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Aug 10, 2017

OSA DISORDER * USA: Required for truckers

* New Jersey - Trump nixes sleep testing proposal for truckers, train engineers


--- The Trump administration has withdrawn a proposed requirement for railroads and trucking companies to test employees for obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder believed to be a factor in last year's fatal train crash at Hoboken Terminal in New Jersey... In their announcement withdrawing the proposal Friday, the Federal Railroad Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said they'd encourage trucking and rail companies to voluntarily screen employees involved in safety-sensitive work, such as truck drivers and train engineers, for sleep apnea... Sleep apnea is a chronic condition that degrades the quality of sleep, resulting in daytime fatigue and drowsiness. According to the National Institutes of Health, the condition often goes undiagnosed... The Federal Register said, they would not make sleep apnea screenings mandatory, as first proposed by the Obama administration in March 2016... 
(Photo by Chris O'Neil/NTSB/via AP - Hoboken, NJ, crash)   --  Bergen County, N.J., USA - USA TODAY, by Curtis Tate - Aug. 5, 2017


* Study - Truckers who slack on sleep apnea treatments crash more

 --- A recent study conducted by the University of Minnesota/Morris over 1,613 Schneider National truck drivers suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) found that if drivers failed to stick with the positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment prescribed for their condition, their risk of suffering a “serious preventable crash” is five times higher compared to truck drivers who don’t suffer from OSA as well those who do but who stick with the PAP treatment... The Truckers & Turnover Project study is published May 2017, in the online scientific journal Sleep by the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society... 
 Darien, ILL, USA - American Trucker - 10 Aug 2017

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Jul 28, 2017

The world's first certified organic fast food chain * Australia

* Victoria - Organic fast food for health


  --- A recent Australian health survey found 63% of adults are now overweight, with 28% classified as obese... The number of obese people in Australia has doubled in the last 20 years. The rise in obesity has been attributed to poor eating habits in Australia, as well as the availability of fast food, and our increasingly sedentary lifestyle... And this it's a big trouble for truckers !!! ... Now, they can forget the fried fish and chips and ditch the dagwood dog, the world's first certified organic fast food outlet is here... Oliver's Real Food, the world's first certified organic fast food chain, has opened in Aratula, on the Cunningham Highway... Travellers and locals can now choose a fresh, natural and organic alternative to traditional fast food at the new store... Residents of Aratula and people driving there can now choose from a variety of nutrient rich foods like salads, sushi, gourmet pita pockets, chia pods, yoghurt cups, organic soups and curries, sandwiches, and protein balls... 
(Photo - GOOD FOOD FAST: "On average the organic produce we use offers three times the anti-oxidants of conventional produce,” Jason Gunn said. RIGHT: A driver is served at the Aratula outlet) -- Aratula, QLD, Austrlia - Big Rigs - 28th Jul 2017

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May 26, 2017

TRUCKERS' MENTAL HEALTH * Australia: Union addresses

* Canberra - Union addresses black dog in trucking 

--- We know that according to research 22 per cent of truck drivers experience mental health issues, but we also know that 91 per cent of drivers that experience symptoms aren’t receiving treatment... The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) has directed their focus to addressing mental health issues across the transport industry by providing training to delegates and organisers within the union, as well as partnering with beyondblue to drive awareness... Ultimately, the goal is to move towards engagement of employers and clients on developing workplace policies on mental health, the Union says... Truckie and mental health awareness advocate Tracee Pearse says the prevalence of mental health among truck drivers is high and says drivers need to manage their mental health effectively... 
(Image from shutterstock.com - Licensing authorities place the onus on drivers to report any medical conditions that might affect their driving)   --  Canberra, ACT, Australia -- Owner Driver - 23 May 2017

