a grandfather and an eight-time marathon (26.2 miles) finisher. He is dedicated to helping truckers improve their health through better habits. Contact him at marathontrucker@yahoo.com or http://www.twitter.com/marathontrucker.

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Build on your short-term successes

You have resolved to start exercising. That’s great. Now make a second resolution. Resolve to keep exercising. For truckers it is a challenge to build a consistent exercise program, so join groups who are around to help you. In the end, though, it is up to you.

Remember this is for a lifetime. You can set up short-term goals. You may want to lose 10 pounds before spring. That is a great goal. You can reach it by taking in fewer calories than you burn. Short-term goals are great motivators. Every time I run I set a goal. I have weekly goals. When I meet my goals, I am encouraged. When I don’t, I am frustrated. Don’t let missing a short-term goal deter you from that second resolution.

Have a plan. Set goals that are within your control. Success is a great motivator. When goals seem too easy, set harder ones. Resolve to exercise 20 minutes five times a week. That is simple enough. Weight loss is a great goal. It is harder to control, though. The time you exercise is within your control.

Keep it simple. Walk. Don’t try to run. Running is simple, but it is hard. Build up your muscles and your wind by walking a little faster and farther. Get to where you can walk at a brisk pace for 20 minutes. Then build up to 30 minutes. Once you can walk briskly for 30 minutes at a time, you can mix in a little running. Walk for a couple of minutes then jog until you get a little tired; walk until you catch your breath, then jog again. Repeat this process and eventually you will be able to run nonstop for 30 minutes. If you wish to just walk and not run, that is great, too. But keep at it.

I know I have written this before: Our world can be all industrial parks and interstates. See something else. Go somewhere. Find a residential neighborhood. Go for a walk or ride a bike. I have found great places like parks and trails while walking or running near a truckstop or a customer.

So get out there and exercise. You never know what you will find and how good you will feel.

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Try something different

The more you exercise the easier it becomes to try new things. It is no longer a monumental task to drag a 30-pound kayak to the river. Learn to use one. Paddling up and down a river doesn’t seem like exercise — it’s more like playing or exploring. Though kayaks are difficult to carry in a truck, there are places to rent them for a reasonable price. Try it.

Bicycling is still possible in the winter, but here in Wisconsin, where I live, it does get a little more limited. Running is still viable. Kayaks just don’t work that well on the ice. I like to do some alternative exercise to running at least twice a week. Complementary exercise provides variety, a relief for your muscles and your mind. Variety also helps prevent overuse injuries.

Winter changes the options. So I pull the cross-country skis out of the attic and put them in the truck.

Cross-country skiing is great exercise. It works the upper and lower body. You can seek your own level of cardio with it. You can do a slow, rhythmic traditional walk or pick up the pace. On groomed trails you can really pick up the pace and skate. The basic equipment is a pair of skis, poles and boots. Sure, you can buy specialized clothing, but that isn’t necessary. Just dress warm and comfortably. Skiing itself warms the body. Wear layers so that if you get too warm you can take one off. Dressing in layers is a good idea for all winter exercise.

Not all sports fit all seasons, but don’t view this as a disadvantage. This is a chance to break out some new toys. Truckers adapt to new environments on a daily basis. Truckers looking to exercise also adapt. I have trouble running in high altitudes, so I jump on the bicycle or hike a trail. In winter, I am less apt to ride the bike. Ice and bikes don’t mix well. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are great alternatives.

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These days, truckers are guided by GPS. We rarely venture off route. We go the most efficient way. Venturing off route costs fuel, money and sometimes a ticket. Now, I do most of my exploring without diesel. Sometimes while waiting to get loaded I slip on the running shoes and search for a shortcut. Some days I think there is a place to go and I go searching for it.

Saturday was one of those “go look for it” days. I knew that the Military Ridge State Trail runs along U.S. Highway 151 where I was driving. I knew that there is a small truckstop in Barneveld, Wis. So, I pulled my truck into the lot and got my bike out. I always get the looks from four-wheelers and other truckers when I do this. I find this entertaining in itself. Five minutes later I was heading out of the truckstop in search of the trail. It took about three minutes for me to find it.

This trail is constantly tunneling through the trees. Occasionally, you ride over a wooden bridge that spans a small creek. I often picture what it was like when those old steam trains would run on the same path that I am using. I just get into my own little world. I am not exercising. I am exploring. I am playing.

