Bus Drivers Research Articles

Factors facilitating and hindering the implementation of digital sleep coaching for bus drivers

Improving fatigue management is critical to the occupational safety of professional drivers. We aimed to identify the factors that facilitated or hindered the implementation of digital sleep coaching in bus companies and to explore bus drivers’ experiences with it. Two bus companies implemented coaching for bus drivers. Using a mixed methods design, we collected data through two workshops (n = 30 and n = 27) attended by key personnel from the organisations and through questionnaires to the drivers (n = 30). Implementation was facilitated by, for example, the flexible participation and multichannel information of coaching, and hindered by restrictions on social support due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and lack of interest and inspiring examples. On average, the drivers rated the appropriateness and the feasibility of coaching as good. However, further development could lead to wider dissemination. It would also be important to involve the key people in the organisations and stakeholders more in supporting the implementation.

Discrepancy between medical conditions self-reported by bus drivers and medical records.

Medical incapacity at the wheel is a rare but high-profile factor in accident causation. The UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not require a review of medical records on the application for a bus licence, but applicants sign a self-declaration of medical history. There is debate over what, if any, verification of medical information is required for doctors who complete the medical assessment. To assess how self-declaration compares against General Practitioner (GP) patient records for a series of bus drivers undergoing driver licensing assessment in a 12-month period. Review of GP reports received for bus driver medicals undertaken in a 12-month period between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023. Of the 145 medicals undertaken, 12 (8.3%) GP reports contained undeclared medical conditions that required further evaluation and may have impacted on fitness to drive. Studies into the contribution of medical incapacity at the wheel to vehicle accidents are sparse, as, thankfully, are the events themselves. Nevertheless, given the updated General Medical Council guidance to doctors on confidentiality and public protection responsibilities, and evidence to suggest that doctors' knowledge of the DVLA guidelines is poor, it might be pertinent for the DVLA to reconsider its approach to driver self-reporting in some circumstances, given the discrepancy highlighted here.

The interrogation: Interviews at the limit

ABSTRACT Amir Ahmadi Arian is well known to readers of The New York Times, Harper’s, New York Review of Books, Paris Review, and London Review of Books. Though he began as a successful writer in Iran, writing in Farsi, by 2010 the Iranian authorities had banned three of his books, and shuttered the publishing house and newspaper where he worked. He emigrated first to Australia (2014) and then New York (2018) writing now in English and becoming, for anglophone readers, a vital source of news about Iran. In this interview, the topic is Arian’s first English-language novel, Then the Fish Swallowed Him, a fictional account of the arrest, torture, and interrogation of a Tehran public bus driver, whom the Iranian authorities implausibly frame as the mastermind of revolutionary opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The interview examines the coincidence in the novel of interrogation, dramatic dialogue, and traditional literary interviews.

Skin microbiome profiling reveals the crucial role of microbial metabolites in anti-photoaging.

Skin microbiota is essential for health maintenance. Photoaging is the primary environmental factor that affects skin homeostasis, but whether it influences the skin microbiota remains unclear. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between photoaging and skin microbiome. A cohort of senior bus drivers was considered as a long-term unilateral ultraviolet (UV) irradiated population. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was conducted to assess skin microbial composition variations on different sides of their faces. The microbiome characteristics of the photoaged population were further examined by photoaging guinea pig models, and the correlations between microbial metabolites and aging-related cytokines were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Photoaging decreased the relative abundance of microorganisms including Georgenia and Thermobifida in human skin and downregulated the generation of skin microbe-derived antioxidative metabolites such as ectoin. In animal models, Lactobacillus and Streptobacillus abundance in both the epidermis and dermis dropped after UV irradiation, resulting in low levels of skin antioxidative molecules and leading to elevated expressions of the collagen degradation factors matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and MMP-2 and inflammatory factors such as interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6. Skin microbial characteristics have an impact in photoaging and the loss of microbe-derived antioxidative metabolites impairs skin cells and accelerates the aging process. Therefore, microbiome-based therapeutics may have potential in delaying skin aging.

