There’s a whole host of good reasons for keeping fit. Taking more exercise, eating a healthier diet, getting a good night’s sleep all contribute to a general feeling of well-being, alertness, positivity – and improved mental health.
The fitness message seems to be hitting home amongst professional van drivers. A recent survey conducted by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles revealed that nine out of ten van drivers were prioritising health and fitness in 2025.
When it comes to how much exercise van drivers are taking, there’s certainly room for improvement. Around 1,000 drivers responded to the survey with more than half of them falling short of the recommended weekly 150 minutes of moderate, high intensity activity, activity each week.
“Working as a professional driver can make keeping fit quite a challenge,” says Driver Hire’s Richard Owen-Hughes.
“It can be a sedentary occupation. Tight schedules and traffic hold-ups all contribute to stress. As for diet, unless you make the effort to prepare your own food, your lunchtime choices can be limited to fast food takeaways or a fry-up. The Volkswagen survey has confirmed an industry issue that we’ve been aware of for some time. That’s why we prepared a ‘Fit for the Job’ poster a couple of years ago, with plenty of hints and tips on how to improve your diet. It also shows drivers how, in just fifteen minutes a day, they can make big improvements in fitness levels.”