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Mar 14, 2017

TRUCKERS CANNOT BE ON PERPETUAL DUTY * India

* Delhi - Logistics firms try to make ride smoother for drivers


--- Logistics companies have started designing systems to ensure that their drivers are well rested even as the vehicles keep moving... Logistics start-up GoBOLT, for instance, has detached the truck and driver through a double driver and driver relay system... A truck, if maintained well, can run 24 hours. But a driver cannot be on perpetual duty... Driver relay systems are different. A Delhi-Ahmedabad route, for instance, is broken into Delhi-Jaipur and Jaipur-Ahmedabad, with different drivers for the two phases... The driver who gets off at Jaipur takes another truck back to Delhi, so that he is back home the same night, said Sharma, adding this is much like flying hours for pilots... SP Singh, Senior Fellow of the Indian Foundation for Transport Research and Training, said the concept of relay drivers would require a lot of cargo and the challenge would be to ensure sustainability... However, the overwhelming majority of trucks do not adhere to this condition as they look to cut costs for their end-customers in the highly unorganised and competitive industry, he pointed out... 
(Photo: Truck operators are increasingly going for the double and relay driver models to ensure driver welfare and speedy coverage)   --   NEW DELHI, India - The Hindu Business Lines, by MAMUNI DAS - March 12, 2017

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Jan 19, 2017

TRUCKERS´ HEALTH & CRASH RISK * USA: University Study

* Utah - New study reports link between truck driver’s poor health and crash risk

--- Commercial truck drivers with three or more medical conditions double to quadruple their chance for being in a crash than healthier drivers, reports a new study led by investigators at the University of Utah School of Medicine... The findings suggest that a trucker's poor health could be a detriment not only to himself but also to others around him... Now, examination of medical records from 49,464 commercial truck drivers finds evidence that their relatively poor health may put them at risk in more ways than one. 34 percent have signs of at least one of several medical conditions that had previously been linked to poor driving performance, from heart disease, to low back pain, to diabetes... The new findings could mean that one health condition, say diabetes, is manageable but diabetes in combination with high blood pressure and anxiety could substantially increase a driver's risk... 
(Photo: Many truckers plagued by fatigue, and poor health)  --  Salt Lake City, UT, USA - News Medical Life Sciences - January 17, 2017

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Nov 19, 2016

TRUCKERS' SLEEP APNEA * USA: OOIDA challenge against DOT RULE 2015

* Missouri - OOIDA files challenge to 2015 FMCSA med exam rule over sleep apnea provision


--- The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has filed a challenge with a federal appeals court against a 2015 U.S. DOT rule that altered the driver medical examination process. OOIDA claims the DOT slipped in a provision on sleep apnea screening into the final rule that was not included in the proposed rule, thereby bypassing the legal rulemaking process... FMCSA declined to comment on OOIDA’s challenge to the rule... 
St. Louis, Missouri, USA - CCJ, by James Jaillet - November 15, 2016


* DC - Truckers with high BMI to be screened for sleep apnea


ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos

--- FMCSA’s Medical Review Board and Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee officially approved recommendations regarding sleep apnea screening for truck drivers. Some criteria would automatically disqualify drivers from receiving their medical certification, while others would allow drivers to receive conditional certification, pending a sleep study and treatment of sleep apnea should they be diagnosed... Truck operators with a Body Mass Index of 40 or higher would be flagged for sleep apnea screening if the recommendations are made law. Those truckers would receive a 90-day medical certification, during which time they must have an in-lab sleep study. If diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, they would need to begin treatment within the 90-day period...
Washington, DC, USA - CCJ by James Jaillet - October 26, 2016

