In 2004, 5,190 people were killed due to a traffic accident involving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), up from 4,793 people killed in 2001 (Traffic Safety Facts, 2004; Traffic Safety Facts, 2001). Driver drowsiness is an important issue to consider when discussing CMVs. According to the FMCSA, over 750 people are killed and 20,000 people are injured each year due to drowsy CMV drivers (as cited in Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, 2001). Driver drowsiness is an important issue for CMV drivers for several reasons, including long work shifts, irregular schedules and driving long hours on interstates and highways with no scenic interruptions to help keep the driver alert. Because of these and other factors, including the high mileage exposure that CMV drivers face, drowsiness is an important issue in a CMV driver's occupation. There were two main goals to this research: 1) gain a better understanding of the time-related occurrences of drowsy-related critical incidents (i.e., crashes, near-crashes and crash-relevant conflicts), and 2) obtain drivers' opinions of the 2004 Revised Hours-of-Service regulations. To do this, recent data were used from a Field Operational Test conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute in which 103 participants drove in an instrumented heavy vehicle for up to 16 weeks; video data, and sensor data were collected from each participant. In addition, actigraph data was collected from 96 of the 103 participants. Each vehicle was instrumented with four video cameras to capture images of the drivers face, the forward roadway, and the adjacent lanes on each side of the truck. In addition, multiple sensors were installed in the vehicle in order to collect data such as the driver's speed, braking patterns and steering wheel movement. These data were combined to provide a complete picture of each driver's environment and behavior while they drove their normal routes. Data analysts reviewed the data for critical incidents (crashes, near-crashes, and crash-relevant conflicts) and determined a drowsiness level for each incident; these downiness levels were compared to drowsiness levels of baseline incidents (i.e., normal driving periods). The results show that drivers were more likely to have a drowsy-related critical incident between 2:00 pm and 2:59 pm. In addition to the video and sensor data, each driver was asked to fill out a subjective questionnaire regarding the revised HOS regulations. Drivers preferred the revised HOS regulations over the old HOS regulations and the number one item that was preferred in the revised HOS regulations is the 34-hour restart which allows drivers to restart their work week by taking off 34 consecutive hours. / Master of Science

Thesis is concerned with one of many regulations which affects cargo truck transport, so-called hours of service. It is restriction related to time of drivers' service. Truck transport means important part of economy as connection between companies or between company and final consumers. Aim of the work is compare regulations in European Union, Canada and USA together with their historical evolution. Differences in regulation are then explained in model transport relations. There are also analyzed individual interested groups which are influenced by these regulations. In final part of the work is looked about pro and con of existing restriction and what are the consequences of observance of the rules or even tightening up the rules.

Tidigare forskning om lastbilschaufförers arbetsförhållanden har visat att de utsätts för ett flertal stressorer i arbetet och att de har låg kontroll över sitt arbete. Syftet med studien var att undersöka lastbilschaufförers upplevelse av stress till följd av Europeiska Kör- och vilotidslagen (KoV), hur de upplever sin arbetssituation samt bidra till att öka förståelsen kring lastbilschaufförers arbetsförhållande. Studien omfattade sex manliga lastbilschaufförer från Trestadsregionen (Uddevalla, Trollhättan, Vänersborg) som omfattades av KoV. Samtliga chaufförer hade familj med olika ålder på barn och chaufförernas yrkeserfarenhet varierade mellan 19 och 40 år. Det genomfördes en kvalitativ studie utifrån en tematisk analysmetod. Individuella intervjuer genomfördes. Deltagarna upplevde att KoV begränsade deras möjligheter att utföra sitt arbete, att lagen var oflexibel och dåligt anpassad till verksamheten, vilket de upplevde ledde till frustration, stress och känslan av maktlöshet. Studien visade att KoV bidrog till sämre arbetsförhållande och trafiksäkerhet samt att den digitala färdskrivaren var bristfällig och dåligt anpassad till verksamheten. Deltagarna saknade möjligheten till flexibilitet i KoV och att det skulle förbättra deras arbetsförhållande. Studien visade att det krävs ett vidare perspektiv än reglering av körtid, rast och vilotid för att förbättra lastbilschaufförers arbetsförhållanden. / Previous research on truck drivers working conditions has shown that they are exposed to a number of stressors at work and that they have low degree of control over their work. The aim of the study was to examine the truck drivers’ experience of stress as a result of European hours-of-service regulations (HoS), how they experience their work situation and help to increase understanding about truck drivers’ working condition. The study included six male truck drivers from the region (Uddevalla, Trollhättan, Vänersborg) covered by the HoS. All drivers had family with children of different ages and the drivers’ experience of the profession was between 19 and 40 years. A qualitative study based on a thematic analysis method was carried out. Individual interviews were conducted. Participants felt that HoS limited their ability to perform their job, that the law was inflexible and poorly adapted to the business, which they felt led to frustration, stress and feelings of powerlessness. The study showed that HoS contributed to experienced poor working conditions and road safety, and that the digital tachograph was incomplete and poorly adapted to their business. The participants missed the option of flexibility with HoS as it would improve their working relationship. The study concluded that for truck drivers to improve working conditions a broader perspective than regulations of driving time, breaks and rest periods is needed.

