Springfield, Missouri's Wilson Logistics is helping drivers attain a healthy lifestyle through annual family-friendly 5K events and employee wellness programs.
The Larson Group was recently invited to the fourth annual Wilson Logistics 5K race to raise awareness for truck driver health.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Well-known to anyone who has insight to the world of trucking, the life of drivers is considered anything but simple.
Dealing with highway construction, inclement weather and mechanical downtime are just a handful of obstacles truck drivers face regularly. On top of those, being crunched for time – and resources – often leads to physical health and general well-being issues.
Shining a light on the hard work they do, family-owned and operated Wilson Logistics’ played host to a 5K event Saturday at Rutledge-Wilson Farm Park in Springfield as part of its efforts to boost driver health and wellness.
The fourth annual race saw nearly a total of 50 truck drivers, in-house employees, family and friends running (and walking) to the finish line to promote healthy lifestyles and support drivers - a bigger turnout than the organization has seen in previous years.
"It has definitely become more popular year after year," Wil-Trans Training Manager Justin Cox said. "Three years ago we had eight people, last year around 35 and this year we were right around 50."
Dedicated to hosting the race every year, Justin holds the opinion that truck driving is the unhealthiest occupation in the nation.
"But it doesn’t have to be," he said. "That’s why we hold the 5K every year, to get people to come together while getting exercise for good measure in order to raise awareness that taking care of yourself is important."
Trucking companies like Wilson Logistics benefit from having healthy drivers on board, which has promoted the organization to implement a health and wellness program that includes offering refrigerators on the road and CPAP machines.
"We have seen improvements in our drivers’ health," Justin explained. "A lot more of our drivers are using fridges now. Our CPAP compliance has seen a major boost by going to wireless modems on our CPAP machines. We have many drivers who have taken up resistance bands and riding bikes during their off-duty time while over the road."
He added, "We are committed to providing work-out facilities at our terminals, offering truck refrigerators for all our drivers and encouraging their use, and providing opportunities for company engagement through avenues such as our 5K."
SEE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT
