Schedule tightness among tractor-trailer drivers

The extent to which schedules are sufficiently tight to encourage violations of Hours-of-Service Regulations, speed limits, or both was investigated through a survey of over 1,600 tractor-trailer drivers. The focus was on drivers with refrigerated trailers. The results indicate high incidence levels of tight schedules. For example, assuming average speed limits of 65 mph, 24% had violation-inducing schedules with regard to the movement they were making at the time of the interviews. Incorporating information about previous driving, the incidence of violation-inducing schedules rose to 40%. Comparison with an earlier study suggests that, despite increases in speed limits which would tend to loosen schedules, schedules have become tighter over the past decade. The implications of these findings for reforms of Hours-of-Service Regulations are briefly discussed.