In defense of the truck driver in that viral video

A video that appears to be shaming a heavier truck driver who uses a ladder to get into his truck has gone viral — but has it gone viral for the right reasons?

Since the video was posted on the Truck Drivers U.S.A. Facebook page this afternoon, it has been viewed nearly 40,0000 times. The short clip features an overweight driver using a ladder to get up into the cab of his truck.

Many Facebook users went on instant attack over the driver’s weight and lack of mobility.

Before jumping on the bandwagon and attacking this driver, here are a couple of points to keep in mind.

1. We don’t know what this driver’s life is like. He may have a medical condition or take a medication that causes him to gain weight. Maybe he lost a family member and he overeats to soothe himself. Maybe he used to be even heavier and now he’s on the path to weight loss. We just don’t know, so maybe we shouldn’t judge.
2. He’s working. It would be easy for him to sit back and claim disability checks but instead he’s taken on one of the most stressful and physically demanding jobs out there. This driver is working hard to feed himself and possibly his family while helping to deliver the goods that our nation needs.
3. The trucking lifestyle is hard on a person’s body. There are so many ways that your physical health can suffer as a truck driver. You don’t always have access to healthy food. You don’t have as much time as a person who only works 40 hours a week to exercise. You may not even have as much access to medical care as the average person if you’re out on the road so much that you can’t make it to a doctor.
4. Lots of drivers need help getting into their trucks. Many drivers have a tough time getting into their trucks. Drivers with knee, hip, or back problems sometimes need a step to get up in their trucks. And some shorter drivers might need a step as well. So while it might be a little different to see the driver using a ladder to get into his truck, he is making it work.