MCSA-5882 Intercept Survey With Drivers

Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13

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

OMB Control Number: 2126-XXXX
Expiration Date:

MCSA-5882
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
Intercept Survey with Drivers
APPROACH DRIVERS AS THEY LEAVE THE TRUCK STOP BUILDING.
Hi, my name is (NAME) and I’m conducting a research survey for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration. We’re very interested in talking to drivers at this stop and get information which will give
the FMCSA information for policy decisions.
We know your time is limited, so we’ll compensate you for your time with $10 if you qualify for the survey
and answer the full survey. The whole survey takes about 15 minutes.
IF WILLING, HAND THE DRIVER THE PERMISSION CARD TO SIGN.
IF DRIVER IS WILLING TO PARTICIPATE SKIP TO Q1. IF DRIVER IS NOT WILLING TO
PARTICIPATE, CONTINUE HERE AND SPEAK QUICKLY.
NR1. Can I ask you just a few quick questions to help us to better understand the answers that we do
get? Of course, I can’t give you $10 since it’s not the actual survey, but it will be very helpful. IF
DRIVER REFUSES, THANK AND TERMINATE. First, can you tell me why you don’t want to
participate? Do not read list. Record all that apply.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Don’t have time for it/In a rush/Running late
Money not enough for the time
Don’t believe answers will be confidential/Too risky
Never do surveys
Other (Specify:___________________________)
Don’t know/not sure
Refused

NR2. Are you required to keep a record of your hours to comply with the Federal hours of service
regulations?
1
2
3

Yes
No
Don’t know/refused

Terminate
Terminate

1

Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13
NR3. Do you keep those records using paper logs or something electronic or mechanical?
1
2
3

Paper
Something electronic/mechanical
Don’t know/refused Terminate

If “Something electronic/mechanical” ask NR4. Otherwise skip to NR5:
NR4. Is it a tachograph, or a different kind of stand-alone piece of equipment that only records your hours
and nothing else, or is it part of a system which does a variety of functions?
1
2
3
4
5

Tachograph
Stand-alone piece of equipment
Part of a system which does a variety of functions
Don’t know/not sure
Refused

NR5. Are you a member of a union or covered by a collective bargaining contract?
1
2
3
4

Yes
No
Don’t know/not sure
Refused

NR6. How many years have you had a commercial driving license? Ask for best guess if unsure.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Less than a year
1-2 years
3-5 years
6-10 years
11-15 years
More than 15 years
Don’t know/not sure
Refused

NR7. Lastly, how old are you?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55 or older
Don’t know/not sure
Refused

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THOSE AGREEING TO PARTICIPATE BEGINS HERE.
A.

We first have a few questions to see if you qualify to fill out the survey. Are you required to keep a
record of your hours to comply with the Federal hours of service regulations?

1
2

Yes
No

Terminate

2

Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13
HAND CARD 1.
1.
Which of the items on this sheet are in your truck? Just read me the letters.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

A. Driver alertness monitoring system
B. Forward collision warning systems
C. Lane departure warning system
D. An EOBR
None of these

IF NOT “D. EOBR,” CHECK QUOTAS. IF QUOTA FOR NON-EOBR HAS BEEN REACHED,
TERMINATE. SAY: I’m sorry, but we’ve reached our quotas for trucks with the type of equipment
you have.
2.

Our first set of questions is about your satisfaction with your job and how you are paid. Overall, how
satisfied are you with your job? Read list, accept only one answer.
1 Very satisfied
2 Somewhat satisfied
3 Somewhat dissatisfied
4 Very dissatisfied
Do not read:
5 Don’t know/not sure
6 Refused

3.

How satisfied are you with your relationship with the people who manage you and your trips? Read
list. Accept only one answer.
1 Very satisfied
2 Somewhat satisfied
3 Somewhat dissatisfied
4 Very dissatisfied
Do not read:
5 Don’t know/not sure
6 Refused

4.

What is the main way you are paid? Read list. Accept only one answer..
1 Miles
2 Hourly
3 Salary
4 Percentage of revenue
5 Fixed fees (e.g., flat payment per load/shipment)
6 Some other way (Specify:__________)
Do not read:
7 Don’t know/not sure
8 Refused

3

Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13
5.

Do you also get paid on some other basis at least some of the time? Do you also get paid for…
Read list. Accept all that apply.
1 Miles
2 Hourly
3 Salary
4 Percentage of revenue
5 Fixed fees (e.g., flat payment per load/shipment)
6 Some other way (Specify:__________)
Do not read:
7 Don’t know/not sure
8 Refused

Hand Card 6/7
6.
Please look at this sheet. What is the main way in which your supervisor evaluates your work?
Accept only one answer.
1 Miles per week
2 Loads per week
3 Shipments per week
4 Stop count (pickups and/or deliveries per week)
5 Meeting customer service schedules
6 Avoiding chargeable accidents
7 Fuel mileage
8 Avoiding freight damage claims
9 Avoiding workers compensation claims
10 Avoiding out-of-route miles
11 Avoiding hard braking events
12 Avoiding recorded hours of service violations
13 Some other way (Specify:_____________)
Not on card:
14 Not applicable
15 Don’t know/not sure
16 Refused
Skip to Q9a
7.