About 20 minutes into the ride a sign caught my attention. It was the entrance to Blue Mound State Park. So, I took it. Uphill for a mile, and my calves were sore for three days. The sign read, “Towers this way.” The park features two tall observation towers. I climbed them both. They had incredible views of the Wisconsin Uplands that were somehow skipped over by the glaciers.

Exercise can be play. This type of play would not be possible without putting in some effort to exercise regularly. The views from those towers were worth every bit of sweat that I dropped. Being in shape can open up new worlds. On this day I sure was glad that it did.

Check out www.rideandroll.me or www.railstotrails.org and other sites to find these trails. Let me know if you find trails near truck parking.

Jeff Clark is a trucker, a grandfather and an eight-time marathon (26.2 miles) finisher. He is dedicated to helping truckers improve their health through better habits. Contact him at marathontrucker@yahoo.com or http://www.twitter.com/marathontrucker.

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We have made it through the summer. The temperatures have cooled, and the fall colors are on their way. October might be my favorite month of the year. As the temperature drops, running gets easier. The trails are still open for bike riding. October is a great time to reevaluate.

Come up with some goals. My long-term goal is to finish a marathon after the age of 70. That’s 17 years away, so it is a little hard to focus on that one. I just don’t want to do anything so stupid now that it will keep me from getting to that goal. I set short-term goals. My next goal is to run five miles in fewer than 45 minutes on Thanksgiving morning. My longer goal will be to finish the Green Bay Marathon in May. Then I want to do a 70.3-mile triathlon in July.

Goals can be broken into smaller parts. The smaller parts become the plan. As with diets, your exercise plan may kick you off when you least expect it. That just means you need to either adjust the plan or start again: Do not give up. In trucking, exercise routines don’t come easy. Build some flexibility into your routine. Marathon training usually consists of one long run per week. For most marathoners, that run is done the same day of the week, usually on the weekend. As a trucker, you never know what day of the week you will have time for a longer training session. It makes it harder. It also makes you appreciate it more.

Your goal might be to walk a mile in fewer than 20 minutes without having to stop and catch your breath. The same principles apply. You may have 40 minutes to exercise one day and 10 minutes another day. The day that you have 40 minutes, walk slowly. Have 10 minutes? See if you can walk half a mile.

October is a great month to start a routine. By the time it gets cold, you will be into the habit. Once you have started the habit, it gets easier to do it no matter the weather.

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Many truckers are switching to two wheels. With electronically enforced 10- and 34-hour breaks, we have time to do something for ourselves. Bicycling is a fun way to explore our surroundings. I never think of bicycling as exercise: It’s just fun. The fact that I burn a few calories along the way is just a happy by-product.

Road bikes can cover a lot of ground, but many unpaved trails are not set up for the skinny high-pressure (90 psi and up) tires on these bikes. You can go with a mountain bike. Mountain biking is a gas, but while traveling, mountain bike trails are hard to find and less likely to be convenient to truck parking. Hybrid bikes bridge the gap between road and mountain bikes. Folding bikes have come a long way, too. You can buy one through OOIDA.

There are different ways to carry your bike on a truck. Most modern bikes are easy to assemble. The wheels come off and go back on with relative ease. For most of us, it is about a 10-minute job. Once you do that, you can put your bike in a transit bag and put it in the top bunk for safekeeping. I put a simple spindle bracket on the exhaust assembly of my truck. That allowed me to just take off the front wheel of the bike and carry it conveniently on the truck. Recently, I took out the passenger seat of my truck and mounted a bracket there to carry my bike.

My advice is to take an old bike out of the garage or buy an inexpensive bike and take that with you for at least a few months. A bike is a great means of getting around, even in large cities. You can find a nice place to eat or maybe a farmers market. I love the rail trails, which are smooth but often unpaved. Hybrid bikes offer a versatile compromise and handle most trails with ease.

What works for me might not work for you. Put on a helmet and try it. Contact the Facebook groups Truckin’ Runners or Ride and Roll- Cycling on the Road for more information or places to ride.

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So you’re going to do the Big Rig Run in Dallas!

Here is some practical advice for you to consider before you lace up your running shoes as well as the layout of the event itself.

It’s Dallas. It’s August. It will be hot. Hydration is key. The 5K is on Friday. The convention begins on Thursday. Is it a social event masquerading as a business convention or vice versa? I don’t know. Either way, it has an effect. Try to cut down on your walking or running on Thursday. Going out with associates Thursday night? Moderate. Don’t overeat. If you are going to imbibe, stick to beer and only have one or two. Alcohol is a dehydrant. Overdo, and you will pay for it on Friday. Go back to your room and get sleep.

