Company Car Drivers Research Articles

The Longitudinal Effect of Digitally Administered Feedback on the Eco-Driving Behavior of Company Car Drivers

In the global fight against climate change, stimulating eco-driving could contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions. Company car drivers are a main target in this challenge as they represent a significant market share and are typically not motivated financially to drive more fuel efficiently (and thus more eco-friendly). As this target group has received little previous research attention, we examine whether digitally administered feedback and coaching systems can trigger such company car owners to drive eco-friendly. We do so by using respondents (employees of a financial services company (N = 327)) that voluntarily have a digital device (‘dongle’) installed in their company car, which monitors and records driving behavior-related variables. In a longitudinal real-life field study, we communicate eco-driving recommendations (e.g., avoid harsh braking, accelerate gently, etc.) to the respondent drivers via a digital (computer) interface. Over a 21-week time frame (one block of seven weeks before the intervention, seven weeks of intervention, and seven weeks after the intervention), we test whether eco-driving recommendations in combination with personalized, graphical ‘eco-score index evolution’ feedback increase eco-driving behavior. We also experimentally evaluate the impact of adding social comparison elements to the feedback (e.g., providing feedback on a person’s eco-driving performance compared to that of the same car brand users). Structural Equation Modeling (in MPlus 8.4) is used to analyze data. Our results show that digitally administered personal performance feedback increases eco-driving behavior both during and after the feedback intervention. However, we do not observe increased effects when social comparison information is added to the feedback. As this latter element is surprising, we conclude with a reflection on possible explanations and suggest areas for future research. We contribute to the sustainable eco-driving literature by researching an understudied group: company car drivers. More specifically, we contribute by demonstrating the effectiveness of digitally administered personal performance feedback on eco-driving for this group and by observing and reflecting on the (in)effectiveness of feedback containing social comparison information.

Can we persuade company car drivers to opt out?

Multiple issues are associated with company cars in the academic debate, such as excessive car use and welfare loss. Company cars, provided by organizations to their employees, are often seen as a subsidy for private car ownership throughout Europe, especially in Belgium. Belgium is the first country in Europe to develop a legal framework in which organizations can replace the company car system with alternative solutions such as a corporate mobility budget. The objective of this study was to gain insight into the intentions of employees to replace their company car with this mobility budget. We have carried out an online survey among 527 company car drivers to predict the financial compensation that is required to replace the company car with more sustainable transport modes. On average, respondents required €683 per month to give up their company car. A stepwise linear regression analysis identified familiarity with alternative transport modes, environmental concern, accessibility, and income as the primary predictors of this financial preference. These variables have been proven to be significant predictors of mode choice as well. The findings can help to identify opportunities for generating a modal shift in organizations.

Finding alternatives for the traditional diesel-powered company car: A conjoint analysis approach

Although the use of company cars is associated with more congestion, pollution and accidents compared to privately owned cars, the Belgian fiscal system provides exceptionally high incentives to company cars. As a result, the proportion of company cars is higher in Belgium than in any other OECD country. With a corporate mobility budget, more sustainable options are being offered as an alternative to large diesel-powered company cars, but little is known about how company car drivers value these alternatives. In this article, we explore how car-dependent employees make their choices in the company mobility system and aim to find options that enable more sustainable commuting. A choice-based conjoint analysis carried out among 422 car dependent company car drivers was used to measure their preference for alternative car-based solutions. The results indicate an overall preference for hybrid cars, but a shift toward fully electric vehicles is necessary to have a significant impact on climate change. Our results suggest that respondents with a higher environmental concern are more eager to make the transition toward smaller and fully electric vehicles, which is in line with previous studies. The study revealed that there is currently no alternative that is both more sustainable and more preferred by the sample, which again stresses the need for more drastic government intervention.

