Mental Health Support in Trucking: Breaking the Silence for a Healthier Industry

It’s no secret that trucking is a high-stress, high-demand profession. With long hours, social isolation, and physical tolls, the industry is grappling with an urgent and often overlooked crisis: mental health support in trucking. For decades, the mental well-being of drivers has been pushed aside, but in 2025, that’s changing.

At Transport Integrative Health Solutions (TIHS), we believe that mental health care is health care. Let’s explore the current state of mental health in trucking, the signs to look for, and how fleets can take the lead in supporting their drivers with practical, effective solutions.

The Mental Health Crisis in Trucking

A recent survey by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that truck drivers experience depression at a rate over twice the national average. This is not just a health issue—it’s a safety and retention issue.

Drivers often face:

1. Chronic sleep deprivation
2. Financial stress
3. Relationship strain
4. Long periods of isolation

Add to that limited access to mental health professionals and the stigma around seeking help, and it’s no wonder that burnout, anxiety, and depression are common.

Signs of Mental Health Struggles in Drivers

Recognizing when a driver is struggling is the first step toward change. Some common signs include:

1. Fatigue or lack of motivation
2. Anger or irritability
3. Withdrawal from social interactions
4. Substance use to cope
5. Missed deadlines or decreased performance

Too often, these are brushed off as just part of the job. But they’re not. They’re signals—ones we can no longer afford to ignore.

Why Mental Health Support in Trucking Matters

Beyond the moral responsibility, supporting mental health yields real business benefits:

1. Reduced turnover
2. Improved safety
3. Fewer missed workdays
4. Higher driver satisfaction and retention

Fleets that incorporate mental health into their health plans see more loyalty, engagement, and even improved DOT compliance.

What Fleets Can Do to Support Driver Mental Health

At TIHS, we embed mental health education and access into our healthcare model. Here’s how your fleet can do the same:

1. Normalize the Conversation

Create an environment where mental health isn’t taboo. This could be as simple as distributing driver-friendly wellness materials, offering anonymous support resources, or including mental health check-ins as part of routine care.

2. Offer Access to On-Demand Counseling

Drivers need flexible options. Our partnership with behavioral health coaches and tele-counselors means drivers can speak with someone on their own terms.

3. Integrate Lifestyle Wellness

Mental health is influenced by nutrition, movement, and sleep. Mother Trucker Yoga and Road Relief Wellness offer tools to regulate the nervous system, reduce stress, and improve sleep—all critical for mental wellness.

Driver Lifestyle Wellness even integrates mental health into new CDL driver education so wellness starts from day one.

4. Train Leadership

Fleet managers should be trained to recognize the signs of distress and how to respond compassionately and appropriately.

5. Focus on Prevention

By taking a proactive approach with mental health screenings and wellness education, we reduce crisis-level issues before they arise.

A Fleet-Wide Culture Shift

It’s not enough to provide a mental health hotline buried in paperwork. Drivers need a culture of support—one that treats them as whole people, not just labor units.

Mental health support in trucking requires:

1. Fleet-wide buy-in
2. Practical, stigma-free resources
3. Health solutions that meet drivers where they are

TIHS is committed to a holistic, driver-first approach to mental health. Our integrative model puts the tools in drivers’ hands so they can stay healthy on and off the road.

The Road Ahead

Mental health is the next frontier of transportation wellness—and it’s one fleets can’t afford to ignore. Whether you’re a fleet owner, HR director, or safety manager, the time to act is now.

Let’s move trucking forward—together.

Explore our full wellness platform and see how you can support your fleet from the inside out.