I'm looking into the $100 at home services, I cannot afford a $1000 in house study, and even if I could, I would not comply. I am being forced to do this, so finding the least expensive route is my only option. As far as the machines, most of my buddies have them, still in the box. I have had several fellow truck drivers already tell me I can have theirs.
And that is the kicker, they force us drivers to do all of this, and few if any drivers actually use these devices they were forced to purchase. Most trucks do not have the required inverter to power these units, so they stay in the box and are never used, and there is no medical follow up, they simply ask if you have your machine! Again, tell me this is not a racket?
And that is another thing, sleeping hard in a truck is really not in ones best interest. With the new logging devices we are now required to use, I find myself taking sleeping pills and or NyQuil to force myself to sleep to stay compliant with our new government mandated duty cycle. The government states we need more rest, so we pop pills and or drink lots of NyQuil. You think that is healthy? LOL! I don't, and try not too, but many times I have too. I wake up feeling like the bottom of your shoe, if anything happens I sleep right through it, like a fire or accident, or God forbid someone tries to break into my truck, which is very common in more than a few locations around the country. Trust me, truck stop parking lots are not the safest place to park, but it is all we got.
Meanwhile, I am changing carriers, I own my truck, and will be going to work with a local outfit. They have a run that may just allow me to hit the gym on a daily basis, now that is something I have been trying to do for over a year now. with zero success.
I don't work a 9 to 5 job, so staying healthy out here is darn near impossible, with the new driving regulations and the egg timer on our dash, I can no longer just go to the store or gym, I am held captive in my truck. I cannot even move across the parking lot to a better parking space. Prior to these regulations it was much easier to at least have a choice, now I get whatever I happen to land in. And by that I mean available parking.
And then staying healthy with the food available out here is darn near impossible unless you have a refrigerator in the truck. The food our here is pretty much crap, Mcdonalds and the like, and lack of real restaurants out here like we used to have, restaurants with locals in the back cooking up some really good stuff. That is all gone now, Subway is the healthy choice, unless you can find a grocery store, but that is getting to be more difficult as many businesses ban our trucks from entering their property.
I'm going to retire soon, have to, as this industry is going down the tubes very quickly, too quickly and the stress of the government regulations has MY stress levels through the roof. I have to leave sooner than later, because my body is telling me if I continue in this racket I will be at room temp within a few years, and it won't be from SA, but government regulations.
Many of us older drivers are fleeing the industry, 30 years of safe driving out here, and millions of miles under my belt. Getting to the point it is no longer worth it. Just informed my truck insurance rates are going up yet again. Truck accidents are through the roof, due to the electronic logs and inflexible hours that we can actually work. No more fudging and taking our time, now it is hammer down and to heck with everything and everyone else. Not how I was trained, and you will see it out where you are if you drive the interstate, trucks speeding, cutting off cars, switching lanes, etc... Sad
Thank you for the reply.