Money Drives

This paper examines the effectiveness of monetary incentives based on real-time monitoring as means to improve driving behavior of company car drivers. We conducted a 5-months 60-drivers field study with one of the largest public transportation companies in Israel. Driving behavior was measured continuously using In-Vehicle Data Recorders (IVDR) that were pre-installed in the vehicles, enabling naturalistic, objective and concise measurements. The driving behavior measurements were then used to examine two different monetary incentive schemes: (1) a simple individual incentive scheme where each driver was rewarded based on his own improvement in driving behavior, and (2) a peer-reward scheme where each driver was rewarded based on the improvement of his peers. Drivers were also provided with daily feedback about their improvement and the reward they gained using text messages and a dedicated smartphone app. We find that the two incentive schemes presented an average improvement of 25% in driving behavior, whereas the control group (that did not use any monetary incentive) presented no improvement at all. Surprisingly and in contrast to the reported superiority of the peer-reward scheme in previous studies, we find the individual scheme to perform better in our setting (31% vs. 15% improvement). Finally, we find that the monetary incentive schemes were able to reduce fuel consumption significantly, suggesting that such incentives can serve as a sustainable mechanism for improving driving behavior in real-world applications.

Welfare Effects of Distortionary Tax Incentives Under Preference Heterogeneity: An Application to Employer-Provided Electric Cars

This paper presents an approach for the estimation of welfare effects of tax policy changes under heterogeneity in consumer preferences. The approach is applied to evaluate the welfare effects of current tax advantages for electric vehicles supplied as fringe benefits by employers. Drawing on stated preferences of Dutch company car drivers, we assess the short-run welfare effects of changes in the taxation of the private use of these vehicles. We find that the welfare gain of a marginal increase in the taxation of electric company cars is substantial and even outweighs the marginal tax revenue raised.

Professional drivers’ views on risky driving behaviors and accident liability: a questionnaire survey in Xining, China

This study examines the correlation among the attitudes, behaviors, and other characteristics of professional drivers involved in accidents in China, using a questionnaire-based survey conducted in Xining from March to October 2012. The frequency and seriousness of risky driving behaviors were assessed according to the derived 2473 drivers’ behavior questionnaire (DBQ) answers and scales, and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to identify the relationship between the risky driving behavior frequency and probability of an accident. The DBQ results revealed that bus drivers were more likely to perform risky driving behaviors, and company car drivers were least likely to be involved in accidents. Regarding driver gender, it was found that male professional drivers with dangerous driving behaviors (e.g., such as unsafe passing, speeding, tailgating, etc.) were more likely than their female counterparts to be involved in an accident. Such pattern of behavior detected in the study could form the basis for various preventive education and enforcement programs, aimed at raising driver awareness, and ultimately lead to less accident on the road.

Preferences for alternative fuel vehicles of company car drivers

Costs of car ownership for company cars drivers and private car owners are very different. Car use, car choice decisions and preferences for car characteristics may therefore differ substantially between these two markets. In this paper, we present results of a study on the preferences of company car drivers for alternative fuel vehicles and their characteristics, based on data from an online stated choice experiment in the Netherlands. Results show that, assuming current car characteristics, preferences for alternative fuel vehicles, and for electric and fuel cell cars in particular, are substantially lower than those for the conventional technology. Limited driving ranges, long recharge/refuelling times and limited availability of refuelling opportunities, are to a large extent responsible for this. Preferences for alternative fuel vehicles increase considerably with improvements on these aspects, especially for the hybrid and flexifuel car. Under the current company car tax system in the Netherlands, which favours cleaner technologies, these two car types are even preferred to the conventional technology, assuming equal catalogue prices and personal monthly cost contributions. Comparing results with those from a similar choice experiment among private car owners shows that willingness to pay patterns for AFV improvements regarding driving range, recharge and refuelling times, fuel availability and diversity in AFV supply, are considerably different for company car drivers than for private car owners. Company and private car drivers may therefore react (very) differently to future improvements in AFV technology and fuel availability. We finally show that preferences of company car drivers for fuel cell and electric cars depend to a large extent on annual mileage. Market share simulations show that potential early adopters of electric and fuel cell cars can be found among people with a relatively low annual mileage.