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Oct 26, 2016

TRUCKERS' HEALTH = ROAD SAFETY * Canada

* Ontario - Truckers face tough road for staying healthy


--- That driver barrelling down the highway in a truck weighing up to 63,500 kilograms could suffer from a weight problem that’s making him sleepy... While obesity and drowsiness aren’t concerns only for truckers, people who drive for a living face a particularly tough road — bad food options, a lack of rest stops and long, long shifts spent sitting behind the wheel... A driver opting to pull over somewhere for a nap faces potential safety issues or a ticket, David Bradley, president and CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance and Ontario Trucking Association, said ... A multimillion-dollar study is being conducted by the University Health Network in Toronto to research the extent of the sleep apnea problem in Canada, and possible solutions to correct it, he said... The Ontario Ministry of Transportation says commercial drivers must submit a medical report when applying for a licence and additional medical reports every five years under the age of 46, every three years between 46-64 and annually if older than 65 years... The Canadian government plans to mandate electronic log books for bus and truck drivers by late next year to enforce limits on how long they can be behind the wheel and how much time they must rest between shifts...
(Photo by Stan Behal/Toronto Sun - New commercial truckers in Ontario will be required to take entry-level training)   --  Toronto, ONT, CAN - The Toronto Sun, by ANTONELLA ARTUSO - OCT 22, 2016

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Sep 18, 2016

TRUCKERS' MEDICAL CERTIFICATE * USA: To allow work, drivers with diabetes ones

* DC - FMCSA eyes rule to change clearance process for diabetic truckers


--- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking industry feedback on recommendations made by its Medical Review Board for a potential rulemaking that would allow drivers with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) to be qualified to drive commercial vehicles in interstate commerce... FMCSA published a notice of proposed rulemaking in May 2015 that, if published as a Final Rule, would allow drivers with diabetes to obtain a Medical Examiner’s Certificate from a medical examiner at least once a year to operate in interstate commerce, as long as the diabetes is well-controlled and stable... Under the current regulations, a driver with diabetes may not operate in interstate commerce unless he or she obtains an exemption from FMCSA, which must be renewed at least every two years...
(Photo: Fat truckers, most likely to get sick with diabetes) -- Washington, DC, USA - CCJ, by Matt Cole - September 15, 2016

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Sep 3, 2016

TRUCKERS 30-minute REST * USA: Rescind denied by FMCSA

* DC - FMCSA upholds 30-minute break rule following CVSA request to nix it from hours regs

--- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration earlier this month denied a petition made by North American truck inspectors asking the agency to rescind the 30-minute break required by current hours of service regulations... The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance filed a petition last year asking FMCSA to rescind the rule, saying it was difficult to enforce, allows greater opportunity for falsified duty logs and contributes little to on-highway safety. CVSA represents truck and bus inspectors in North America, including national, state and local field inspectors... In a letter sent to CVSA Aug. 8, FMCSA defended the safety benefits of the 30-minute break requirement. It also noted the August 2013 ruling by a U.S. Appeals Court that upheld the requirement for long-haul operators... 
(Photo: A truckstop truck stop hours of service evening parking hos fuel island)   --  Washington, DC, USA - CCJ, by James Jaillet - August 31, 2016

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FITNESS TO DRIVERS * Australia - GUIDANCE TO BE ON ROADS

* ACT - Updated driver medical standards from 1 October 2016

--- Drivers will have better guidance on whether they are safe to be on the road thanks to updated medical guidelines contained the new edition of Assessing Fitness to Drive for commercial and private vehicle drivers... AFD is a joint publication of the National Transport Commission (NTC) and Austroads, which includes standards for private and commercial drivers of heavy and light vehicles as well as motor bikes... Chief Executive of the NTC, Paul Retter said the new edition would give health professionals the best available information to help them discuss driving with their patients and assess their patients' ability to drive safely... Nick Koukoulas, Chief Executive of Austroads, said doctors and other health professionals use Assessing Fitness to Drive to advise driver licensing authorities about how their patients' health and medical conditions might affect their ability to drive. The driver licensing authority considers this advice in their decision about an individual's licence status... 
Canberra, ACT, Australia - Big Rigs - 1st Sep 2016

