Long-haul drivers for national moving company Atlas Van Lines report that staying healthy on the road is one of the biggest challenges they face these days. But many also report they are taking what steps they can to live and eat better while crisscrossing the nation's highways.
This data comes from Atlas's sixth annual King of the Road survey, which polled 340 of its professional van operators. According to the survey, 56% say eating right and 24% say getting enough exercise are their greatest hurdles. However, results indicate many van operators are doing what they can to stay fit by walking/running at truck stops (37%) and choosing water (71%) and fresh fruit (36%) as their No. 1 drink and snack. They're also eating healthier, as Subway has become their most popular fast-food restaurant by far, besting runners-up KFC and Wendy's.
Atlas's professional van operators also report they are trying to reduce their carbon footprints. Nearly all respondents (94%) reported doing more to protect the environment, including recycling whenever possible (38%), drinking from reusable containers (28%), and using biodiesel fuel (12%). A third of respondents use systems designed to reduce engine idling time.
Finally, the days of the CB radio are fading, replaced by cell phones, which nearly all (95%) respondents reported as their preferred method of communication. Over a third of van operators have daily access to a computer, and more than half use a computer once a week or more. Blackberries and other mobile devices, a staple of the modern boardroom, are gaining popularity on the highways, too, with 14% of Atlas' van operators saying they use these devices, up from 7% a year ago.
