Abstract. In the competitive travel-transport field of coach tourism, coach drivers are far more commercially sensitive and susceptible to job stress than common bus drivers or professional drivers. However, few studies have discussed this issue or proposed strategies for alleviating job stress for coach drivers. The purpose of this study is to address the problem of job stress, using fuzzy MCDM (multiple criteria decision making) to examine the relationships between the various aspects of coach driver job stress and, ultimately, to suggest an optimal improvement plan according to the network relationship map (NRM).
Coach drivers are integral to the coach tourism industry. However, they are susceptible to job stress in the tourism context. Few studies address this problem from a job stress theory and tourism scenario. This study, thus, examines the network relationships between criteria and proposes a physical and workable improvement plan. A novel DEMATEL-based ANP and VIKOR (DANP-V) model is used to examine the job stress criteria based on the transaction stress framework in the tourist coach context of Taiwan. The expert survey produced useful results. The influential network relation map (INRM) illustrates the sequence of improvement is job stressors, cognitive coping strategies, and stress outcomes. The gap values of the modified VIKOR suggest the first priority to reach the aspired level is reducing stress outcomes. However, teaching active action as a strategy to cope with job stress is a long-term goal. These results are formulated into an action plan and can be easily indexed and followed. The findings have practical implications for decision-makers and coach drivers and may contribute to coach driver job-related stress management, ultimately, helping the sustainability of coach tourism.
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