Driver Drowsiness Detection System

Among the leading causes of fatalities in traffic accidents is being sleepy while driving. Long-haul truck drivers, bus or overnight bus drivers, and drivers who operate their cars after midnight are more prone to encounter this issue. Accidents Senger’s worst Every year, car accidents involving drunk drivers result in several fatalities and serious injuries. Due to their enormous practical significance, identifying driver tiredness and its indication are therefore significant study areas. The acquisition system, processing system, and warning system are the three components or modules that make up the fundamental sleepiness detecting apparatus. The acquisition system takes a frontal facial video of the driver's and transmits it to the processing block for real-time analysis to identify weariness.

Nutritional Habits of Bus Drivers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Nutritional Habits of Bus Drivers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Good practices on transit operation design: bus drivers’ perspective

Understanding which aspects can have the greatest influence on the performance, comfort and safety of a public transport system can be of great help in improving its operation and promoting more sustainable mobility. To find out more about these aspects, a survey was carried out among more than 180 drivers of urban bus transport systems in seven medium-sized cities in Spain. The drivers' perspective has been insufficiently taken into account in previous research, despite the fact that these workers have a high and direct knowledge of the operation and problems directly affecting the service. The data collected through this survey have been analysed using descriptive statistics and an Ordered Probit model. The results have allowed us to detect specific aspects to improve the performance and comfort of users and drivers such as the correct location and length of bus stops and enforcing regulation to ensure that buses have priority in traffic and that illegal parking does not interfere with their operations. In addition, bus lanes were seen as important by drivers to improve the comfort and safety of the service. Other factors related to safety were generally highly rated and there was little dispersion in the responses about their importance, although aspects such as proper visibility, avoiding illegal parking, and campaigns to encourage bus users to be aware of their surroundings stood out in the answers. Finally, the payment system was highlighted as very relevant to ensure the performance and comfort of users and drivers during the operation at bus stops. Improving this system was identified as the measure that could have the greatest impact on the performance of the service as a whole.

Effects of mixed traffic flow and time pressure on violated driving behaviors of bus drivers

This study aimed to examine the effects of mixed traffic flow (MTF) environments with time pressure (TP) on violated driving behaviours (VDBs) of bus drivers. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among bus drivers. Factor analyses, partial correlation and linear regression analyses were utilised to explore the associations among VDB, MTF and TP. Our results proposed two novel measurements of MTF and TP and one modified VDB scale. Bus drivers who perceived a higher presence of motorcycles and more dangerous interactions among vehicles were less likely to participate in VDB. Those who perceived motorcyclists as aggressive, road users’ traffic habits as unsafe, and bus routes’ punctuality and organisation as very strict were more likely to engage in VDB. The predictive models indicated a higher influence of MTF and TP on VDB among bus drivers involved in an accident over the last 3 years compared to other groups.

Advancing a revised UB-DBQ: A new insight into driver behaviour and older passenger injuries in urban buses

IntroductionOlder individuals in China face a heightened risk of injuries on urban buses. While the Driving Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) effectively gauges drivers' behaviours and predicts injury involvement, the link between aberrant driving and older passenger injuries among urban bus drivers remains underexplored. This study refines the UB-DBQ for urban bus drivers, probing its association with older passenger injuries. MethodsThe Urban Bus Driving Behaviour Questionnaire (UB-DBQ) was adapted, incorporating unique aspects of urban bus driving. An online survey, based on this revised UB-DBQ, was administered to 710 Chinese urban bus drivers in August 2022. Using principal component factor analysis and oblique rotation-promax, a four-factor UB-DBQ emerged. Correlation and difference tests analysed the relationship between driving behaviours and older passenger injury incidents. ResultsThe four-factor UB-DBQ offers a robust fit for Chinese urban bus drivers. Analysis revealed a prevalence of positive driving behaviours, offset by fewer aberrant actions, including aggression, errors, and violations. Notably, higher numbers of older passengers heightened aggressive and erroneous driving behaviours. A notable trend emerged: drivers largely attributed injuries to older passengers, a sentiment growing with more older passengers aboard. Crucially, driver self-assurance in safety and aggressive behaviour were key predictors of injuries involving older adult passengers. ConclusionsThe revised UB-DBQ serves as an effective tool for assessing urban bus driver behaviour and older passenger injury incidents in China. These insights emphasize the need for tailored driver training and risk strategies in line with the unique demands of urban bus driving in China. The UB-DBQ holds potential for shaping more precise and effective transport safety policies.