Safety implications of company cars—the Israeli experience

This paper explores the safety implications of the use of company cars. It focuses on a case study in Israel that shows a massive growth in the extent of company-car use in recent years. The methodology consisted of two main elements: the first was a market review regarding the situation in Israel, the second was a questionnaire-based survey distributed to 400 drivers who had a company car and to a control group of 230 drivers who did not have a company car and drove their own vehicles. The results clearly indicate that company cars have a significant negative impact on both travel behavior and safety. First, company-car arrangements result in significant extra mileages which lead to an excessive level of exposure. In addition, company cars are installed with fewer safety features than privately owned cars, and drivers of company cars tend to exhibit fewer safe-driving characteristics. The consequence of such practice is that company-car drivers were also found to be more involved in road crashes than were drivers who did not have a company car. The consequences suggest that decision-makers may need to re-examine company car arrangements in order to control the excessive exposure and to require that company cars come with a core of sufficient safety features.

The typical company car user does not exist: The case of Flemish company car drivers

In recent years the use of company cars has gained a lot of importance. In Belgium, they are increasingly used by companies as an incentive to motivate and compensate employees, resulting in the fact that half of the new car registrations are nowadays made in the name of a company and that companies account for 10% of the Belgian car fleet. In many cases the company car can also be used for private trips. In addition, most costs related to the use of a company car are borne by the employer, turning company cars into a nearly free way of travelling for the employee. Research has already established that the yearly amount of kilometres driven with a company car is significantly higher than that of private cars (e.g., Hubert and Toint, 2002; De Witte et al., 2009). Consequently, the rising phenomenon of company cars and its impact on our daily mobility can no longer be ignored. The aim of this paper is to explore the travel behaviours of company car users to make recommendations towards policy makers. This paper uses cluster analysis to show that there is no such thing as the ‘typical’ company car user. Three types of company car users were identified, each using their company car for different reasons and therefore each requiring different policy actions.

Measurement of Company Car Drivers’ Aberrant Behaviors, Safety Attitudes, and Safety Climate Perceptions

Company car drivers are at a higher risk of being involved in a crash compared with the general driving population. A 34-item questionnaire was used to study the responses of 110 company car drivers to questions regarding their aberrant behaviors, safety attitudes, and safety climate perceptions. The author evaluated the questionnaire's psychometric properties (factor structure and reliability) and investigated how company car drivers could be classified into subgroups on the basis of their reported behaviors, attitudes, and safety climate perceptions. An exploratory factor analysis yielded six factors: traffic violations, attitudes toward speeding and alcohol use, law enforcement, driver ability, work pressure, and management commitment to safety. With the K-means procedure, three subgroups were identified. One subgroup reports positive attitudes across all factors. The other two subgroups share higher rates of involvement in traffic violations and riskier attitudes toward speeding and alcohol use, but the two subgroups differ in their road safety attitudes as well as in their safety climate perceptions. An understanding of the characteristics of the different subgroups of company car drivers can help inform safety countermeasures. In addition, the questionnaire may serve as a practical tool for researchers and safety officers because it covers multiple safety-related factors but remains relatively brief.

Work-related road traffic collisions in the UK

Road traffic collisions while at work are the single largest cause of occupational fatality in the United Kingdom. Work-related road collisions do not comprise a homogenous group, but take many forms, encompassing the use of varying types of vehicle used for diverse purposes. A sample of over 2000 collision cases was considered, over 1000 in detail, from UK police forces, involving drivers/workers of all ages, and covering the years 1996–2004 inclusive. There were three key findings. (1) There were six main classes of collision-involved vehicles. These were company cars, vans/pickups, large goods vehicles (LGVs), buses (PCVs or ‘passenger carrying vehicles’), taxis/minicabs, and emergency vehicles (police, fire/rescue and ambulance). (2) The drivers of company cars, vans/pickups, and large goods vehicles (LGVs) all appeared to have a high ‘blameworthiness ratio’ in their collision involvement. Company car drivers showed excess speed as a causal factor, whereas van drivers showed more observational failures, and LGV drivers showed more fatigue and vehicle defects as factors. (3) The drivers of buses (PCVs), taxis/minicabs, and emergency vehicles showed a low ‘blameworthiness ratio’ in their collision involvement. Their problems seemed to be primarily with the other drivers/parties with whom they share the road. While they made a variety of mistakes or errors, they were more likely to become the victim of another party's mistake or error.

