Studies of health outcomes in transit operators: Policy implications of the current scientific database.

Abstract

Urban transit operators' medical symptoms and conditions exceed other occupational groups, resulting partly from working conditions. Medical outcomes among operators have an impact on the transit system, including on performance, work attendance, and medical costs. This is exacerbated by external economic and political pressures in which expected service often exceeds the system's capacity in a congested, chaotic urban environment. A vicious cycle of poor working environment, reduced health and well-being among operators, and lowered efficiency and increased costs often results. Operator-health policies focusing solely on individuals are not sufficient to address these problems. A broader approach is needed, acknowledging the relationship between health of the system and health of employees, including redesigning the interface between transit systems and the urban environment and organizational change within companies. This comprehensive approach recognizes the dynamic reciprocity among the transit operators, the transit system, and the larger community.

Alcohol, Stress-Related Factors, and Short-Term Absenteeism Among Urban Transit Operators

“…2,4,5 Moreover, the results have important implications for prevention. As noted by Ragland and colleagues, 9 workplace interventions that address both individual and environmental factors are most likely to have a positive impact on the health outcomes of transit operators. Examples of individual interventions could include alcohol skills training, 34 aimed at lowering overall alcohol consumption levels, and stress management.…”

“…Involvement of Employee Assistance Program and Union or Peer Assistance Program personnel could be enlisted to help implement these worksite health promotion strategies. Numerous environmental policies have been proposed that could reduce factors that contribute to transit operator stress, 9 such as dedicated transit areas, reduction of non-transit vehicles in downtown areas, transit flow strategies, and ergonomic evaluation and redesign. From the operator's perspective, an increase in flexibility of work schedules is desirable to permit scheduling of absences for personal reasons.…”

The role of workload and driver coping styles in predicting bus drivers’ need for recovery, positive and negative affect, and physical symptoms

“…Therefore, transactional models of driver stress need to incorporate these organisational factors in order to adequately specify their influence and acknowledge that bus and coach drivers are part of an organisational system that is itself influenced by government regulatory bodies and the community (Machin, 2005;Ragland, Krause, Greiner & Fisher, 1998).…”

Smoking, Work Stress, and Barriers to Participation in HMO Smoking Cessation Treatment Among Transit Workers: Focus Group Results

“…Ensuring the health of this workforce is directly linked with public safety. In turn, the health of public transit systems affects the health of communities and cities (Ragland, Krause, Greiner, & Fisher, 1998).…”