Predictors for diabetes and hypertension among bus drivers and conductors in South India.

Bus drivers and conductors are facing various health hazards due to stressful working conditions. They are exposed to various occupational hazards which lead to deterioration of their health over a period of time. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension among bus drivers and conductors and to determine the factors associated with diabetes and hypertension. This cross-sectional study was done among 293 bus drivers and 157 conductors during March 2018 to December 2018 and the data was collected using a semi structured questionnaire after obtaining informed consent. Each individual was investigated for Blood sugar and Blood Pressure. Out of 450 study participants, about 6.9% were diabetic and 50.2% were hypertensive. Transport workers with single marital status, those who belong to rural areas and drivers were significant predictors for diabetes. Overweight was significantly associated with the Diabetes in negative direction. Marital status, years of experience and anxiety were significantly associated with hypertension. Hemoglobin level, total cholesterol level and blood urea level also emerged as predictors for Hypertension. Non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension have surpassed the communicable diseases in affecting the health of people with distinct occupations like bus drivers and conductors.

Investigating Large Neighbourhood Search for Bus Driver Scheduling

The Bus Driver Scheduling Problem (BDSP) is a combinatorial optimisation problem with high practical relevance. The aim is to assign bus drivers to predetermined routes while minimising a specified objective function that considers operating costs as well as employee satisfaction. Since we must satisfy several rules from a collective agreement and European regulations, the BDSP is highly constrained. Hence, using exact methods to solve large real-life-based instances is computationally too expensive, while heuristic methods still have a considerable gap to the optimum. Our paper presents a Large Neighbourhood Search (LNS) approach to solve the BDSP. We propose several novel destroy operators and an approach using column generation to repair the sub-problem. We analyse the impact of the destroy and repair operators and investigate various possibilities to select them, including adaptivity. The proposed approach improves all the upper bounds for larger instances that exact methods cannot solve, as well as for some mid-sized instances, and outperforms existing heuristic approaches for this problem on all benchmark instances.

An Effective Fuel Cost‐Less Bus Driver Allocation Scheme by Using Genetic Algorithm

In this paper, we propose a cost‐effective driver allocation scheme based on the Genetic Algorithm (GA) aimed at improving fuel efficiency for bus companies. With our evaluations using real bus sensing data, our scheme has demonstrated a significant reduction in running resistance, achieving a 20%–26% decrease compared to current real‐world allocations. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Predictive effects of organizational justice on job satisfaction in bus drivers: the moderating effects of role overload and proactive personality

BackgroundThere have been few longitudinal studies on Chinese bus drivers and the individual differences in the relationships between organizational justice and job satisfaction. This study examined the organizational justice and job satisfaction in bus drivers and the individual differences in this relationship.MethodsA two-wave longitudinal study design was employed. A first survey was conducted on 513 Chinese bus drivers in October 2021 that collected socio-demographic information and asked about their perceptions of organizational fairness. A second survey was conducted six months later that asked about role overload and job satisfaction and assessed their proactive personality type. An effect model was then used to explore the moderating effects of role overload and proactive personality type on the relationships between organizational justice and job satisfaction.ResultsBoth procedural and interactive justice predicted the bus drivers’ job satisfaction. Proactive personalities and role overload were found to enhance this relationship.ConclusionsOrganizations could benefit from screening at the recruitment stage for drivers with highly proactive personalities. Relevant training for drivers with low proactive personalities could partially improve employee job satisfaction. When viewed from a Chinese collectivist cultural frame, role overload could reflect trust and a sense of belonging, which could enhance job satisfaction. Finally, to improve employee job satisfaction, organizations need to ensure procedural and interactive justice.

