In The News

HTAA reveals plan to offer truckers accessible, affordable healthcare

ATLANTA and PHILADELPHIA — The Healthy Trucking Association of America (HTAA) had announced plans to launch a nationwide initiative aimed at making affordable health care more accessible for the nation's professional truck drivers.

Through a joint project with the Convenient Care Association (CCA), the national trade group representing the retail-based convenient care industry, retail clinics nationwide will soon be offering expanded medical treatments and services designed specifically for transportation industry employees.

The CCA is comprised of the nation's largest operators of retail health clinics, which will be performing a variety of services customized for drivers including Department of Transportation (DOT) examinations, treatment of acute illnesses, chronic disease management, smoking cessation and weight loss management.

"We are very pleased to be working with the CCA to bring these vital services to the professional driver community," Brett Blowers, HTAA spokesman, said. "CCA clinics are located in retail locations like major pharmacies and large supermarkets, which are much more accessible and affordable for drivers than traditional doctors' offices or emergency rooms. The CCA has made a commitment to the HTAA and to our nation's drivers to help their member clinics become very 'trucker-friendly' by providing ample truck parking and a number of new services designed especially for professional drivers and their families."

The official launch of the HTAA/CCA driver medical care initiative will be announced March 1- 3, 2011, at the HTAA-Healthy Trucking Summit, which will include human resources managers and safety directors from the largest trucking fleets in the country.

Blowers said Health Promotion Solutions will be the organization coordinating the activities at CCA locations and the professional registry based on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) clinical guidelines.

Blowers said out that many CCA locations have already begun performing driver-specific services such as DOT exams and other services that appeal to drivers like flu shots, smoking cessation programs and a number of health and wellness screenings.

HTAA’s initiative is undertaken as part of the organization’s ongoing efforts to improve the health of our nation's over-the-road professionals and build a healthy trucking industry, Blower said.

For more information about HTAA, visit www.healthytruck.org .

For more information about CCA, visit www.ccaclinics.org .

For more information about Health Promotion Solutions, visit www.healthpromosolutions.com .

The Trucker staff can be reached to comment on this article at [email protected] .

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