Stress reactions among bus drivers: Towards the development of an educational resource for better management of emotions

Abstract

Interview and questionnaire surveys were conducted with bus drivers in Japan, with the goal of developing an educational program for better control of emotions among bus drivers. The interviews aimed at identifying stressors and ways in which stress negatively influenced bus services. The questionnaire survey, which was being developed as a self-diagnosis tool, further provided bus drivers with the opportunity to understand their own emotional tendencies. Factor analysis identified six factors underlying work-related stress: anger at unsafe behaviours of nearby road users, irritation caused by complaints from passengers, time pressures, anxiety about traffic accidents, impatience with slow passengers, and resentment of bad-mannered passengers. The influence of stress on the drivers comprised four factors: cognitive failure, sullen behaviour, abrupt acceleration/deceleration, and aggressive driving. Moreover, drivers with lower stress were relatively older and more experienced. Based on these results, educational materials were proposed with the aim of enhancing bus drivers' understanding of their emotional processes and coping skills.