Drivers' Perspective on Fatigue in Local/Short Haul Trucking

Eleven focus groups were conducted nationwide to gain an understanding, from the local/short haul (L/SH) drivers' perspective, of the general safety concerns related to L/SH trucking and, specifically, the degree to which fatigue plays a role. As part of the discussions, drivers listed and ranked issues that they believed caused them fatigue on the job. The top five fatigue-related issues, ranked in terms of importance, were: (1) Not Enough Sleep, (2) Hard/Physical Workday, (3) Heat/No Air Conditioning, (4) Waiting to Unload, and (5) Irregular Meal Times. Based on the results of these focus groups, it appears that Fatigue is an issue in L/SH, but perhaps not to the extent that it is in long-haul.