MCSA-5879 Web Survey with Carriers

Quantitative: Carriers
10/23/12

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

OMB Control Number: 2126-XXXX
Expiration Date:

MCSA-5879
A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure
to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information
displays a current valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 2126-XXXX. Public reporting for this
collection of information is estimated to be approximately 20 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering the
data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are voluntary and
confidentiality will be provided to the extent allowed by law. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Information Collection Clearance Officer, Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration, MC-RRA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, D.C. 20590-0001.

Survey Research to Support Revisions to the Agency’s
Electronic Onboard Recorder (EOBR) Rule
Web Survey with Carriers
Introductory Screen
This is a research study being conducted on behalf of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA). This research will give the FMCSA important information to make decisions about potential
requirements on the use of Electronic On Board Recorders (EOBRs), which log drivers’ status hours. An
EOBR may be a dedicated device which only does that, or it may be one part of a multi-function device
which helps carriers manage their fleets.
Your answers to this survey, as well as those of other companies, will help ensure that the FMCSA
understands your views as it considers these requirements.
You may find that some of the questions are of a sensitive nature. You may wonder if answering them will
put your job security at risk, or expose you to repercussions. Be assured that your identity will never be
disclosed to anyone at the FMCSA, other agencies, or companies. Your answers will be shared, but only
when grouped with other companies; they will never be singled out, and they will never be connected to
your identity.
Your participation in this research is voluntary, and there is no penalty if you don’t choose to participate.
But the FMCSA believes your opinions are important and hopes you do participate.
We first have a few questions to see if you qualify to fill out the survey.
1.

Are you responsible for managing truck drivers at your company? (At some companies the title
might be “fleet manager” or “dispatcher.”) Please click one answer.
1
2

2.

Yes
No

Terminate

Are the truck drivers at your company required to keep a record of hours? Please click one
answer.
1
2

Yes
No

Terminate

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Quantitative: Carriers
10/23/12
In this survey we will be focusing on your responsibilities managing truck drivers. You may have other
responsibilities at your company, but when this survey talks about your job, please only think about your
responsibilities managing truck drivers.
3.

Overall, how satisfied are you with your job? Please click one answer.
4
3
2
1

4.

Do you, yourself, deal directly with the truck drivers, or does someone else deal with the drivers?
Please click one answer.
1
2

5.

Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied

What is the main way your drivers are paid? Please click all that apply.
1
2
3
4
5

7.

I deal directly with the drivers
Someone else deals with the drivers

How satisfied are you with your relationship with the people who report into you? Please click one
answer.
4
3
2
1

6.

Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied

Miles
Hourly
Salary
Percentage of revenue
Fixed fees (e.g., flat payment per load/shipment)

What is the main way in which supervisors at your company evaluate drivers’ work? Please click
one answer.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Miles per week
Loads per week
Shipments per week
Stop count (pickups and/or deliveries per week)
Meeting customer service schedules
Avoiding chargeable accidents
Fuel mileage
Avoiding freight damage claims
Avoiding workers compensation claims
Avoiding out-of-route miles
Avoiding hard braking events
Avoiding recorded hours of service violations

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Quantitative: Carriers
10/23/12
8.

In what other ways (if any) do supervisors at your company evaluate drivers’ work? Please check
all that apply.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

9.

Miles per week
Loads per week
Shipments per week
Stop count (pickups and/or deliveries per week)
Meeting customer service schedules
Avoiding chargeable accidents
Fuel mileage
Avoiding freight damage claims
Avoiding workers compensation claims
Avoiding out-of-route miles
Avoiding hard braking events
Avoiding recorded hours of service violations

How satisfied are you with those ways of measuring your drivers’ performance? Please click one
answer.
4
3
2
1

Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied

Our next set of questions is about how you or your company communicates with drivers and how you
track and manage their work time.
10a. What tools does your company use to track your drivers’ “duty status” for compliance with the
Federal hours of service regulations? Please check all that apply.
1
2
3
4

Paper logs
Tachographs
An EOBR which only logs your drivers’ duty status (automatically when the truck starts and
stops, as well as when they manually start it logging)
An automatic EOBR which is part of a fleet management system, including other functions such
as real time communications between your company and your drivers

