Investigation into Motor Carrier Practices to Achieve Optimal Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Performance: Phase I

Details

• Corporate Creators:
  United States. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Technology Division
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Drivers
  • Fatigue (Physiological condition)
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FMCSA-RRR-10-005
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.21949/1502725
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
• Abstract:
  The objective of this research project was to determine the effectiveness of the 34-hour restart provision in the Hours-of-Service regulations governing property-carrying commercial motor vehicle drivers. A sample of 27 healthy subjects was studied in an in-residence laboratory study with frequent testing of cognitive performance and driving performance on a high-fidelity driving simulator. A “worst-case”–”best-case” between-groups comparison was made of two 5-day (14-hour/day) work periods separated by a 34-hour restart period. Half the sample was randomized to the “best-case” condition, which entailed daytime wakefulness and work (and nighttime sleep) throughout the study. The other half was randomized to the “worst-case” condition, which entailed nighttime wakefulness and work (and daytime sleep) during the two 5-day work periods, while transitioning back to a daytime schedule during the 34-hour restart period. In the “best-case” condition, performance was the same before and after the 34-hour restart. In the “worst-case” condition, however, performance after the 34-hour restart was impaired relative to performance before the ; restart, indicating that the restart period was not effective at maintaining performance in this condition. ; Driver fatigue could be reduced by establishing work schedules and adapting HOS regulations that allow ; greater flexibility (e.g., taking into account strategic napping and circadian timing).
• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/90/dot_90_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.84 MB]
• Collection(s):
  Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a82618fee0000c3e7f97031587c5874c9e7b3cd1497ea838831a03745856c09a3723f767de8fab65ed550cd5e3de4a6e919b4f9b32f0ae793a2dd66e7ffc1ebf