In this paper, models for bus drivers' self-assessed risk and passengers' opinions toward bus drivers are developed. Two major issues are addressed by questionnaires. The first related to drivers' self-assessment of risk and accident involvement, and the second relates passengers' opinions toward these drivers. Drivers' self-assessed risk and passengers' opinions are modeled by specifying and estimating discrete choice models. Among other outcomes, estimation results show that bus drivers are aware of traffic accident exposure variables. As the distance traveled and the number of daily working hours increase, bus drivers' perception of accident risk increase. Furthermore, drivers have shown clear recognition of risk-increasing activities such as crossing a red light. The study also reported factors that seem to shape passengers' opinions toward bus drivers 'driving behavior'. For example, middle-aged passengers perceive bus drivers as high-risk takers, while young passengers do not perceive them as high-risk takers. Drivers' habit of drinking tea or coffee while driving is perceived by passengers as a very serious risk-increasing activity. In addition, speeding and continual improper overtaking by drivers, to capture more passengers, are seen by passengers to increase risk to accident occurrence. As such, passengers place drivers who practice such behaviour in the medium or high-risk alternative. Overall, estimation results seem to indicate that both drivers and passengers are in agreement in relation to the factors that are perceived by these parties to increase or decrease the risk; however, despite the awareness displayed by bus drivers to risk factors, their driving behavior is still associated with risk taking. (Author/publisher).
Samenvatting