In what other ways (if any) does your supervisor evaluate your work? Accept all that apply.
1 Miles per week
2 Loads per week
3 Shipments per week
4 Stop count (pickups and/or deliveries per week)
5 Meeting customer service schedules
6 Avoiding chargeable accidents
7 Fuel mileage
8 Avoiding freight damage claims
9 Avoiding workers compensation claims
10 Avoiding out-of-route miles
11 Avoiding hard braking events
12 Avoiding recorded hours of service violations
13 Some other way (Specify:_____________)
Not on card:
14 Not applicable
15 Don’t know/not sure
16 Refused

4

Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13
8.

How satisfied are you with having your performance measured in that way? Please click one
answer.
4
3
2
1
9

Extremely satisfied
Very satisfied
Not too satisfied
Not at all satisfied
Not applicable

9. Hand Card 9. Let’s talk now about the various ways which hours of service records are kept. There
are paper logs which you fill out yourself. And there are tachographs, and more recently there have
been loggers called EOBRs, which stands for Electronic On Board Recorders. EOBRs automatically
log when the truck starts or stops, as well as when you manually start it logging. Sometimes EOBR’s
are a stand-alone unit; sometimes they are integrated into a system with a variety of functionalities.
We addressed part of this in an earlier question, but now we need more detail. How does your
company track your “duty status” for compliance with the Federal hours of service regulations?
1
2
3
4
5
6

Paper
Tachographs
Stand-alone EOBR
EOBR in a system with other functionality
Don’t know/not sure
Explain: We can’t continue the survey without this. Terminate.
Refused
Explain: We can’t continue the survey without this. Terminate.

If either answer 3 or answer 4 in 9, ask 10. Otherwise skip to 15.
Hand Card 10.
10. Which types of equipment on that list does your company have in the truck you usually drive?
Please click one answer.
1 A smartphone synched to the engine, and logging the hours
2 A laptop synched to the engine, and logging the hours
3 A console/display that is not a smartphone or computer, branded with a manufacturer’s name
4 Another device (Specify________________)
(Not on Card 10:)
5 Don’t know/not sure
6 Refused
11.

How satisfied are you with having a device in your truck which automatically logs your duty status?
Please click one answer.
4
3
2
1

Extremely satisfied
Very satisfied
Not too satisfied
Not at all satisfied

If answer to 9=4 (“EOBR in a system with other functionality”), ask 12. Otherwise skip to 14.
12. Thinking about the EOBR in your truck which automatically logs your service status and has other
functionality… Thinking only of its service status logging functionality, how satisfied are you with
having a device in your truck which does that?
4
3
2
1

Extremely satisfied
Very satisfied
Not too satisfied
Not at all satisfied

5

Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13
13.

And, thinking about the system with its other functions, how satisfied are you with having a device
in your truck that has those other functions?
4
3
2
1

Extremely satisfied
Very satisfied
Not too satisfied
Not at all satisfied

Hand Card 14/15/16/17.
Our next set of questions in about your interactions with management. Please look at the sheet in front of
you for each of the questions in this series.
14.

In a typical month, how often does management do each of these to you, yourself? Read me the
letter of the item and then tell me if the answer is Never, Once a month, or at least twice a month?

Schedules:
A. Ask you to meet a customer load schedule you viewed as
unrealistic
B. Ask a customer to adjust a load schedule so it was realistic for
you
Fatigue:
C. Ask you to operate when you judged you were fatigued
D. Ask that you shut down if you felt fatigued
Logging and breaks:
E. Ask you to log inaccurately to get more work time or delay a
break
F. Ask you to log accurately when you could have had more work
time or delayed a break by being inaccurate
G. Change your log record after it was made to give you more
work time or delay a break
H. Ask you to take sufficient time off duty to recover from fatigue
Communications:
I. Interrupt your off-duty time with a message that woke you up
J. Contact you promptly about a new job task so you didn’t have to
wait without pay
Paid and Unpaid Time:
K. Pay you for customer delays in picking up or delivering freight
L. Require you to wait for customer delays for more than two hours
without pay
M. Arrange your loads so you had little delay time between loads
N. Require you to wait between loads for more than two hours
without pay.
Others as uncovered from the qualitative phase

Never

Once a
Month

2+/
Month

Don’t
know/
Ref.

