Driven Women

Don’t Eat. Don’t Sleep.

Dear GG—I’m not looking for sympathy, and I know that driving is my choice, but dang, why can’t dispatchers understand that you need time to eat and sleep? All I hear is “don’t eat now,” and “don’t sleep now…you can do that later!”

I’m driving solo because I prefer it that way, but I’m thinking of driving team just so I can get some sleep. My dispatcher doesn’t understand that driving takes some skill, and he thinks I can run 24/7 like a computer. I’m afraid that this is the perception no matter which company I drive for. Am I wrong?

If you can help me explain to my dispatcher why food and sleep are important, I’d certainly appreciate it.

George M.,
South Dakota

George, dude, what are you doing? How frequently do you stop to eat and sleep? What are you eating?

Eating meals high in fat and starches made me sleepy, so I increased the veggies, limited fats and starches and easily pulled a four-hour shift without stopping. In addition, you might be interested to know that I lost 30 pounds in about six weeks. George, e-mail me a list of what you eat, how many times you pull over, and how long you sleep in a typical one-day period. I bet we’ll find a link between your dining routine and your dispatcher’s demands. Incidentally, teaming is not the answer. A good co-driver hustles and will push you harder than your dispatcher. Whatever you do, drive safely! It’s the beginning of a new year, and we don’t want to start out on the wrong side of the rubber.

Good luck!
GG
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