From Bus Driver Dreaming to Tjukurpa

Separated from the surrounding landscape by walls, wiltjas and fences, with strategically framed views back to the rock, the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre offers opportunities for tourists to learn about Anangu understandings of place. Historically, this information has been conveyed through interpretations located in situ within the landscape of the national park or through the narrative of the organised tour. What then is the role of a museum space in a national park? Why go inside to understand what is outside? To investigate these questions, this paper looks outside the discourses of museology and architecture, the orthodox methods for analysing the ‘typology’ of the cultural centre, and instead traces the development of the Centre within the spatial history of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. This analysis offers an alternative reading, revealing the Centre as a place of mediation and control, strategically located between landscape and tourist and Ananguand tourist. Further while the Centre fulfills a role in promoting Aboriginal culture, Anangu voices remain filtered through the display techniques of the museum. It is only through the introduction of Anangu tours that the museological driven interior is linked with the Tjurkapa of the exterior.

Evaluation of harmful drinking among professional drivers by direct ethanol biomarkers and its relation with psychological distress

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the alcohol consumption among professional truck and bus drivers using direct ethanol biomarkers, and to explore its relationship with anxiety, depression, and stress. Methods The assessment of potential harmful drinking was conducted through the measurement of direct biomarkers: phosphatidylethanol (PEth), ethyl glucuronide (EtG), and ethyl sulfate (EtS), using dried blood spots (DBS). Additionally, self-reported data from the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) were used. Emotional states, including depression, anxiety, and stress, were evaluated using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Results A total of 97 drivers participated in the study, with the majority being male (96%) and identified as truck drivers (75.3%). Among them, 43.3% reported working more than 10 h daily. The majority of volunteers exhibited normal levels of stress (81.4%), anxiety (83%), and depression (86.6%). According to the AUDIT-C assessment, 30.9% were categorized as having a moderate risk, while 11.3% were deemed to be at high risk for harmful alcohol consumption behavior. Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) levels, indicating recent ethanol consumption, were detected in 14.4% of the drivers. In contrast, the long half-life metabolite PEth (16:0-18:1) was present in 88.7% of the volunteers. A moderate correlation (rs = 0.45, p < .01) was observed between PEth levels and AUDIT-C scores. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, utilizing a PEth threshold of ≥ 59.0 ng ml−1, displayed 78% sensitivity and 73% specificity in effectively distinguishing high risk for alcohol intake. Notably, no significant associations were found between alcohol consumption and levels of stress, depression, and anxiety. Conclusions The study findings indicate a noteworthy proportion of drivers engaging in regular alcohol consumption alongside a demanding workload. Notably, PEth measurements highlighted an underreporting within the AUDIT-C self-reports. These results lend robust support for the utilization of biomarkers in assessing alcohol consumption patterns among drivers.

휠체어 이용 장애인의 저상버스 이용 실태 및 경험에 관한 연구: 인천광역시를 중심으로

This study aims to provide policy implications based on the actual usage of low-floor buses operating in Incheon Metropolitan City and the experiences of people with disabilities who use them. For the purpose of this study, a combination of quantitative research using frequency analysis based on monitoring sites and qualitative research revealing the experiences of the researcher was conducted. For this purpose, four people with severe disabilities who use wheelchairs were recruited, and the objectivity of the research was ensured through training for the recruited people with disabilities. The results of the study were derived through frequency analysis and thematic analysis of the surveyed sites, and the results were as follows: first, 80.4% of the low-floor buses were accessible, but 19.6% were not. Second, 77.5% of the bus stops were accessible. Third, 24.5% of the platform lifts (ramps) were not operational for low-floor buses. Fourth, regarding the friendliness of low-floor bus drivers, 28.2% were found to be unfriendly. Fifth, the survey revealed various inconveniences related to the place of alighting. The results of this study led to policy recommendations on the need to eradicate discrimination, introduce universal design for low-floor buses, distribute low-floor bus manuals and driver training, and expand the number of low-floor buses in order to improve the mobility rights of people with disabilities using wheelchairs.