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

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

6

Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13
15.

Which of the items in that list, if any, do you consider harassment? Just read me the letter of the
item.

Schedules:
A. Ask you to meet a customer load schedule you viewed as unrealistic
B. Ask a customer to adjust a load schedule so it was realistic for you
Fatigue:
C. Ask you to operate when you judged you were fatigued
D. Ask that you shut down if you felt fatigued
Logging and breaks:
E. Ask you to log inaccurately to get more work time or delay a break
F. Ask you to log accurately when you could have had more work time or delayed a break by
being inaccurate
G. Change your log record after it was made to give you more work time or delay a break
H. Ask you to take sufficient time off duty to recover from fatigue
Communications:
I. Interrupt your off-duty time with a message that woke you up
J. Contact you promptly about a new job task so you didn’t have to wait without pay
Paid and Unpaid Time:
K. Pay you for customer delays in picking up or delivering freight
L. Require you to wait for customer delays for more than two hours without pay
M. Arrange your loads so you had little delay time between loads
N. Require you to wait between loads for more than two hours without pay.
Others as uncovered from the qualitative phase

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

If EOBR in Q9 (Answer 3 or 4) Ask 16. Otherwise Skip to Q18a.
16. Which of these, if any, do you see coming from management’s use of information from your EOBR?
Schedules:
A. Ask you to meet a customer load schedule you viewed as unrealistic
B. Ask a customer to adjust a load schedule so it was realistic for you
Fatigue:
C. Ask you to operate when you judged you were fatigued
D. Ask that you shut down if you felt fatigued
Logging and breaks:
E. Ask you to log inaccurately to get more work time or delay a break
F. Ask you to log accurately when you could have had more work time or delayed a break by
being inaccurate
G. Change your log record after it was made to give you more work time or delay a break
H. Ask you to take sufficient time off duty to recover from fatigue
Communications:
I. Interrupt your off-duty time with a message that woke you up
J. Contact you promptly about a new job task so you didn’t have to wait without pay
Paid and Unpaid Time:
K. Pay you for customer delays in picking up or delivering freight
L. Require you to wait for customer delays for more than two hours without pay
M. Arrange your loads so you had little delay time between loads
N. Require you to wait between loads for more than two hours without pay.
Others as uncovered from the qualitative phase

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

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Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13
If EOBR with other functionality in Q9 (Answer 4) ask Q17. Otherwise skip to Q18a.
17. Which of these, if any, do you see coming from management’s use of other information from the
device in your truck?
Schedules:
A. Ask you to meet a customer load schedule you viewed as unrealistic
B. Ask a customer to adjust a load schedule so it was realistic for you
Fatigue:
C. Ask you to operate when you judged you were fatigued
D. Ask that you shut down if you felt fatigued
Logging and breaks:
E. Ask you to log inaccurately to get more work time or delay a break
F. Ask you to log accurately when you could have had more work time or delayed a break by
being inaccurate
G. Change your log record after it was made to give you more work time or delay a break
H. Ask you to take sufficient time off duty to recover from fatigue
Communications:
I. Interrupt your off-duty time with a message that woke you up
J. Contact you promptly about a new job task so you didn’t have to wait without pay
Paid and Unpaid Time:
K. Pay you for customer delays in picking up or delivering freight
L. Require you to wait for customer delays for more than two hours without pay
M. Arrange your loads so you had little delay time between loads
N. Require you to wait between loads for more than two hours without pay.
Others as uncovered from the qualitative phase

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

18a. Are there any other interactions between you and your company that we haven’t asked you about,
where you feel as if they are harassing you?
1
2
3
4

Yes
No
Don’t know
Refused

If Yes in 18a, ask 18b. Otherwise skip to following instructions (after Q18b).
18b. Of those we haven’t asked about, which one bothers you most?
_______________________________________________________________
If not an EOBR user (no EOBR in Q1), continue with Q19.
If an EOBR user (EOBR in Q1), skip to Q21.
19.

Has your company ever punished you somehow for refusing to work more hours than the law
allowed, or for refusing to drive when you were ill, fatigued, or when weather did not permit?
1
2
3
4

Yes
No
Don’t know/not sure
Refused

Continue with Q20
Skip to Q28
Skip to Q28
Skip to Q28

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Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13
Hand Card 20/26
20. Which of the items on that card happened in your life as a result of their actions? Just read me the
letters of the items. Record all that apply. AFTER Q20 TAKE BACK CARD AND SKIP TO Q28.
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
(F)
(G)
(H)
(I)
21.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Fewer assignments
Lower raises than deserved
Considered looking for another job
More arguments at home
Didn’t sleep as well
Felt ashamed
More isolated from co-workers
Began smoking/drinking, or did so more often
None of these

In dealing with your current company, have they ever asked you to drive or work more hours than
federal regulations allow?
1
2
3
4

Yes
No
Don’t know
Refused

If 21=1 (Yes), continue. All others skip to 28.
22. How often has that happened in the last year? Do not read list. Ask for best guess if uncertain.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
23.

