BANGOR, Maine — May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the owner of a local trucking company in Bangor is committing to helping improve the mental and physical health of his employees for several months to come.
Marcus Sibley, the owner of Sibley Transportation has pledged to cover the cost for workout sessions with a personal trainer for each of his employees. Sibley said his staff has been completing 45-minute team workouts during work hours on Mondays and Wednesdays since January. The sessions are optional, but employees have been consistent and attend the sessions willingly.
Dispatchers like Donald Spiney said the sessions help relieve stress, and he said he's hoping to drop some weight by continuing to attend.
"It does help a lot," Spiney said. "Takes your mind off any problems or issues you might have while you're sweating or trying to push the weight."
According to Sibley, the trucking profession promotes an unhealthy lifestyle, with drivers spending a lot of time on the road and often eating out.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average life expectancy for a commercial truck driver is 61-years-old, which is 16 years younger than the national average. Sibley said the average age for his drivers is 60-years-old.
"Being in our business is very stressful when managing problems almost by the minute," Sibley said. "So, the major things we deal with with drivers on the road is sometimes health problems."
Sibley said it's not uncommon for drivers to have strokes or medical emergencies while on the road, which can be challenging for dispatchers who are responsible for helping resolve issues remotely while truckers are on the road. Sibley said he hopes that by making training available to all employees, he not only retains workers in an aging workforce, but he also pushes them to do a little work for themselves.
"It gives me a lot of confidence," Amanda Morris said.
Workers like Spiney said he's thankful that Sibley is committed to investing in his employees.
"They take care of you," Spiney said. "That's why it makes you want to work hard. A company that takes care of you, you work harder for them, and they do. They do a good job."
Sibley's tucking company neighbors Northern Maine Strength private gym. Sibley's partnership with the owner of the gym, Matthew Mulligan, allows employees to easily attend sessions during their work hours.