Driver Well-Being and Turnover in the Transportation Industry
Summary
Driver well-being and turnover represent intertwined challenges with profound economic, social and safety ramifications. Professional drivers routinely endure long hours, irregular schedules and isolated working conditions that cumulatively undermine physical health, mental resilience and social connectedness. Fatigue, musculoskeletal strain and disrupted sleep patterns combine with role ambiguity, high performance pressure and limited support to elevate stress levels and precipitate symptoms of burnout. As turnover rates escalate, organisations face recruitment and training costs, service disruptions and potential safety hazards. Globally, the industry is responding through enhanced scheduling practices, in-cab technology to monitor health and workload, and targeted support programmes aimed at fostering engagement and reducing attrition. Advances in human-centred vehicle design, telematics and predictive analytics offer new avenues to tailor interventions, while regulatory reforms seek to balance productivity with rest and recovery. A comprehensive strategy that integrates organisational resources, mental health support and policy measures is essential to safeguard driver well-being, sustain workforce stability and ensure safe operations across diverse transport modes.
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Driver Well-Being and Turnover in the Transportation Industry publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in driver well-being and turnover in the transportation industry across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Burnout: A work-related psychological syndrome marked by emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced personal accomplishment resulting from chronic stress.
Job Demands-Resources Model: A theoretical framework positing that high job demands lead to strain, while job resources foster engagement and buffer against stress.
Turnover Intention: A worker’s conscious and deliberate consideration to leave their current organisation or occupation.
Well-being: A multidimensional construct encompassing physical health, psychological resilience and social fulfilment in the workplace.
References
- Burning Rubber or Burning out? The Influence of Role Stressors on Burnout among Truck Drivers. Logistics (2019).
- Effects of Job Demands and Resources on Positive and Negative Affect of Delivery Drivers in China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2022).
- Job satisfaction and perceived workload in the context of personality typology among subway train drivers. Frontiers in Psychology (2023).
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