Bus Operator Workforce Management: Practitioner’s Guide (2023) / Chapter Skim
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Chapter 7 - Bus Operator Safety, Health, and Working Conditions
Chapter 7 - Bus Operator Safety, Health, and Working Conditions
Pages 57-67
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From page 57... ...
Bus operators are affected by long working hours; the sedentary nature of the job; minimal extended interaction with people; extended periods of focus on driving, sometimes in unsafe conditions; uncomfortable seats; and hostile passengers.166 These factors can create unsafe conditions for bus operators and passengers alike and can lead to poor individual health outcomes for bus operators. If unaddressed, safety and health concerns can affect the workplace by leading to excessive absenteeism, increased health care costs, or operational problems and delays, among other stressors.167 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 5,800 bus drivers (of around 570,000 total)
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From page 58... ...
Many also implemented activi ties for smoking or tobacco product cessation and stress management. Less common content areas were safety, medical self-care and medication management, and responsible alcohol use.175 Although the transit agencies surveyed in the 2014 research were hesitant to point to measur able outcomes in the health and well-being of bus operators as a direct result of the health and wellness programs, these programs often influence transit agency safety policies.
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From page 59... ...
Additionally, when assaults lead to injuries to bus operators, the majority of cases result in traumatic injuries or disorders to the worker.183 However, in a 2016 member survey conducted by ATU, 70 percent of respondents indicated that many operator assaults go unreported because bus operators believe that nothing will be done about the assault.184 Beyond physical effects, bus operators can also experience adverse psychological effects. Negative and sometimes violent interactions with passengers have been linked to adverse psychological effects on bus operators, including post-traumatic stress disorder.185 In addition, passenger transit occupations have been found to have high rates of depression.186 TCRP Synthesis 193 identified seven different measures that transit agencies employ to reduce the instances and severity of assaults.187 – Policies, plans, and protocols; – Police/security staffing; – Data communications and telemetry systems (including automatic vehicle locators and emergency alert buttons)
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From page 60... ...
For example, one focus group participant said, "in our mentorship program we're trying to tell new bus operators we don't have the luxury of relying on the police like we used to." Internal support from within the transit agency may include mentorships and various types of transit agency support mechanisms. Some focus group participants indicated that such support is sometimes lacking.
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From page 61... ...
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related deaths in the United States according to the CDC.188 In 2016, bus operators in the United States reported 15,185 collisions that resulted in 117 fatalities and 17,492 injuries.189 Transportation incidents were the most prevalent events leading to occupational injuries or illnesses among bus operators in a 2015 study, accounting for between 36 and 42 percent of reported injuries and illnesses to workers in this occupation in the years studied.190 Driver fatigue is a leading contributor to transit collisions. A 2013 study indicated that transit bus operators had a high prevalence of sleep-related disorders like hypersomnolence, insomnia, restless legs syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea, and work-related traffic collisions were more prevalent in bus operators with obstructive sleep apnea than those without the condition.191 A 2017 study of traditional urban bus and BRT operators found evidence that occupational stress, burnout, and crashes are more common among traditional urban bus drivers than among BRT operators, likely because the environment in which BRT operators operate is much more controlled and predictable.192 Thirty-one percent of respondents to the survey reported that they believe incidences of these collisions have been increasing at their transit agency over the last 5 years (Figure 12)
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From page 62... ...
Furthermore, the study showed a positive correlation between longer split-times and the risk of collision.194 The industry survey showed that, of the respondents who reported that their transit agency used split shifts, the majority said that the typical duration was 3 hours or more. Federal guidelines for transit agencies set the number of hours bus operators can work and the minimum hours between shifts.
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From page 63... ...
A 2010 study showed that dissatisfaction with the work shifts assigned was the biggest factor impacting retention among paratransit service providers.197 Bus operators may have very little control over their work schedules and only minimal notice prior to the start of their shift. Forty-four percent of respondents to the industry survey answered that bus operators at their transit agency know their work schedule 1 to 2 days in advance (see Figure 14)
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From page 64... ...
Inad equate restroom access can cause serious health concerns for bus operators. According to the survey, 32 percent of bus operators said that they developed a health concern or had a pre-existing condition get worse due to lack of restroom access.203 Among bus operators surveyed by ATU, 16 percent had been warned, disciplined, or retaliated against for using or requesting to use the restroom.204 Labor unions have advocated for employers to enact policies that better mitigate the difficul ties inherent in the workplace conditions for bus operators.
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From page 65... ...
The union encourages bus operators to report issues immediately by telling their direct supervisor and letting the union know so that the union can provide additional support. The union is also involved in the agency's safety committee, which is comprised of union and agency members and meets monthly to go over any outstanding safety issues.
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From page 66... ...
For example, removing the requirement for bus operators to have to state the fare can reduce passenger interaction and the resulting potential for conflict that sometimes occurs during this interaction. San Francisco's MTA, TriMet in Portland, and Seattle's King County Metro have decriminalized fare evasion partly because eliminating the threat of a misdemeanor decreases the risk of disputes with passengers and therefore protects bus operators.208 Reducing the poten tial for conflict will in turn reduce the need for additional support either through law enforce ment or other transit agency support.
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From page 67... ...
Transit agencies can work with unions to restructure the incentives so that bus operators share the burden and have better retention of new hires. Provide High-End Portable Bathrooms While it is ideal that bus operators have access to permanent restroom facilities along their route, providing comfortable, clean portable restrooms can be a cost-effective approach for transit agencies.212 Create Contracts with Local Business Owners for On-Route Restroom Facility Access Metro Transit uses contracts with local businesses that do not otherwise have free restroom access to obtain on-route restroom facilities for bus operators.
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