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Aug 10, 2016

LIFE OF A SKINNY TRUCKER * Australia

* Queensland - Truckie's journey from heart attack to healthy


--- Life on the road is tough, but it's a whole lot tougher when you're carrying an extra keg or two... Truckie Chris Dwyer found this out the hard way, after his type two diabetes progressed to insulin-dependence, and he had a heart attack as a result of his weight... After a tough stint working away doing heavy haulage float work, his health hit an all time low, and he almost had to give up his licence... Life wasn't easy at that point, Chris weighed more than 120 kilograms and was fed up with all the health problems mounting up. He decided to take action... Chris started with his GP and then eventually a specialist after trying just about everything else, from exercise to a range of diets... After weighing up the options, the specialist worked through the options with Chris and decided that a gastric sleeve was the way to go... The operation involved removing about 80% of his stomach, which reduces his appetite and ensures keeping the weight off long term... Immediately after the procedure, Chris got a big wake up call... "I'd only been out of the operation for about an hour and a half and I had a heart attack in the recovery room,” he said... Once the post-op recovery was over, Chris was back to work... He says food choices on the road are tough, but they've had to change a lot to support his weight loss... All areas of his life have improved and Chris says not only is the job a heck of a lot easier, but his wife loves the weight loss too!... 
 (Photo: Chris Dwyer has lost 40 kilos, healthy and happy) -- Hatton Vale, Queensland, Australia - Big Rigs, by Cobey Bartels - 10th Aug 2016

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Aug 9, 2016

TRUCK STOPS * UK - The lack of healthy food, a frustration for truckers

* England - Twice as many truckers as company car drivers want healthy grub

--- 4 in 10 lorry drivers are frustrated by the lack of healthy food at UK truck stops – belying the myth that all truckers want to eat is a fry-up... Indeed, while just 21% of company car drivers grumble at the lack of healthy food options at service stations, 41% of truckers rate the lack of low-fat, sugar-free food as one of their top gripes... The survey by RAC Truck Rescue is seen as a positive sign that the trucking industry is trying to overcome its unhealthy image – and help tackle recent figures that show almost 30% of truckers are obese or morbidly obese... Surprisingly, added the RAC, the lack of healthy food was a bigger complaint of truckers than other issues such as people using mobile phones on the road and drivers hogging the middle lane... 
(Photo: A trucker on the road) -- London, EN, UK - Motoring Research, by Richard Aucock - August 8, 2016

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May 31, 2016

TRUCKERS' SHORTAGE * USA: Survey

* California - Survey finds 21% of truck drivers quit due to health issues

--- HireRight, the Irvine, Calif.-based provider of global background verifications and drug and health testing, said a survey of transportation professionals shows nearly a fifth of fleet drivers are leaving the industry due to health issues... HireRight announced findings from its 2016 Transportation Spotlight report on Wednesday, which includes results on employment screening, recruiting and retention practices within the transportation industry... With the driver shortage expected to worsen in 2016, 59 percent of respondents reported that finding, retaining and developing talent was their top business challenge. The survey found 41 percent of drivers are leaving to spend more time at home and 21 percent are leaving due to health issues. This is prompting these leaders to take a closer look at wellness and lifestyle programs to increase retention, recognizing the positive effects they can have on keeping drivers healthy and happy... Due to the talent shortage, the transportation industry is willing to spend money to attract and retain talent. According to the survey, 35 percent of respondents offer safety and accident prevention programs, 21 percent offer free immunization/flu shots and 18 percent offer smoking cessation programs. And while these kinds of wellness programs can also help decrease health care and worker’s compensation costs and improve safety records, 45 percent of respondents said they don’t offer a wellness program at all...
(Photo: A trucker's family)  --   Irvine, CAL, USA - Trucking News - May 11, 2016

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May 17, 2016

TRUCKERS´HEALTH * USA: Trucking a high-risk occupation

* Massachusetts - Can this millennial yogi transform the trucking industry from the inside?

--- According to a 2014 national survey, 69 percent of long-haul trucker drivers are obese; they are also twice as likely as other U.S. workers to be diagnosed with diabetes. And yet we as a nation rely heavily trucks to transport the food we eat and just about everything else we buy and sell, much to the detriment of the estimated 20 million people who work in and around the industry... These facts are not lost on Caitlin Welby, 34, the CEO and president of RFX Forward, a transportation, trucking, and logistics company that has been owned by her family since 1952... In April, Welby and her team launched a new initiative they call Permatrucking. They describe it as a “movement” intent on transforming one of the America’s dirtiest industries using permaculture—a design philosophy employed worldwide based on observing and emulating natural systems... For starters, RFX plans to give each driver would a tablet loaded with logistical information along with tricks and tips for getting physical exercise and finding healthy foods such as eggs and oatmeal... The title of the video will include the benefit of the exercise—such as energizing or stress reduction—so drivers know immediately how it might help them...
(Photo: Caitlin Welby, the new CEO of RFX Forward, hopes to market the company's services toward alternative food producers) -- Avon, MASS, USA - Civil Eats, by Leilani Clark - May 16, 2016

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Apr 25, 2016

TRUCKERS RULE * USA: Targets driver fatigue

* Washington - Sleep apnea screening seen as tool to reduce collisions

-- Requiring commercial truck drivers to be tested for sleep disorders could improve highway safety, but testing and managing treatment could prove an additional burden for drivers and motor carriers... Commercial vehicle drivers are not required to be screened for obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder that disrupts sleep and causes excessive daytime sleepiness, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine... The organization's Seattle-based president, Dr. Nathaniel F. Watson, is concerned about the lack of a test requirement for truckers to determine whether they have the disease... The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration, in an effort to address the issue, announced March 8 a joint advance notice of proposed rulemaking that would require truck drivers and rail workers to be tested, evaluated and treated for sleep apnea...
Seattle, WASH, USA - Business Insurance, by Donna Mahoney - 24 April 2016

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Apr 16, 2016

TRUCKERS' HEALTH * Africa

* Tanzania: Health programme targets highway truck drivers

-- Truck drivers incidentally belong to one of vulnerable groups, with a risk to contact Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), mainly due to their involvement in unsafe sex. Often they are on the road for too long and have to rest or take regular breaks at different truck stops along the major transport routes... While on the road, truck drivers might engage in unsafe sexual activities, often involving multiple partners at roadside settlements and border crossings. The result is often the spread of HIV, other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)... Due to such challenge, Puma Energy Tanzania, in collaboration with various transport stakeholders established Road Wellness Centres (RWCs), in six locations around three principal trucks stops, along the main trucking corridor with ZambiaThese are Dar es Salaam, Iringa and Tunduma, which will be offering free health services to the truck drivers... The programme's intention is to ensure that there are healthy drivers on the road who are also capable of taking care of their own safety and that of communities around them... 
Dodoma, Tanzania - All Africa (USA), by Jimmy Lwangili - 14 April 2016

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Mar 25, 2016

TRUCKERS' POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER * USA: A severe job-related trauma

* DC - PTSD in the driver’s seat


-- Long-haul trucking can leave workers vulnerable to a host of mental-health issues, but the demands of the job often mean they have trouble accessing care... Around a third of the 3.5 million truck drivers in the U.S. will be involved in a serious road accident at some point during their careers. That’s a lot of people—more than a million—experiencing potentially severe job-related trauma. In fact, long-haul truckers have some of the highest rates of injuries and illness of all occupations—which makes it all the more alarming that truckers often have a difficult time accessing mental-health services... No matter the cause, though, being involved in an accident can leave lasting mental scars. Being in a wreck—or even seeing one—can cause enough stress and anxiety to become a diagnosable mental illness, like acute stress disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)... The job of a trucker, in other words, can mean dealing with PTSD, regularly facing trauma triggers, and battling exhaustion through it all—without professional help to identify or manage these mental-health problems. This isn’t just dangerous to the truckers; it can be a safety hazard for anyone on the road. The most common symptoms of PTSD include difficulty sleeping, difficulty staying awake, panic attacks, and problems concentrating. If a number of American’s 3.5 million truckers have these symptoms, it’s a public-health issue for all drivers...
Washington, DC, USA - Reuters/The Atlantic, by ANNE BALAY / MONA SHATTELL - MAR 22, 2016