Substitute a bottle of water for your coffee. Coffee is also a dehydrant. Eat your routine breakfast, leaving out heavily fatty items such as butter and cream. However, race day is the wrong day to experiment. If you normally eat a bowl of cereal, then eat a bowl of cereal. You don’t need to absorb extra calories on race day. That does not mean skip breakfast. If you don’t eat something, it will affect your energy level.

You’re at the race now. Socialize. Ask people how fast they plan on running. Line up with people who are planning on running or walking at your pace. It makes for a smoother race. This is an out-and-back run/walk. It starts up a steep hill. Consider walking or jogging up it. There is a water stop at about the 1-mile marker, and you will hit it again on the way back. The nicest thing about an out-and-back run that starts up a hill is that it finishes downhill. If you can get yourself to the 3-mile marker, the rest will take care of itself.

The coolest thing about this event is the people. It is an opportunity to met people from different parts of the industry. A CEO can learn about driver retention from a driver. A driver can learn about customer relations from a CEO. You get the idea. Use the race as a social event or business convention. Never forget that the most important thing is to have fun while being healthy.

To register for the 5K Big Rig Run, visit www.bigrigrun.com. Whether you’re a trucker, a runner — or both — join us at Dallas’ Katy Train on Aug. 26 at 7 a.m. as we support a healthier trucking lifestyle. Experienced runners will be on site to give tips and encouragement. Walkers are welcome, too. A portion of the $15 entry fee will benefit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Also, don’t miss the Trucking Solutions Group 1.5-mile Health Awareness Walk, held inside the Dallas Convention Center at 8 a.m. Aug. 27. Visit the TSG website at www.truckingsolutionsgroup.org and on Facebook.

Jeff Clark is an eight-time marathon finisher, a trucker and regular columnist for Truckers News’ Fit for the Road department.

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This year’s Great American Trucking Show Aug. 25-27 will have more health activities than any other truck show to date. Whether you are a walker, runner, bicyclist or just want to help others, you’re sure to find something of interest there. Why not do it all? In addition to being fun and informative, these events are a great way to meet people.

Truckers News will host the second annual Big Rig Run 5k run/walk at 7 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 26, on the Katy Trail. Walkers and runners are encouraged. We had a blast last year and are coming back to do it again. This year there will be a $15 entrance fee. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. To learn more about the event or to register go to www.bigrigrun.com.

The Trucking Solutions Group will once again host a 1.5-mile walk. This will take place inside the Dallas Convention Center at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Last year, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood featured this event in his Fast Lane blog. TSG is a group of owner-operators who are making a difference in the industry. At MATS this year, TSG hosted a one-day blood drive. With the help of the American Red Cross, the group will sponsor a blood drive all three days of GATS. This provides a great opportunity to provide blood to the Dallas area. Visit the TSG website at www.truckingsolutionsgroup.org and on Facebook.

Bicycling will be represented at GATS. The Ride and Roll cycling on the road group will have a booth this year. Please drop by to learn more about cycling on the road, including which bike is right for you and how to carry it in your rig.

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We all have limitations. What is yours? Do you use your limitation as an excuse not to exercise? We need to find reasons to exercise, and our limitations can be just that. We can’t always defeat our limitations, but we can find ways to deal with them.

I have a friend, Rod Maccoux, who has finished the last three Green Bay Marathons. He has a limitation. He’s blind. He deals with it. How easy would it be for him to not do it? Instead he finds a way to deal with his limitation by running with a guide.

We’re truckers. We seem to have an endless list of limitations. It starts with our schedule. We don’t have time for exercise. That’s just a limitation. Work around it. Don’t make your limitation an excuse. Take a 30-minute walk while you’re getting loaded or unloaded.

My limitation is heart disease. My running does not make it go away. It does make it better. My heart is in great shape. My cardiologist says that I have a runners’ heart. My main coronary arteries are in terrific shape with less than 5 percent blockage. My problem lies in my tributary arteries. After an hour or so of running they begin to clog and contract. So I can run 5 or 6 miles at a time without a problem. It is the longer runs that it becomes a problem.

Marathoners traditionally run through a wall 20 miles into the 26.2 mile race. It is a point where your body just seems to have nothing left and yet you continue on. I can no longer run through the wall. I needed a way around it. Walls don’t suddenly appear in front of you. You can see them coming. When you anticipate them it is easier to get around them. I walk long before I hit the wall. Then I can run again.

Find a way around your wall. Riding a bike may actually help that old football knee. Movement can actually improve arthritis. Use your limitation as your reason to exercise.

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