Road freight transportation is subject to several legal requirements having direct impact on the practical applicability of routes and schedules. The vast majority of vehicle routing literature, so far, has largely focused on physical constraints such as capacity limits, or customer requirements such as time windows for pickups and deliveries. This paper studies legal requirements for long-distance haulage in the European Union, identifies some major gaps in the current state-of-the-art in vehicle routing, presents approaches for overcoming this gap, and analyzes the impact of the legal requirements studied.

Thesis: M.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 1981 / Bibliography: leaf 115. / by C. Edward O'Hara. / M.S. / M.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management

As jornadas de trabalho excessivas são uma dura realidade para os condutores de veículos de carga no Brasil. Exigidos por um sistema de trabalho desleal estes condutores enfrentam ainda as péssimas condições da malha viária e o gargalo provado pelo crescente número de veículos de passeio em circulação. Essa mistura de fatores tem provocado um índice alarmante de acidentes de trânsito, com um número de mortes comparáveis aos de um conflito armado. Neste trabalho é apresentada a proposta de um equipamento registrador instantâneo e inalterável de velocidade e tempo, que combina as funções de um registrador convencional com um eficiente mecanismo de comunicação sem fios, fazendo com que o próprio equipamento reporte às autoridades de transito os excessos de jornada de trabalho dos veículos de carga. A identificação inequívoca do condutor é realizada através de uma estrutura de certificação digital baseada em cartões inteligentes que garante também a privacidade das informações. / The excessive hours of service is a harsh reality for drivers of goods vehicles in Brazil. Required by a system of unfair labor these drivers still face the bad conditions of roads and bottleneck proved by the increasing number of passenger cars in circulation. This mix of factors has caused an alarming rate of traffic accidents, with a death toll comparable to an armed conflict. This thesis presents a proposal for an electronic equipment, which combines the functions of a conventional tacograph with an efficient wireless communication system, making a auto reporting system of the driving excesses to the authorities of the transit. The unequivocal identification of the driver is done through a digital certification structure based on smart cards that also ensures the privacy of information.

As jornadas de trabalho excessivas são uma dura realidade para os condutores de veículos de carga no Brasil. Exigidos por um sistema de trabalho desleal estes condutores enfrentam ainda as péssimas condições da malha viária e o gargalo provado pelo crescente número de veículos de passeio em circulação. Essa mistura de fatores tem provocado um índice alarmante de acidentes de trânsito, com um número de mortes comparáveis aos de um conflito armado. Neste trabalho é apresentada a proposta de um equipamento registrador instantâneo e inalterável de velocidade e tempo, que combina as funções de um registrador convencional com um eficiente mecanismo de comunicação sem fios, fazendo com que o próprio equipamento reporte às autoridades de transito os excessos de jornada de trabalho dos veículos de carga. A identificação inequívoca do condutor é realizada através de uma estrutura de certificação digital baseada em cartões inteligentes que garante também a privacidade das informações. / The excessive hours of service is a harsh reality for drivers of goods vehicles in Brazil. Required by a system of unfair labor these drivers still face the bad conditions of roads and bottleneck proved by the increasing number of passenger cars in circulation. This mix of factors has caused an alarming rate of traffic accidents, with a death toll comparable to an armed conflict. This thesis presents a proposal for an electronic equipment, which combines the functions of a conventional tacograph with an efficient wireless communication system, making a auto reporting system of the driving excesses to the authorities of the transit. The unequivocal identification of the driver is done through a digital certification structure based on smart cards that also ensures the privacy of information.