If “Automatic Logging” answered in 10a (answer 3 or 4), ask 10b. Otherwise skip to 14.
10b. Are your company’s fleet management systems able to process logged service hours separately for
long haul and short haul drivers separately, so that dispatchers can treat them differently when
scheduling trips?
1
2
3

Yes
No
Don’t know

If answer 4 in 10a, ask 11. Otherwise skips to 14.
11. The list below shows a variety of types of equipment which are synched to the engine to
automatically record service hours, and serving the function of an EOBR. Which of them does your
company have in the truck you usually drive? Please click one answer.
1
2
3
4

A smartphone synched to the engine, and logging the hours
A laptop synched to the engine, and logging the hours
A console/display that is not a smartphone or computer, branded with a manufacturer’s name
Another device (Please Specify)

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Quantitative: Carriers
10/23/12
12.

How satisfied are you with the automatic status logging functionality of the EOBRs your company
uses? Please click one answer.
4
3
2
1

Extremely satisfied
Very satisfied
Not too satisfied
Not at all satisfied

If 10a=4 (“EOBR which is part of a fleet management system”), ask 13. Otherwise skip to 14.
13. And, thinking about those devices’ other functions, how satisfied are you with the devices your
company uses? Please click one answer.
4
3
2
1

Extremely satisfied
Very satisfied
Not too satisfied
Not at all satisfied

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Quantitative: Carriers
10/23/12
The next questions are about your interactions with your drivers.
14.

Different companies have different interactions with their drivers. Please think of a typical driver in
your fleet, and the interactions your company might have with him or her in a typical month. In a
typical month, does management… Please give an answer for each item.
(Note: groups of items will be randomized, and order within group will be randomized so as
to lead consistently with a negative or a positive.)

Schedules:
Ask a driver to meet a customer load schedule they
viewed as unrealistic
Ask a customer to adjust a load schedule so it was
realistic for the driver
Fatigue:
Ask a driver to operate when the driver felt they were
fatigued
Ask a driver to shut down if they felt fatigued
Logging and breaks:
Ask a driver to log inaccurately to get more work time or
delay a break
Ask a driver to log accurately when they wanted more
work time or to delay a break
Change a driver’s log record after it was made to give
them more work time or delay a break
Ask a driver to take sufficient time off duty to recover
from fatigue
Communications:
Interrupt a driver’s off-duty time with a message that
woke them up
Contact a driver promptly about a new job task so they
didn’t have to wait without pay
Paid and Unpaid Time:
Pay a driver for customer delays in picking up or
delivering freight
Require a driver to wait for customer delays for more
than two hours without pay
Arrange a driver’s loads so they had little delay time
between loads
Require a driver to wait between loads for more than two
hours without pay.
Others as uncovered in the qualitative phase

Never

Once a
Month

2+/
Month

Don’t
know/
Ref.

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

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Quantitative: Carriers
10/23/12
Questions 15-17 will only ask about items they engage in at least once a month (Q14).
15. Which of these interactions, if any, do you think your drivers might consider harassment? Please
give an answer for each.

Schedules:
Asking a driver to meet a customer load schedule
they viewed as unrealistic
Asking a customer to adjust a load schedule so it
was realistic for the driver
Fatigue:
Asking a driver to operate when the driver felt they
were fatigued
Asking a driver to shut down if they felt fatigued
Logging and breaks:
Asking a driver to log inaccurately to get more work
time or delay a break
Asking a driver to log accurately when they wanted
more work time or to delay a break
Changing a driver’s log record after it was made to
give them more work time or delay a break
Asking a driver to take sufficient time off duty to
recover from fatigue
Communications:
Interrupting a driver’s off-duty time with a message
that woke them up
Contacting a driver promptly about a new job task
so they didn’t have to wait without pay
Paid and Unpaid Time:
Paying a driver for customer delays in picking up or
delivering freight
Requiring a driver to wait for customer delays for
more than two hours without pay
Arranging a driver’s loads so they had little delay
time between loads
Requiring a driver to wait between loads for more
than two hours without pay.
Others as uncovered in the qualitative phase

