I read of a San Antonio driver who was fired because he could not do group exercises. The man did not appear to be overweight or have a poor record as a truck driver. I am not sure if this was the only cause of the termination. What I am sure about is that things like driver health are a factor.
The cost of insurance. The increased risk of being overweight and other health indicators will greatly shape the landscape of tommorrows trucker and truck company. A profession, like trucking, where medical records are fair game will put more pressure to find healthy people to employ.
The real question is where does it stop. Will companies become ever more discriminatory to drivers who reach a certain age. Will one health hiccup reduce the amount of work a driver can get in a computerized human resource system where insurance and health care costs are as a big a finaincial factor as being a good driver.
I do not know how it will play out. The standards needed to be a driver are becoming more and more stringent and are being shaped by a host of government regulations and medical red tape. I would bet that tommorrow's trucker will be very healthy for the reasons I have given.
An unexpected consequence is that the best drivers may not be behind trucks. What we may get is a work force of average drivers in good health. This may or may not be good. Yes, the company is making more money. But will these drivers stay in their positions or will a wave of turnover create a healthy but marginal driving force.
Again, I do not really know. I am just posing the question that the health requirements should not become all consuming as to the point where a healthy competent driver loses his or her job. As in the case of the San Antonio driver, we lost another driver in a field where we simply cannot afford to lose good professionals.
Food for thought...
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