KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Pilot Travel Centers has teamed up with Roadside Medical Labs & Clinics to create a coast-to-coast network of retail medical clinics to address the health risks faced by over-the-road drivers.
The first locations are scheduled to open in Cartersville, Ga., and Knoxville, Tenn., in January 2008, and Roadside plans to deliver 16 additional locations in 2008 and 20 more in 2009.
Long hours and sedentary, isolated driving eliminates access to most common forms of medical services and exercise for the nation's 3.4 [image-nocss] million truckers. In addition, truckers have typically relied on fast food for the bulk of their diet. Some 73% are classified to be overweight and 32% have high elevated cholesterol levels with only about 10% of commercial drivers regularly participating in aerobic exercise, Roadside said. Compounding the problem, many truckers delay seeking the help they need when sickness strikes. Due to their work schedules, 56% of drivers found it difficult to make a healthcare appointment when at home and 62% said they had failed to seek out needed health care when on the road working, the clinic company said.
"Without easy access to medical care, many drivers would put off going to the doctor as long as possible," said Joe Neely, CEO for Roadside, Atlanta. "As for scheduling an appointment, have you ever tried to park a rig at your doctor's office?"
Roadside's endeavor marks a significant departure from the mindset of traditional transportation health care. "By developing health programs specifically for truckers and locating our clinics at Pilot Travel Centers, Roadside Medical will make it easy for drivers to integrate practical health care solutions into their schedules," said Neely. "We give them the health care they need, where they need it, when they need itand most importantlyat a price they can afford."
Jimmy Haslam, president of Knoxville, Tenn.-based Pilot Travel Centers, said, "We are pleased to partner with Roadside Medical to improve the lives of our customers. Our goal is to be a total solution provider for all driver services, and Roadside is helping us deliver on medical services. The evidence supporting driver health initiatives is too staggering to ignore. Providing drivers with healthy options and access to medical care isn't just good business, it's the right thing to do."
Bob Perry, vice president of sales for Roadside, said, "The small monthly fee covers the cost of all DOT testing, and re-testing if necessary, but the program includes much more. We give drivers practical solutions to their most common ailmentswith little steps we can start to reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol, and help with other problems like lower back pain and smoking cessation. Education and small, practical steps are key."
"The most shocking thing may be the return on investment," added Neely. "Most wellness programs provide at least a 300% return on investment, and that's a very conservative estimate. We know that it costs a lot less to keep a driver healthy than to heal them when they're sick. The irony is, these guys know how important it is to have the maintenance done on their truck, and there are plenty of mechanics out there to prove it. Imagine if they checked their own levels and pressure every 15,000 miles."
Pilot has more than 300 travel center locations in 40 states and one province in Canada.
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