An enlightening new survey details aspects of what it says is one of the most important parts of American truckers' driving days: snacking.
The survey by JW Surety Bonds finds that fully 88% of truckers say stopping for snacks is one of the highlights of their driving days. It also found:
- most drivers say they snack too much
- the majority of drivers are not honest with their partners or other family members about how much they snack
- it's not just coffee drivers consume while on the road, but when they do, they don't seek anything fancy
- many drivers rely on a snack or beverage when they're fighting fatigue
- there's a difference in snacking choices when it comes to the age of drivers
- OTR snacking is not inexpensive
"Snacks may seem small, but for America's truck drivers, they shape much of their lives on the road," says the survey. "Whether it's grabbing a protein bar to stay alert or cracking open an energy drink to fight fatigue, every bite and sip plays a role in performance, health, and job satisfaction."
Now for the details
Fully 80% of respondents say they snack too much, and that 65% of them are not honest with their partners or other family members about their on-the-road snacking habits.
On what are drivers snacking? Interestingly the top snack was fresh fruit, followed in this order, by protein bars, Snickers candy bars, Kit Kats, and that old standby, Slim Jims.
Coffee, once stereotypically portrayed as what fueled most drivers while on the road, is no longer most drivers' beverage of choice. Instead, the survey says truckers' top go-to drinks are Red Bull, bottled water, and Coca-Cola. When they do reach for a coffee, drivers say they prefer the house brews found at truck stops over McDonald's McCafe or Starbucks.
There are distinct preference differences in what drivers of different ages chose when snacking. The survey says Gen X (born between. 1965 and 1980) drivers most often choose Kit Kat, Slim Jim, and Snickers for snacking, and their top drinks were Coke, truck stop coffee, and Sprite. Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) are more likely to reach for fresh fruit, Snickers, and protein bars, and they frequently drank Red Bull, water, and Coke. Gen Z (1997 and 2012) drivers favored protein bars, fresh fruit, and Slim Jims, while their top drinks were Monster, gas station coffee, and Red Bull.
Still, when buying snacks, most drivers said they try to make mindful choices, according to the survey. Just over half (51%) prioritized health, while others weighed taste (38%), convenience (7%), or cost (4%), depending on where they stopped and how long they had been driving.
In the end, snacking does not come cheaply. The survey found responding drivers spend about $30 per week on snacks and $33 per week on drinks, totaling more than $3,200 annually. Additionally, 19% say they spend $50 or more each week on snacks, and another 12% spend over $100 weekly on snacks and drinks.
Why do drivers snack?
In short, drivers are munching on a snickers or downing a Red Bull to fight that on-road menace, fatigue.
The survey found, four in five truckers, or 81%, said they at least occasionally feel tired while driving. Nearly three in four, that's 71%, admitted to missing a delivery deadline because of fatigue, according to the survey.
To no surprise, drivers rely on caffeine to help keep them stay awake, alert and on time. But, drivers were found not to be continuously quaffing coffee or an energy drink. Caffeine consumption, according to the survey, was most often moderate, between 200 and 400 milligrams (mg) per day, for about two-thirds of drivers, or 66%.
There are exceptions. The survey says snother 22% of respondents consumed higher amounts, ranging from 401 to 600 mg per day, and 4% had extreme levels, exceeding 600 mg daily.
Just 8% reported a low caffeine intake of less than 200 mg, according to the survey.
However, caffeine consumption was not a fatigue cure-all. Fully 79% of drivers said they still felt tired after drinking coffee, soda, or energy drinks. Millennials were most likely to report this, followed by Gen X (73%) and Gen Z (71%).
But, there's hope
Many drivers say they want to make better choices. Almost all (93%) said they would try a healthy snack subscription if truck stops offered one, and over half would pay up to $50 a month for it. Interest was highest among Gen Z drivers (97%), followed by millennials (93%) and Gen X (84%).
