The Truth About Trucking While Sick No PTO, no backup, just NyQuil and diesel fumes

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

INTRODUCTION

There’s getting sick. And then there’s getting sick while trucking.

When a regular 9-to-5er catches the flu, they call out, wrap themselves in blankets, and watch reruns of Judge Judy while sipping soup.
But truckers? We reach for the NyQuil, stuff a roll of toilet paper in the cup holder, and keep it moving.

Because in trucking, getting sick doesn’t mean time off. It means making a tough call: lose money or push through with one eye open and a head full of cotton.

Let’s break down the gritty reality of what it’s really like to be behind the wheel when your body’s breaking down.

KEY POINTS
💊 You Can’t Call in Sick When You’re the Whole Operation
In most jobs, there’s someone who can step in when you’re down. In trucking? That "someone" is the same person who’s shivering in the sleeper berth.

If you’re OTR and solo, there’s no relief driver. No one to call in. No PTO waiting in a spreadsheet somewhere. You're the captain, the crew, and the medic.

And while company policies mig