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Who's Behind the Wheel? Work and Health Backgrounds of New Transit Bus Operators
Ryan Olson1, Stacy A Stoffregen, Talya N Bauer
1From the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon (R.O., S.A.S., B.W., W.K.A., A.W.M., C.D.); Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (R.O.); School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University, Portland, Oregon (B.W., W.K.A., P.G.), Department of Psychology, Portland State University, Portland, OR (T.B.), School of Business, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon (T.N.B.), and School of Nursing, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon (A.W.M.).
Objective:
Investigate new bus operators' ( N = 293) occupational and health backgrounds to inform how transit authorities can support their future health and job success.
Methods:
New bus operators completed surveys and direct measurements that addressed demographics, work history, and 10 health risk factors.
Results:
Participants averaged 42.76 years of age and were predominantly male (73.5%). Many (45.7%) came from minority backgrounds and most (66.3%) had no prior commercial driving experience. Transportation and material moving occupations were operators' most common prior jobs followed by protective service, and sales and related occupations. Study-specific criteria classified operators as having low (49.5%), medium (37.9%), and high (12.6%) health risk levels.
Conclusions:
About half of the sample had medium-to-high health risks and most lacked commercial driving experience. Such information may help employers proactively support new bus operators' health and job success.
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