Results from a 2023 survey shed light on the challenges faced by company drivers in managing stress. According to the survey, 36% of drivers believe they handle stress well, with only 1% feeling extremely confident in their stress management abilities. However, a significant majority, over half of the respondents, expressed that they perceive themselves as handling stress somewhat poorly or poorly.
In contrast to a traditional office setting, where finding a mentor or confidant is relatively straightforward, the trucking industry can present unique challenges. For drivers spending most of their day driving, the search for emotional support or advice can be daunting.
“I think the reality is we all need resources like that in our lives,” said Phil Wilt, president of American Central Transport (ACT), “and probably in the trucking space, it is probably overlooked the most. Sometimes just having a person to listen, or a person that I can go to and say, ‘I’m struggling with this,’ and they can speak truth to me.”
The survey also revealed that 76% of respondents believe drivers facing mental health issues are unlikely to seek help from a doctor or a professional. Only 6% thought drivers would actively seek assistance, while 16% remained unsure. Additionally, 16% expressed confidence that drivers experiencing mental health problems could find the necessary level of help, with over half expressing a lack of confidence and 32% being uncertain.
Addressing this gap in support, ACT took a proactive step last year by introducing a life coach to serve as an emotional resource and confidant for its employees.
“It’s not a counselor; it’s a coach,” Wilt said. “The stress of being out on the road, the stress from being away from your family, if you have a family. The lifestyle is hard, and that’s why we’ve tried to step in the gap and kind of call that out and figure out a way that we could help people that may be struggling that we don’t even know are struggling with that type of stuff.”
Meet the life coach Carnegie, a native of Jamaica, who arrived in the U.S. on a track scholarship. With over seven years of experience as a Student Success Coach in the Shawnee Mission School District, where he served ten schools and approximately 30,000 individuals (including families and students), he is no stranger to bridging the gap between problems and potential solutions. His background positions him as a valuable asset in providing much-needed support to truck drivers facing the unique challenges of the road.
“Honestly, for me, it’s life-on-life investing. I think this role here at ACT is so special, so unique, that we care about our employees not just showing up and being at work, but their mental health, their wellbeing and who they are as people,” Carnegie said. “My thing is I listen to care, not to share. I think we live in a day and age where a lot of times, when we’re talking to people, they’re already formulating a response and you’re not really actively listening. I really pride myself on that. It’s funny because a lot of times the folks around here, when I ask them about their family or that event they had, or that special occasion, they’re always kind of blown away. Like, ‘Hold on. Dre, you remember that?’ Yeah, because I’m listening when you talk. There’s no hidden agenda. That’s kind of the secret sauce.”
Source: Commercial Carrier Journal
