Rest Stops for the Mind: Mental Health in Freight & Field Work
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The Invisible Strain
Freight, field, and warehouse jobs are not just physically demanding—they’re mentally exhausting. Long hours, unpredictable schedules, and constant pressure to stay on time and under budget all add up. It’s not uncommon for workers to go days without real sleep, time with family, or even a decent meal.
But what’s worse? There’s still a strong taboo around mental health in this industry. You’re expected to “tough it out,” push through exhaustion, and never show weakness. Therapy is seen as a luxury. Breakdowns—mental or emotional—aren’t talked about, even when they’re quietly happening all around us.
Drivers may go weeks without seeing home. Warehouse staff might work back-to-back shifts with no time to decompress. And when someone does burn out, they’re often treated as replaceable.
When Support Doesn’t Exist
Accessing care isn’t easy. Field workers may not have insurance that covers therapy. Many don’t even know where to start. Some drivers would have to pull over and burn precious hours of service just to talk to a counselor—which feels impossible when time is money and paychecks are thin.
And then there’s food. Healthy options are rare and expensive. A fast food combo might cost $10, while a fresh salad—if you can find one—is $14. Truckers often pay more just to eat worse, because convenience trumps everything when your schedule is ruled by the next stop.
It doesn’t help that rest isn’t always welcome. Big box stores like Walmart may allow drivers to shop, but they’ll force them off the lot if they try to shut down overnight. That’s assuming drivers can find a place to stop at all.
Because now, even parking is disappearing.
The Parking Crisis No One Talks About
By law, truckers are required to rest. But where, exactly, are they supposed to go?
Free and accessible parking—a basic necessity—is being swallowed up by private companies, bought out and monetized with the sole goal of turning a profit. Spaces that were once safe, free, and familiar are now gated, priced, or patrolled. Drivers are being forced to pay to rest, or else keep rolling while exhausted.
This isn’t just inconvenient—it’s dangerous. It adds another layer of anxiety to an already overburdened workforce. How can anyone be mentally well when they’re being penalized just for stopping?
But Change Is Coming
The good news? Some cracks are starting to show in the status quo. A few companies are experimenting with telehealth for mobile workers, offering mental health services through apps or phone check-ins. Others are building peer-support networks inside warehouses, recognizing that sometimes just being heard can make a huge difference.
There’s a growing awareness that mental health is safety. That burnout leads to mistakes. That trauma, left untreated, compounds over time. And that no supply chain can stay strong if its people are mentally running on fumes.
What We Need
Let’s be clear: rest isn’t just about naps and truck stop showers. It’s about mental decompression. It’s about having the time, space, and support to reset your brain—not just your body.
We need:
Telehealth programs that actually work for drivers and mobile teams
Health insurance that includes therapy as standard, not a bonus
Better food access—both healthier options and more affordable prices
Real rest stops where drivers can park, sleep, and not be treated like a nuisance
Protection for public and free parking, because federal laws mean nothing if there’s no place to comply with them
Because no one should have to risk their mental health to do their job. And in freight, we shouldn’t have to choose between making a delivery and making time to breathe.
Mental Health Is Freight Health
Mental health isn’t a side issue. It’s part of the work. It impacts safety, retention, quality, and morale. If we want a supply chain that’s resilient, human, and sustainable—we have to build mental rest stops into the route.
We can’t keep pretending that the mind doesn’t matter. The road is long. Let’s take care of the people driving it.
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