The life of a professional driver is challenging, and it requires a special skill set like no other.
I was on site with a carrier a couple weeks ago, talking about driver health. I always take these opportunities to listen closely to what drivers have to say about their life on the road and the challenges they face from day to day.
In trucking, like all professions, to be the best you can be takes focus, concentration and preparation. As a CDL driver, your eyes and mind are constantly engaged — and like a professional athlete you also play defense and anticipating the other drivers’ moves.
Judging from my last round of driver conversations, anticipating the moves of other drivers is high on the list of stressful challenges out there. So, I asked drivers what they do to prepare and/or train for these challenges, both mentally and physically.
Well … I’m very pleased to say many drivers place walking as a top priority to relieve the daily stress of driving. Many said they run certain scenarios of “what could happen” through their mind. The most common advice to stay safe on the road is “keep your distance” — which, by the way, all drivers should adhere to, whether their vehicles have 18 wheels or four.
In general, completing a high level of continuing education for any given trade is associated with better mental function.
Thinking about it: Spending time on education and training in your industry helps keep your memory strong. Focusing on training puts you into a habit of being mentally active. Again, comparing drivers to athletics, it’s the preparation for game day that allows you to perform your best. The more senses you use in learning something, the more of your brain will be involved in retaining the memory.
So, challenge all your senses as you practice your trade.
The same idea applies to staying physically active. I’ve talked about keeping your memory strong — but have you heard of muscle memory? Muscle memory is a neurological process that allows your body to “remember” certain motor skills and perform them without hesitation or conscious effort. Muscle memory applies to your mental alertness as well.
So, continue to take advantage of safety education, and practicing learning and improving your trade both mentally and physically.
Known as The Trucker Trainer, Bob Perry has played a critical role in the paradigm shift of regulatory agencies, private and public sector entities, and consumers to understand the driver health challenge. Perry can be reached at [email protected].
Bob Perry is a regular contributor to The Trucker. He has spent nearly the past four decades on a mission to educate professional drivers and share life-changing products and services to help them live healthier lives while on the road. Recognized throughout the transportation industry, from bus drivers to over-the-road professional drivers, Perry has played an important role in creating a paradigm shift helping regulatory agencies, private and public sector entities, and consumers understand the current health challenges of the professional driver. He has participated as a wellness advocate in several roundtable discussions, large audience groups and small forums as well as going “curbside” through a national truck stop tour.
Bob’s articles have been featured in The Trucker and a number of other national transportation industry publications and is the host of a weekly wellness call produced by Rolling Strong. Bob has been a regular guest on RedEye Radio and Land-Line Radio, and is often an invited guest on Sirius radio shows. He has been featured in the New York Times, Men’s Health Magazine, Drug Store News, American Road Magazine, WSJ, NPR, ABC National Radio, as well as hundreds of daily newspapers. He has appeared on television news shows across the nation, including a featured TV segment on ABC NightLine News.
