Dealing with Empty Backhaul Miles

Select One, Inc. is a trucking company based in Alsip, IL. It focuses on high-density lanes across the United States. Primarily, Select One, Inc. operates east of the Rockies. One of the services offered by the company is freight transport.

Driving an empty truck when returning from delivery not only leads to lost revenue but is unsustainable. Unfortunately, a sizeable number of dedicated and private fleets have no alternative but to drive empty backhaul miles.

Data from the Department of Transport indicates that about 20 percent of the miles are driven during empty truck backhauls. Backhaul miles refer to the return trip a truck has to make after delivery. In most cases, these are covered with no cargo and are traditionally known as empty miles.

Truck carriers and freight brokers have traditionally tried to reduce the empty miles by scheduling individual pickups and drop-offs, but this has proved time-consuming, unwieldy, and often highly inefficient.

Freight AI has come up with a natural language AI platform to solve the last mile dilemma for truckers. The platform links with freight databases and communicates and through automated text messages to drivers, so they can conveniently find loads for their backhauls.

Truck Drivers’ Physical and Mental Health

The McCook, IL-based refrigerated freight company Select One Inc. has been operating since 2014. Select One Inc. builds relationships with truck drivers to provide timely and safe service. Here are ways to ensure truck drivers’ physical and mental health.

The working conditions truck drivers face result in unique physical and mental health challenges. A 2018 article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health discusses the relationship between sleep and mental health disorders. Truck drivers face an increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Mentally, they face issues like prolonged social isolation and a heightened tendency to self-medicate compared to the general population.

Complicating matters is comorbidity, one medical condition that increases the risk of developing another, such as insomnia and depression. About 90 percent of people experiencing insomnia have clinical depression. Additionally, depression is a risk factor for insomnia.

It's important to treat truck drivers’ physical and mental health issues simultaneously. Employers can leave ample time for sleep in their schedules and compensate those who work at night. They can partner with occupational health physicians to educate workers on the effects of poor sleep quality, work performance, and mental health. Incorporating screenings for sleep and mental health disorders can ensure employees’ well-being without incurring significant additional costs.