We are excited to bring you the latest insights from this episode of The CDL Files podcast, where Drivers Legal Plan’s Chief Growth and Strategy Officer, Marilyn Surber, hosts a vital conversation about a crisis impacting every single driver: health and longevity.
In this episode, Marilyn is joined by Jeremy Reymer, Founder and CEO of Project 61, a non-profit dedicated to improving truck driver health, and Dr. Mark Manera, the founder of Offshift, which was recently acquired by Project 61 to bolster its mission. They dive deep into the shocking statistic that gives the organization its name — the average life expectancy of a CDL driver is just 61 years old.
This sobering reality, which cuts a driver’s lifespan significantly shorter than the national average, is a direct result of the demanding, sedentary, and high-stress lifestyle inherent to the job. However, Project 61 is spearheading a movement to change this narrative.
Why Project 61 Was Founded: The Wake-Up Call
The inspiration behind Project 61 is simple: truck drivers are essential to our economy, and they deserve long, healthy lives to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Jeremy Reymer, who has spent decades working within the trucking industry, recognized that merely acknowledging the problem wasn’t enough. The lifestyle challenges drivers face — long hours behind the wheel, limited access to healthy food, poor sleep, and a lack of easy exercise options — have led to alarming rates of chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes.
Project 61 was created as a national 501(c)(3) non-profit to confront this health crisis head-on. By operating as a non-profit, the organization can scale its vital resources to the entire industry, regardless of a carrier’s size or a driver’s affiliation, ensuring the focus remains purely on health and wellness.
What Project 61 Does: The Free Health Program
The recent acquisition of Offshift, Dr. Mark Manera’s digital health company, was a strategic move to provide the industry with a free, accessible, and high-quality solution to move from awareness to action.
Project 61 has combined its mission with Offshift’s technology to create the industry’s first free driver health program, delivered via a custom mobile app. This program is specifically designed to meet drivers where they are, offering tools that genuinely fit life on the road.
Key Features of the Free Project 61 Health Program
- Move
- Daily Workouts: Five to ten-minute routines and stretches that can be done right in the truck cab, outside the trailer, or at home — no gym membership required.
- Monthly Challenges: Industry-wide challenges, like the 61-Day Step Challenge, to engage drivers, encourage community, and inject some friendly competition.
- Eat
- Nutrition Habits: Weekly, bite-sized healthy eating habits and education on how to make better food choices at truck stops and fast-food restaurants.
- Rest
- Sleep Resources: Tips and routines designed to improve sleep quality and manage the inconsistent sleep schedules common in the industry.
- Community
- The app fosters a sense of community and peer encouragement, reminding drivers that they are not alone in their health journey and providing team accountability.
By providing these free, easily accessible tools, Project 61 aims to empower drivers to make small, sustainable changes that compound over time, ultimately reducing health risks and working to lengthen the average life expectancy.
Join the Movement
As a law firm dedicated to supporting drivers, Drivers Legal Plan is proud to partner with initiatives like Project 61 that improve the well-being of the trucking community. A healthy driver is a safer driver, leading to reduced risk, lower insurance costs, and a more sustainable career. The conversation emphasized that an investment in driver health is an investment in the entire industry.
You can show your support for this critical mission by visiting Project 61’s website, where you can sign The Trucker Health Pledge and learn how to get your team involved in their free programs and challenges.
Conclusion
Find out more about the organization’s work and its free health program at Project 61’s website. In the podcast, the full discussion covers in-depth details about the health risks drivers face and why an industry-wide non-profit solution is necessary to create lasting change.
Tune in to this episode of The CDL Files on our website, or wherever you listen to podcasts.