Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 47
47
CHAPTER 6
DATA LIMITATIONS
The following data limitations were identified during the GES data files could provide additional refinement of
preparation of this synthesis: these data.
· Economic and financial data often are limited. For the
trucking industry, a key source is the Motor Carrier
· MCMIS provides only limited data on intrastate firms.
Annual Report, which is derived from U.S. DOT filings
This reporting method means, for example, that school from for-hire carriers with more than $3 million in annual
bus contractors that operate intrastate only, of which revenue. Although this information is very detailed, it
there may be a significant number, are not fully reported may not accurately represent the financial and operating
by MCMIS. While industry associations provide esti- profiles of small trucking operators and private opera-
mates of this missing information through surveys, tors. Data on operating ratios, while available for the
their data may not be comprehensive. trucking and motorcoach industry through the Bureau of
· NHTSA reports injuries and crashes in the National Transportation Statistics, are not reported for school bus
Automotive Sampling System's General Estimates Sys- operators (only approximately one-third of which are
tem (NASS GES) for the aggregate category of "buses." for-hire contractors). Operating costs per mile also are
As a result, statistics on bus-related incidents include not readily available for the school bus industry.
motorcoaches, school buses, and transit buses. Because · The definition of a school bus varies from state to state
NHTSA does report school bus-related incidents sepa- and is sometimes based on function and sometimes
rately, a combined estimate of transit bus and motor- based on body type.
coach injuries and crashes can be obtained by subtract- · Historical vehicle-miles traveled data for motorcoaches
ing the school bus data. and school buses are not readily available.
· For school bus statistics, NHTSA does not distinguish · Little data exist on motorcoach and school bus driver
between publicly owned school buses and privately schedules and hours worked. Specifically, industry asso-
owned school buses. There is also no distinction between ciations do not collect timesheet or payroll data that
school bus body types being used to transport pupils would make it possible to identify the most common
and non-school buses used as school buses in the pub- driver shifts and the percentage of drivers that work
lished statistics. Further analysis of the source NASS- these shifts.
