Are you a truck driver in need of a chat? Rod Hannifey is here to listen.
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GME has partnered with Rural Outreach Counselling to get more truck drivers opening up on the road.
It comes after national government research found one in two truck drivers have some kind of psychological distress.
The Driving Health Project also found one in five drivers under 35-years-old reported severe levels of psychological distress. It's almost double that of the Australian average.
Now, thanks to the Open Road, Open Up campaign, all those truckies need to do is tune into UHF CB channel 24.
The channel will enable truckies to access support from mental health advocates and fellow truck drivers, led by Mr Hannifey.
The Dubbo truckie is already a passionate road safety and mental health advocate who's seen first-hand the struggles drivers are facing.
Mr Hannifey said trucking was "harder than ever before". Truckies were trying to please the bosses, customers and the road authority while struggling to find places to park, go to the toilet and get decent food, he said.
On top of that is the dangerous nature of being a truck driver and what Mr Hannifey believes is a serious lack of education about sharing the road with trucks.
With all that building, Mr Hannifey is not surprised by the poor mental health statistics he sees.
"The biggest problem in our industry is that the people who make the rules and police them don't have to live by them. People really don't have any empathy for what it's like on the road," he said.
"Twenty years ago I was driving through Goondiwindi and there was a report that Monash University had done some research into truck drivers' mental health and found it was a problem.
"Twenty years ago they said it was a problem and it's only in the last few years we actually started to do anything for it."
Mr Hannifey said the poor phone reception - which he believes is the worst it's ever been - has also increased the isolation as it creates an extra barrier when trying to speak to family and friends.
"Years ago you had mates on the road and you'd pull up and you'd have a chat and you'd have a meal. Now the industry is so pushed and so time controlled you don't have time to do that," Mr Hannifey said.
However, Rural Outreach Counselling president David Post said having those conversations has a massive benefit in fighting mental health challenges.
"That's why one of our main goals at Rural Outreach Counselling is to be able to offer support to those in rural communities who are less likely to speak to GPs or other services," he said.
It can also be hard for the driver to access support at a time when they need it due to the long working hours. But Mr Hannifey hopes a chat over the radio will be "the first step", which he said was always the hardest one, towards someone getting help.
Mr Hannifey has received mental health resources and support through the Rural Outreach Counselling's MateKeeper Campaign.
"A problem shared is a problem halved they reckon. If they talk to me and maybe they need a bit more help I can recommend someone," he said.
"There's no guarantee that I'm going to have a person a week or a person a month give me a call but the opportunity is there now as it wasn't before and that can grow awareness."
Already Mr Hannifey has heard from another truck driver in Dubbo who is willing to listen to those struggling.
GME safety expert Tony Crooke is hopeful the campaign can turn around the statistics.
"For truck drivers in remote and regional areas, staying in touch can mean the difference between life and death," he said.
"GME is proud to partner with Rural Outreach Counselling, and Rod Hannifey to launch 'Open Road, Open Up', an initiative that we hope can help change the statistics surrounding truckies' mental health through the power of a UHF radio."
More information can be found at gme.net.au.
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