Yes

No

Don’t
know

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

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Quantitative: Carriers
10/23/12
If EOBRs in 10a (whether or not device has other functionality, answer 3 or 4), ask 16. Otherwise
skip to instructions before 17.
16. Whether or not you consider those requests harassment, which of them, if any, are facilitated
specifically by the service hours logging functionality in your company’s trucks? (Think
specifically of the service hours logging, vs. other functionality the device may offer such as GPS
location, communication, and so on.) Please check all that apply.
Schedules:
Asking a driver to meet a customer load schedule they viewed as
unrealistic
Asking a customer to adjust a load schedule so it was realistic for
the driver
Fatigue:
Asking a driver to operate when the driver felt they were fatigued
Asking a driver to shut down if they felt fatigued
Logging and breaks:
Asking a driver to log inaccurately to get more work time or delay a
break
Asking a driver to log accurately when they wanted more work time
or to delay a break
Changing a driver’s log record after it was made to give them more
work time or delay a break
Asking a driver to take sufficient time off duty to recover from fatigue
Communications:
Interrupting a driver’s off-duty time with a message that woke them
up
Contacting a driver promptly about a new job task so they didn’t
have to wait without pay
Paid and Unpaid Time:
Paying a driver for customer delays in picking up or delivering freight
Requiring a driver to wait for customer delays for more than two
hours without pay
Arranging a driver’s loads so they had little delay time between
loads
Requiring a driver to wait between loads for more than two hours
without pay.
Others as uncovered in the qualitative phase

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

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Quantitative: Carriers
10/23/12
If “EOBR which is part of a fleet management system” in 10a (answer 4), ask 17. Otherwise skip
to 18.
17. Which of those, if any, do you see as coming from management’s use of other technology in the
devices in your trucks, whether in combination with the automatically logged service hours or not?
Please check all that apply.
Schedules:
Asking a driver to meet a customer load schedule they viewed as
unrealistic
Asking a customer to adjust a load schedule so it was realistic for
the driver
Fatigue:
Asking a driver to operate when the driver felt they were fatigued
Asking a driver to shut down if they felt fatigued
Logging and breaks:
Asking a driver to log inaccurately to get more work time or delay a
break
Asking a driver to log accurately when they wanted more work time
or to delay a break
Changing a driver’s log record after it was made to give them more
work time or delay a break
Asking a driver to take sufficient time off duty to recover from fatigue
Communications:
Interrupting a driver’s off-duty time with a message that woke them
up
Contacting a driver promptly about a new job task so they didn’t
have to wait without pay
Paid and Unpaid Time:
Paying a driver for customer delays in picking up or delivering freight
Requiring a driver to wait for customer delays for more than two
hours without pay
Arranging a driver’s loads so they had little delay time between
loads
Requiring a driver to wait between loads for more than two hours
without pay.
Others as uncovered in the qualitative phase
18.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Has your company ever asked a driver to drive or work more hours than federal regulations allow?
1
2

Yes
No

If Q18=Yes, Continue With Q19. Otherwise skip to Q23.
19. How often has that happened in the last year? Please give us your best guess if you are uncertain.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Once
Twice
Three to five times
Six to ten times
11 – 25 times
26 - 50 times
More than 50 times

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Quantitative: Carriers
10/23/12
20.

Do drivers ever reject those requests or tell you that they don’t want to work more than the federal
regulations allow?
1
2

Yes
No

If Q20=Yes, Continue With Q21. Otherwise skip to Q23.
21. When that happens, does your company ever threaten their job security, or with fewer
assignments?
1
2

Yes
No

If Q21=Yes and Carrier Has EOBRs, Continue With Q22. Otherwise skip to Q23.
22. Is your company able to do that as a result of having access to their hours of service through their
EOBRs?
1
2
23.

Yes
No

We would like your opinion of devices which automatically log duty status regarding specific
characteristics. Even if you do not have them in your company’s trucks, please base your answers
on anything you might know or have heard. Please tell us whether you agree completely, agree
somewhat, disagree somewhat, or disagree completely that each statement describes automatic
duty status logging devices such as EOBRs. Click one answer for each.

