The human side of the road: improving the working conditions of urban bus drivers

J Occup Health Psychol. 1998 Apr;3(2):161-71. doi: 10.1037//1076-8998.3.2.161.

Abstract

This study evaluated how urban bus drivers' well-being was affected by technical interventions designed to improve the traffic environment of an urban bus route. Three questionnaires were distributed; 8 drivers at the intervention route (mean age 43 years) and 13 demographically matched comparison drivers (mean age 39 years) participated at all occasions. Field studies at work were conducted twice, with 10 intervention route drivers (mean age 43 years) and 31 comparison drivers (mean age 42 years). The authors hypothesized that during the course of the intervention, the initially elevated indexes of occupational stress in the intervention group would be reduced to levels equivalent to those of the comparison group. The hypothesis was confirmed for perceived workload in the questionnaire, observer-rated job hassles, systolic blood pressure and heart rate at work, and perceived distress after work in the field study.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Automobile Driving / psychology*
  • Blood Pressure
  • Ergonomics
  • Female
  • Heart Rate
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Occupational Health*
  • Stress, Psychological*
  • Workload*