Mumbai: The Life of a Truck Driver
Davinder Singh, 29, has spent a decade driving trucks across 16 states in India. Often, he drives non-stop for days to secure a generous bonus. “My longest stint was three days without any rest,” shared Singh, a resident of Bathinda in southwestern Punjab, as he prepared for a 1,000-kilometer journey from Becharaji in north Gujarat to Kaithal in northwestern Haryana. “We usually sleep only when absolutely necessary, typically around 2 a.m., waking up by 5 a.m.”
Singh is among the nine million truck drivers who facilitate essential freight transport across India’s vast inter- and intrastate networks. According to the Economic Survey 2018-19, trucks represent 69% of India’s freight traffic and contribute about 3.06% to the country’s gross value addition.
However, many drivers like Singh face severe overwork. A 2018 study by lubricant manufacturer Castrol found that approximately 25% of truck drivers reported sleep deprivation. Up to 53% suffered from various physical and mental health issues such as fatigue, insomnia, obesity, joint pain, and stress.
Experts attribute the frequent accidents involving trucks to punishing schedules and the poor health of drivers. In fact, trucks are the third most common vehicle type involved in road accidents, responsible for 12.3% of incidents and contributing to 15.8% of fatalities, according to the Road Accidents in India report 2018 from the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways.
While countries like Australia and Canada have strict regulations on driving hours and mandatory breaks, India operates with minimal regulations concerning training and work hours for commercial drivers. A United Nations report from 2018 estimated that India incurs about $58 billion in economic losses due to traffic-related accidents, following Japan’s $64 billion.
The trend towards speeding and overworking is often incentivized. For instance, truckers earn bonuses for timely deliveries, which pressurizes them to drive continuously. This imbalance leads to fatigue and increases the likelihood of accidents, compounded by inadequate facilities for driver rest along highways.
