Fatigue And Its Safety Effects On The Commercial Motor Carrier And Railroad Industries

Witnesses: Lamont Byrd, Dir., Safety & Health, International Brotherhood of Teamsters; Susan M. Coughlin, Director & COO, ATA Foundation; Charles E. Dettmann, Exec. VP, Assoc. of American Railroads; Dr. Vernon S. Ellingstad, Dir., Office of Research & Engineering, National Transportation Safety Board; Daphne Izer, Co-Chair, Parents Against Tired Truckers; Jolene M. Molitoris, Administrator, Fed. Railroad Admin.; Clarence V. Monin, Pres., Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers; George L. Reagle, Assoc. Admin. for Motor Carriers, Fed. Highway Admin.; Mark R. Rosekind, Pres. & Chief Scientist, Alertness Solutions. Statements by: Citizens for Reliable & Safe Highways. Tables.

There are approximately 4,000 fatalities in crashes involving trucks and buses in the United States each year. Though estimates are wide-ranging, possibly 10 to 20 percent of these crashes might have involved fatigued drivers. The stresses associated with their particular jobs (irregular schedules, etc.) and the lifestyle that many truck and bus drivers lead, puts them at substantial risk for insufficient sleep and for developing short- and long-term health problems. Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Fatigue, Long-Term Health and Highway Safety assesses the state of knowledge about the relationship of such factors as hours of driving, hours on duty, and periods of rest to the fatigue experienced by truck and bus drivers while driving and the implications for the safe operation of their vehicles. This report evaluates the relationship of these factors to drivers' health over the longer term, and identifies improvements in data and research methods that can lead to better understanding in both areas.