One of the forgotten frontline industries during the COVID-19 pandemic says its workers are still feeling the effects on their wellbeing more than two years on.
As we head into Mental Health Awareness Week, Transport New Zealand's wellness survey found many of its workforce have experienced increased levels of stress and anxiety.
When the country came to a standstill at the start of the pandemic, the transport industry kept on trucking.
"There's only one thing that's not delivered by a truck, and that's a baby," said Deborah O'Brien, owner of Debz Transport.
The pandemic's pressure on New Zealand's supply chains meant trucking companies had to soldier on - and that's taken a toll on their workers' mental health.
A wellness study by Transport NZ found COVID-19 negatively affected 60 percent of trucking company owners, like O'Brien's Wellington transport business.
While many on the frontline were acknowledged for their efforts, such as those in public health services, O'Brien said transport operators were the unsung heroes of the pandemic.
"If you had a car accident, would the ambulance get to you if we hadn't gone in and put petrol into service stations? You couldn't have bought food at the supermarket unless we'd been out there. We've really done our part," she said.
The trucking industry survey found 40 percent of both employers and employees reported steady levels of fatigue and tiredness. Many couldn't go on meal or toilet breaks because of COVID-19 restrictions.
"On the road, even locally, there was nowhere to buy a sandwich or a coffee, go to the toilet," O'Brien said.
There's been no let up and employers realise their workers' mental health could be affected even more.
"We now have a cost of living effect which could affect them, which could affect their mental fatigue and their mental wellness," O'Brien said.
She's put a greater emphasis on her staff's wellbeing.
"Making sure they are all right, encouraging them to do other stuff besides turning up to work each day and then going home, take the kids to the park or go for a walk."
They're in it for the long haul, but need to fill up their wellness tank to keep going.