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Jan 27, 2016

TRUCKERS´ HEALTH * USA: Vibration harms truck drivers

* DC - The pain can limit driver’s career

-- Any trucker who’s steered a rig down a rough road knows you can feel the same bump twice — once when you hit it and again the next morning when you get out of bed... Evidence is growing that the vibration truckers experience behind the wheel can cause drivers pain and might even affect their performance... “Whole body vibration” is the term researchers use for the motion caused by a truck traveling over a rough surface, vibration transmitted up from the road through the seat to the driver. It can cause sore lower backs, as well as pain in the neck, arms and legs. If the pain is bad enough, it can limit or cut short a driver’s career... Looking for a way to reduce WBV-related pain, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries commissioned a study to investigate whether active suspension seats could reduce WBV and back pain... The double-blind, randomized field study compared the Bose Ride system and the industry standard air-ride seat. Measurements showed that truck drivers who used Bose Ride experienced less WBV than those with air-ride seats... After three months, the Bose Ride group reported a 30 percent reduction in lower back pain, compared to a 10 percent reduction with those who received new air-ride seats and a 2 percent increase with those who kept their existing air-ride seats... 
(Photo: Blurry Truck) -- Washington, DC, USA - Go By Truck News - January 26, 2016

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Jan 23, 2016

TRUCKERS´ HEALTH * USA: Program to avoid drivers shortage

* Virginia - Driver health a key component of mitigating driver shortage

-- The trucking industry has lost more than 150,000 drivers because of medical reasons since the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners was established in May 2014, says Bob Perry, president and founder of Rolling Strong...  But carriers can reverse this trend, he says, with simple changes that focus on driver health... The Truckload Carriers Association hosted a webinar Thursday to discuss its new driver health and wellness program, TCA Wellness powered by Rolling Strong... TCA and Rolling Strong recently partnered to offer the program, which both groups say improves driver health and safety and driver retention... Perry said that, because of how many drivers have fallen through the cracks because of medical disqualifications, he feels there is not, in fact, a driver shortage... If a driver becomes medically disqualified, Perry said it would be more beneficial to fleets to give the driver help and get him or her into a program instead of sending them home to fix the problem on their own... Perry added that by the time a company advertises for an open seat, interviews and brings in another driver, the company is looking at $5,000 minimum... “It will cost a fraction of that to get a driver help and get them back on the road,” he said... 
Alexandria, VA, USA - CCJ, by Matt Cole - January 22, 2016

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Jan 8, 2016

TRUCKERS' HEALTH * USA: This trucker resolved to save his life

* South Carolina - ​"I grabbed hold of myself and decided it was time to get this weight off"

-- With a 5'11" (180,34 cms.) frame and a max weight at one point of 375 lbs. (170 kilos), being overweight was taking a toll on truck driver Benjie Burns' life and ability to do his job. That was early last year, and now — although he doesn't usually monitor his weight with a scale — he's down to about 250 and has his sights set sky-high... "I don't have a target weight, but I need to get down to 225 to go skydiving," he says, a goal he has for this year... Benjie says he made a lifestyle change back in February 2015, right about the time of year when many people's New Year's resolutions have fizzled out. He was a tanker truck driver based out of Greenville, S.C., and was a bit lower than his heaviest weight at around 345. He was a borderline type 2 diabetic, and was getting ready to add insulin to the list of medications he was taking... So not only are many truck drivers not getting much physical activity, again, they're making lots of bad choices for what and how much to eat, Benjie says, just like he was... 
(Photo: Before and after: Truck driver Benjie Burns (at left) before his lifestyle change in 2015, and now 100+ lbs. lighter and on a path to slim and healthy)  --  Greenville, S.C., USA - Fleet Owner, by Aaron Marsh - Jan 4, 2016

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