EOBRs…
Protect drivers from management
being overbearing
Prevent drivers from doing their job
the way they want
Make management confident that
truck drivers are not overworking
themselves
Improve decisions which fleet
managers and drivers make about
driving and rest times, and
management of loads
Make drivers feel less independent
Means drivers have less paperwork
to fill out
Enhance the relationship between
fleet managers and drivers to assure
compliance and safe operations
Give management too much of an
insight into drivers’ days
Save management time and makes it
easier for me to report HOS
Make the roads safer for everyone

Agree
Completely

Agree
Somewhat

Disagree
Somewhat

Disagree
Completely

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

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Quantitative: Carriers
10/23/12
If Carrier has EOBRs (10a=3 or 4), continue with 24a. Otherwise skip to 25.
24a. Thinking only about the benefits associated with automatically logging drivers’ service hours, what
benefits does your company get out of its EOBRs? Please check all that apply.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
15

Easier to record service
Easier to monitor service
Easier to maintain historic records of service
Can ensure that drivers are not working too long
Smoother accounting for payroll
Direct input to productivity analyses
Drivers are less likely to drive while fatigued
Other (specify)__________

24b. Approximately what percentage of your fleet’s trucks have EOBRs installed on them? Please give
us your best estimate.
___%
24c. Think of the cost of each EOBR your company has installed, on average…
How much did the unit itself cost (including any software)? (whole dollars): $_____
How much does it cost to install a single unit? (whole dollars)
$_____
How much is the annual operational cost of a single unit? (whole dollars) $_____
25.

Federal regulations state that if drivers have safety complaints, firms must not coerce them to not
file their complaints. Firms also can’t coerce them to drive when fatigued -- by discriminating
against the driver, or otherwise disciplining him or firing him.
In your opinion, how effective are these regulations? Please click one answer.
1
2
3
4

26.

To prevent carriers from harassing their drivers by using information about hours of service which
are logged automatically, which of the following do you think are good ideas? Please click all that
you feel are good ideas.
1
2
3
4

27.

Very effective
Somewhat effective
Not too effective
Not effective at all

Requiring driver approval for all changes to electronic logs
Requiring driver approval before logs are formally filed
Blocking real-time communication of EOBR data, limiting its availability until end of trip
Others as identified in qualitative survey

If the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that a carrier was harassing its drivers,
which of the steps below do you think would be appropriate? Please click as many as apply.
1
2
3
4

Closer federal monitoring
Fines
Publication of carrier actions
Something else (Please specify)

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Quantitative: Carriers
10/23/12
28.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is concerned about the use of EOBRs to harass
drivers or coerce them. It needs to make sure it properly defines these terms. Please read the
description on the next screen. (Click to continue to next screen.)
HARASSMENT
Harassment is an act by a motor carrier, involving the use of information available through EOBR
technology (either alone or in combination with other technology) to track a commercial motor
vehicle driver’s hours of service and requiring the driver to violate federal hours of service rules or
fatigue or ill driving restrictions.
How well does this description describe your idea of harassment?
1
2
3

29.

Very well
Somewhat
Not at all

Please read the definition of coercion below.
COERCION
Coercion is a threat by a motor carrier, shipper, receiver, or a transportation intermediary, to deny
business or work based on a commercial motor vehicle driver’s refusal to violate federal regulations
governing operating a commercial motor vehicle based, at least in part, on information available
through EOBR technology or a combination of technology that includes an EOBR feature.
How well does this description describe your idea of coercion?
1
2
3

Very well
Somewhat
Not at all

The last few questions are for classification purposes only.
30.

How many trucks does your company have, across all its locations? Please give us your best
estimate.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

31.

1-5
6-10
11-20
21-50
51-100
101-250
251-500
501-1,000
1,001-3,000
More than 3,000

Do your drivers work as… Please check all that apply.
1
2
3

Employee of the company
Independent owner-operators
Something else? (Please specify)

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Quantitative: Carriers
10/23/12
32.

Is your primary type of business…
1
2
3
4
5

33.

And are you a carrier for hire, or are you private?
1
2

34.

None
1-10%
10-19%
20-29%
30-39%
40-49%
50-59%
60-69%
70-79%
80-89%
90-99%
100% (all of them)

Are you…
1
2

36.

For hire
Private

Approximately what percent of your drivers are members of a truck drivers union, or covered by a
collective bargaining agreement?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

35.

Truck load
Less than truckload
Parcel
Dedicated operation
Other (Please Specify)

Male
Female

Lastly, how old are you?
1
2
3
4
5

18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55 or older

This concludes our survey. Thank you for participating in this important research.

12