The Impact of COVID-19 on the Work Environment in Long-Haul Truck Drivers
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 11, 2025

Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
Alexander M Crizzle1, Sayeda S Malik, Ryan Toxopeus
1School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Objective:
To describe and compare the working conditions of long-haul truck drivers (LHTD) before and during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and to assess the perceptions of LHTDs on accessing food, restrooms, and parking.
Methods:
An online survey was disseminated between August 2020 and March 2021 to various trucking organizations across Canada to collect data on health and wellness during COVID-19. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and thematic analysis for open-ended responses.
Results:
The sample included 146 LHTD (mean age 48.1 ± 11.8; 82.2% were men). Participants reported issues with finding parking, washrooms, and food. Compared with before COVID-19, LHTD worked significantly more hours and consumed more caffeine; and more than 50% reported being fatigued.
Conclusions:
Improving the working conditions of LHTD is critical to support their health and wellbeing, both during and after the pandemic.
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