Qualitative information was collected from heavy vehicle drivers in Western Australia using a two-round semi-structured Delphi questionnaire. The aim of the Delphi study was to examine issues heavy vehicle drivers encountered in the workplace and to suggest solutions to these problems through the process of reaching consensus. The results indicated that consensus was achieved for all the issues except for 'infighting among drivers'. A high degree of consensus was evident for' lack of family life due to long hours away from home', 'companies pushing drivers to complete deadlines', 'car drivers not knowing how to drive around trucks', 'cartage rates', and 'poor road conditions'. 'Increase rates' was ranked as the most important solution to deal with workplace issues while' an apprenticeship program for new truck drivers' was rated as the least important. In conclusion, the Delphi study has provided useful insights into some of the issues facing heavy vehicle drivers from their own perspective and offered solutions to deal with these issues. (a).
Abstract