Once
Twice
Three to five times
Six to ten times
More than ten times
Don’t know
Refused

How often have your rejected those requests, or told them that you didn’t want to drive or work
more hours than the federal regulations allow? Do not read list. Ask for best guess if uncertain.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Never
Once
Twice
Three to five times
Six to ten times
More than ten times
Don’t know
Refused

If 23=0 (Never), skip to Q26.
24. On those occasions, did they ever threaten you with fewer assignments or hours, or by threatening
your job?
1
2
3
4

Yes
No
Don’t know
Refused

9

Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13
If 24=1 (Yes), Continue Here. Otherwise skip to Q26.
25. How often have they made those threats in the past year? Do not read list. Ask for best guess if
uncertain.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Once
Twice
Three to five times
Six to ten times
More than ten times
Don’t know
Refused

Hand Card 20/26.
26. Aside from threats, which of the items on that card happened in your life as a result of their actions?
Just read me the letters of the items. Record all that apply.
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
(F)
(G)
(H)
(I)
27.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Fewer assignments
Lower raises than deserved
Considered looking for another job
More arguments at home
Didn’t sleep as well
Felt ashamed
More isolated from co-workers
Began smoking/drinking, or did so more often
None of these

Do you think their requests come as a result of having an EOBR in your truck?
1
2
3
4

Yes
No
Don’t know
Refused

10

Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13
Hand Card 28.
28. We would like your opinion of devices which automatically log duty status regarding specific
characteristics. Even if you do not have them in the trucks you drive, 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.
EOBRs…
Protect me from management being
overbearing
Prevent me from doing my job the
way I want
Make me confident that other truck
drivers are not overworking
themselves
Improve decisions which my fleet
manager and I make about driving
and rest times, and management of
loads
Make me feel less independent
Mean I have less paperwork to fill out
Enhance my relationship with my
fleet managers to assure compliance
and safe operations
Give management too much of an
insight into my day
Save me time and makes it easier for
me to comply with HOS logging
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
1

2
2
2

3
3
3

4
4
4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

If not an EOBR user (no EOBR in Q1), skip to 31.
29. Have you ever had a problem producing your electronic hours of service records for a law
enforcement officer?
1
2

Yes
No

If “Yes” in 29, ask 30. Otherwise skip to 31.
30. Was this problem big enough that you felt harassed by the request to see your records?
1
2
3
4

Yes
No
Don’t know/not sure
Refused

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Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13
31.

Federal regulations state that if drivers have safety complaints, firms must not coerce them against
filing 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? Read list. Accept only one answer..
1 Very effective
2 Somewhat effective
3 Not too effective
4 Not effective at all
Do not read:
5 Don’t know/Not sure
6 Refused

Hand Card 32.
32. To prevent carriers from harassing their drivers by using information about hours of service which
are logged automatically, which of the items on that list do you think are good ideas? Record all
that apply.
1
2
3
4

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

Hand Card 33.
33. 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? Record all that apply.
1
2
3
4

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

Hand Card 34.
34. 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 I just gave you. (Wait for driver to finish.) How well does that definition describe your
idea of harassment? Do you think it describes your idea of harassment… Read list.
1 Very well
2 Somewhat, or
3 Not at all
Do not read:
4 Don’t know
5 Refused
Take back Card 34. Hand Card 35.
35. Please read the description I just gave you. (Wait for driver to finish.) How well does that
definition describe your idea of coercion? Do you think it describes your idea of coercion… Read
list.
1 Very well
2 Somewhat, or
3 Not at all
Do not read:
4 Don’t know
5 Refused
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Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13

We are almost done. The last few questions are for classification purposes only.
36.

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

37.

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

38.

Yes
No

How many years have you had a commercial driving license?
1
2
3
4
5
6

42.

Truck load
Less than truckload
Parcel
Other

Are you a member of a union or covered by a collective bargaining agreement?
1
2

41.

A carrier for hire (someone else owns the freight and has hired your company)
A private carrier (the company owns the freight)

Is your firm’s primary type of business…
1
2
3
4

40.

An employee of the company
An independent owner-operator
Something else? (Please specify)

Is the company you currently work for…
1
2

39.

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

Less than a year
1-2 years
3-5 years
6-10 years
11-15 years
More than 15 years

Over the past 12 months, for how many different companies have you driven a truck?
#________

43.

Are you…
1
2

Male
Female
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Quantitative: Drivers
4/15/13
44.

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.

14