Bus Drivers’ Behavioral Intention to Comply with Real-Time Control Instructions: An Empirical Study from China

Developing intelligent bus control systems is crucial for fostering the sustainability of urban transportation. Control instructions are produced in real time by the bus control system; these are important technical commands to stabilize the order in which buses operate and improve service reliability. Understanding the behavioral intention of bus drivers to comply with these instructions will help improve the effectiveness of intelligent bus control system implementation. We have developed a psychological model that incorporates decomposed variables of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and other influencing variables to explain the micromechanisms that determine bus drivers’ behavioral intention to comply with real-time control instructions during both peak and off-peak-hour scenarios. A total of 258 responses were obtained and verified for analysis. The results showed that the influential factors in the peak- and off-peak-hour scenarios were not identical. Female drivers had greater off-peak-hour behavior intention to comply than male drivers, and there were significant differences in peak-hour behavior intention among drivers of different ages. In both peak and off-peak-hour scenarios, perceived benefit positively and perceived risk negatively affected behavioral intention. Perceived controllability positively affected behavioral intention only during peak hours. Self-efficacy only negatively affected behavioral intention during off-peak hours. Three antecedent variables (i.e., trust, mental workload, and line infrastructure support) influenced drivers’ behavioral intentions indirectly via the decomposed variables of TPB. These results provide profound insights for the improvement and implementation of real-time control technology for bus services, thereby facilitating the development of smart and sustainable urban public transport systems.

Covid-19 restrictions and transport sector in Sub-Saharan Africa: insights from Douala City, Cameroon

The transportation industry is a key player in shaping today’s economy and society, but the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 drastically reduced services as governments implemented containment measures which drastically reduced services offered by transportation systems. Developed countries are already analyzing the pandemic's impact on transportation and proposing sustainable solutions. However, little is known about how developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, with high urban population densities and unique mobility patterns, have responded. This study focuses on Cameroon, specifically Douala city, to examine the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on mobility patterns, transport operators, and provide recommendations to transport authorities in responding to future pandemics in the region. Interviews with 190 key informants, including taxi, bus drivers, and bike riders revealed a significant decrease in passenger demand, lower occupancy rates, reduced intra-urban and inter-urban mobility, and financial struggles for drivers, leading to layoffs. The study underscores the need for collaboration among stakeholders in the transport sector, involving public transport operators, government agents, policy makers, and the civil society in decision-making to create sustainable solutions for future pandemics.

Driving patterns in connected environments: A case study of intersection-approaching behavior of professional and non-professional drivers

The in-vehicle communication provides promising opportunities to improve the road safety and traffic efficiency. Previous studies demonstrated that the professional drivers have better driving skills than the non-professional drivers who allocate more attention to secondary tasks. However, they may not be sensitive to the new in-vehicle technology. In addition, these qualitative studies failed to elaborate on the visual and response behavior differences among different driver groups (professional drivers such as taxi, bus, motorcoach, and non-professional drivers), and lacked the quantitative analysis of driving patterns in a new environment. This paper explores the differences in visual interaction, response characteristics, driving performance, and behavior patterns between the professional and non-professional drivers in the connected environment through a case study of intersection-approaching behavior using a driving simulator. More precisely, two driving scenarios (baseline and human–machine interface (HMI)) were designed in the driving simulator, and 65 participants, including 34 professional drivers and 31 non-professional drivers, completed the experiment. In the HMI scenario, the driver was provided with the signal light phase and phase transition remaining time of the current intersection. This paper also proposes a driving pattern extraction model based on the Bayesian non-parametric method combined with a text clustering algorithm to perform a quantitative description of the driving patterns. The results show that the professional drivers tend to interact less with the HMI compared with the non-professional drivers. Moreover, the professional drivers’ first gaze at the HMI occurs and responds earlier. The proposed driving model can effectively describe 7 patterns of intersection-approaching behavior. The connected information can significantly improve the efficiency of the intersection traffic and the driving behavior. However, the professional drivers are more responsive and behave more consistently. This study can provide insights into the development of personalized assisted driving systems, as the two driving populations differ in their interactions, responses, and behavioral patterns.

0948 Sleep Problems and Mental Health in Bus Drivers: A Cross-sectional Study

0948 Sleep Problems and Mental Health in Bus Drivers: A Cross-sectional Study