Working in light vehicles—A review and conceptual model for occupational health and safety

Occupational light vehicle (OLV) use is the leading cause of work related traumatic deaths in Westernised countries. Previous research has focused primarily on narrow contexts of OLV-use such as corporate fleet vehicles. We have proposed a comprehensive systems model for OLV-use to provide a framework for identifying research needs and proposing policy and practice interventions. This model presents the worker as the locus of injury at the centre of work- and road-related determinants of injury. Using this model, we reviewed existing knowledge and found most studies focused only on company car drivers, neglecting OLV-users in non-traditional employment arrangements and those using other vehicle types. Environmental exposures, work design factors and risk and protective factors for the wider OLV-user population are inadequately researched. Neither road- nor work-related policy appropriately addresses OLV-use, and population surveillance relies largely on inadequate workers compensation insurance data. This review demonstrates that there are significant gaps in understanding the problem of OLV-use and a need for further research integrating public health, insurance and road safety responses. The model provides a framework for understanding the theory of OLV-use OHS and guidance for urgently needed intervention research, policy and practice.

Sleepiness and driving: the experience of UK car drivers.

A postal questionnaire survey aimed at exploring the relationship between accidents and daytime sleepiness was sent to 9000 male drivers of which 4621 (51.3%) responded (mean age 47.7, SD 17.1). Drivers provided details of the accidents they had experienced in the last 3 y, and identified those factors, including tiredness, they thought contributed to the accident. In addition, drivers completed the Epworth scale measuring daytime sleepiness and reported whether they had felt close to falling asleep whilst driving during the past 12 mo. Analysis of the data showed that 29% of drivers had felt close to falling asleep at the wheel in the last 12 mo, the probability of which depended on Epworth score, age, occupational group, annual mileage, the proportion of time spent driving on motorways and in built-up areas, how long the driver is prepared to drive before taking a break, and whether the driver is driving a company car or not. Overall, about 7% of accident 'involvements' were associated with tiredness (representing 9-10% of accidents)-a figure which is higher on motorways than on rural roads or built-up roads and higher still in the early hours of the morning. Accident rates of company car drivers and/or those who have felt close to falling asleep at the wheel in the last year are shown to be associated with daytime sleepiness. For example, a company car driver who has felt close to falling asleep at the wheel in the last 12 mo and who scores highly on the Epworth scale has an accident liability which is 70% higher than a similar driver who scores zero on the Epworth scale. Snoring every night increases accident liability by about 30%.

The Company Car Driver, Occupational Stress as a Predictor of Motor Vehicle Accident Involvement

The relationship between occupational stress and worksite accidents has increasingly become the focus of research attention. However, few studies have considered the "spillover" effect of work related stress on employee behavior outside the specific work domain. This article reports the findings of our study to investigate the possible effects of occupational stress on the incidence of road accidents among company car drivers. Using motor vehicle claims data, stress levels were compared between accident-free (ACCF) and accident-involved (ACCI) drivers of a large car fleet operated by an international retailing organization. Comparisons were also made between different divisions/subsidiary companies within the organization. Despite the relatively small sample (n = 236) and the retrospective limitations of the study, the findings would indicate that occupational stress is playing a role in predicting accident rates among company car drivers. It is suggested that organizational initiatives aimed at stressor reduction and the improvement of individual coping skills may make an important contribution in reducing motor vehicle accidents.

Speeding in relation to perceptions of risk, utility and driving style by British company car drivers

Results are presented of a questionnaire survey of speed-related risk-taking performed on 572 British company car drivers. Reported risk-taking was examined in relation to risk and utility perceptions as well as perceived control and driver self-perceptions. The data revealed that over half the sample reported often exceeding the motorway speed limit by at least 10 mph (16 km/h). It was found that drivers who more frequently exceeded the speed limit on motorways were less likely to view speeding as an important risk factor and were much more likely to view being on time for appointments as desirable. They were also likely to view themselves as less aware, less sociable and more confident. The importance of the perceived utility of arriving at appointments on time, in relation to speeding over the legal limit, suggests that some organizational measures to reduce perceived time pressure within company vehicle drivers could be beneficial.

An Investigation of the Relationship between Occupational Stress and Accidents amongst Company Car Drivers

An Investigation of the Relationship between Occupational Stress and Accidents amongst Company Car Drivers