This is the age of outsourcing. The transport sector is one glaring example of it. Often the big names fulfil the minimum requirements in terms of fleet strength and outsource further.
End users contract out transportation. And the freight offered to transporters is so low that, leave alone taking care of drivers, their own survival becomes a big question mark. Further, most of the Indian business houses take it for granted that driver welfare does not come under their purview since it is outsourced. But does outsourcing mean abdication of responsibility? The mindset certainly has to change.
Transport in our country is one of the most fragmented sectors. The chalak cum malak forms almost 85% of it. Most of them with a fleet of 1 to 5 trucks. This segment is by and large lured by the dream of becoming master of his own truck/s without the business acumen to handle the new role.
Ultimately, he ends up working day and night to meet his financial obligations. Being in such financial turmoil it is next to impossible to take time off even when he is not well.
A factor which speaks volumes why the highway truck driver is so very impassive about his own well-being.
We all know that this man behind the wheel is an integral part of the whole industry to keep it moving ahead. But how do we ensure his availability?
The big names have a voice through the lobby groups. The massive 85% small guys have no voice at all. Most neglected. Surprisingly there are unions / associations for brokers, fleet owners, transporters, agents, etc., but none for drivers.
Truly they are orphans. On account of this non-ownership, they have no facilities even outside factories and warehouses / distribution centres whom they service. Even they have no toilet facilities outside factory gates. They have to defecate in the open.
Take, for instance, the health cover issue. Workers of the organized sectors do get it by default, but not so for their counterparts in the latter category. We all know that driving is no cake walk.
Innumerable stress factors of the highway make the matter much more complicated, and the resultant effect in the long run is the deteriorating health condition of the truck driver. Keeping in mind the precarious number of highway drivers it is imperative for the stakeholders in the transport industry to dwell upon the main issue of his deteriorating health.
Sleep deprivation is the root cause of all problems. Long haul trucking means more than one-night drive. Where do they rest? On the roadside. Where do they eat? At unhygienic roadside dhabas. Why?
There are no wayside amenities for them. Not getting adequate sleep, specially if the work involves odd hours, is certainly detrimental to safety and health. A sleep-deprived truck driver is no less dangerous than a drunk truck driver. In an effort to make that extra buck at the cost of adequate sleep results in loss of memory, delayed response time, sleep disorders, and high blood pressure, to name a few complications.
And just think how dangerous a zombie driver would be for himself and for everyone around. Sleep deprivation and stress are taken very seriously in the aviation world. (I had a long stint in aviation).
A sleep deprived pilot is certainly not accepted for flying duties since his inability to focus and delayed response time could prove detrimental to the passenger safety and the aircraft. On the other hand, a driver on the highway has an equivalent job function equally important from the safety angle.
Like aviation it should be made mandatory for the highway driver to take proper sleep / rest and the onus should be on the operators / owners to implement it in word and spirit. Such strict adherence would bring long-term benefits to the industry as a whole. Sleeping in a truck with the fear of losing his cargo and money will not serve the purpose.
Hats off to some of the NGOs who have been donating soft pillows to the highway truck drivers with a strong belief in the concept of sound sleep for health and safety. Also, I know a couple of transporters who have come forward with facilities for providing a peaceful sleep to these drivers along with a safe parking lot for their trucks. Of late, there is growing awareness of the need to attend to driver welfare.
Sailors and long-haul drivers do get homesick that brings in a feeling of dejection and makes a person morose. Being on the road on long trips can leave the driver missing his family and friends back home. Rest and relay pattern will ensure that the driver spends more time with his family and thus reducing his stress levels.
One of the most essential needs of a human being is food. Most of the eateries on the highway turn out spicy food to attend to the taste buds. How good the food is to your body? We all know that healthy eating improves our overall health. Transporters have to create a home away from home for the long-haul drivers by adopting a few dhabas on the route they operate and ensure healthy food, bathing and toilet facilities.
The next potent killer among the driver community is stress. The persistent constraints and impediments that cause the stress factor is responsible for the physical and mental health.
Studies have shown a direct relation between stress and coronary diseases and building of habits like smoking, alcohol and drugs. It will be a welcome gesture from the employer to identify and reduce such constraints for drivers. Such help will go a long way in reducing the stress levels of drivers.
Truck drivers are driven by three major factors in quitting their existing jobs. For better remuneration, longing to be with the family or quitting the job for good. However, a sizable section quitting the profession are those who fail to cope with health problems.
Is it not a sound reason for the transporter and trucking companies to offer wellness programs like health screening, medical insurance and roadside amenities for their drivers? Rest rooms with basic facilities, safe parking space and adopted Dhabas offering healthy food, regulated working hours and social security will surely make the task of retaining them easier.
Soldiers fight for the country wholeheartedly. Why? They are sure that, in case of any eventuality the whole nation will be standing behind them and their family. Well, why not? They deserve it. But is it not a case in contrast when it comes to a highway driver who by all means handles the supply line of the economy by devoting his skill and dedicating his lifetime for the welfare of the nation.
We are obliged to extend respect and social security to this section of the workforce. Will we do it?
by Raghuram Sharma