[/floatl]Yomiuri: Long, short-distance haulers losing jobs, cutting corners to make ends meet
The financial crisis has affected the distribution industry, causing some truck drivers to take desperate measures to make ends meet. The parking lot of a 24-hour restaurant along National Highway Route 2 in Tatsuno, Hyogo Prefecture, was filled with large trucks Thursday night...A truck with a Kansai area plate squeezed itself into an open space. The driver, 44, was relieved because he was finally able to get some sleep after a long journey...His journey, an 800-kilometer drive, took him about 28 hours. He drove the entire distance alone and only took one short nap along the way. The exhausted driver entered the restaurant and ordered an 800 yen stir-fried vegetable dish. According to the man, he always eats dishes that cost less than 1,000 yen because of the dire state of his finances. He ate quickly and crawled onto a futon spread in his truck's cab. It was his first rest after a long drive...The driver said he sometimes feels himself falling asleep while driving...more...
