The Next Time You're In Boise
You’re busy, you don’t have much time to waste so the next time you’re in Boise Idaho, and you need a DOT Physical please come in to see us!
I know things have changed when it comes to DOT Physicals.
My dad was a truck driver for 35 years, and he remembers getting a physical and it would literally take 5 minutes. The doctor would tap you knees a few times with his hammer, and check your eye site, and you’d be back on the road.
Well, things are a little different now. The Law changed back in 2014 and made the requirements a little more extensive.
The Problem: The government noticed an increase in Motor Vehicle Accidents with Truck Drivers and said, we need to change things.
Now, I don’t know if I agree totally with their conclusion, but one thing for sure, if you can get screened early you can prevent serious health issues, not just in Truck Drivers, but in the general population as well, which is a good thing.
So, I have a different approach when it comes to Certifying someone for a DOT Physical.
First of all, the BMI chart is not an accurate reflection of someones true health. Someone with a lot of muscle or a large skeleton will be called Over-Weight and should they be dinged for it? No.
Same thing with Sleep Apnea. Boy, that just seems like a money grab somewhere. They tell us one of the symptoms of sleep apnea is drowsy driving. Is that why truck drivers get into accidents? Because they are drowsy? Maybe, and maybe it’s the others drivers fault too.
From my experience (I drove truck with my dad for several years) the reason I got drowsy behind the wheel, was because I had been on the road all damn day!
If your day begins at 5 am, and you come home at 7pm, then you have a high chance of getting tired behind the wheel!
Now, I’m not going to talk about long hours, log books, and compliance, but I can tell you truck drivers work pretty hard.
We don’t have the best diet, we don’t move much in a day, and yes this can lead to chronic disease.
Do I with they had healthier food choices at truck stops? Yes! Fried burritos, fried chicken, pork rinds and volumes of coffee are not good for anyone.
Do I wish truck drivers could stop more often and walk for 15-20 minutes 3 times per day. Yes! But that’s hard when you have to be somewhere by a deadline.
So unless pay increases dramatically, and drivers can afford to eat better and stop more often for exercise, their health will continue to decline.
I understand most Americans (including truck drivers) have poor health. That is our reality.
All we can do is our part, and continue to work hard.
See ya in Boise!