Are Bus Company Regulations Associated with Crash Risk? Findings from a Retrospective Survey in Four Chinese Cities

Xiaolin Wu, Huimin Zhang, Wangxin Xiao, Peishan Ning, David C. Schwebel and Guoqing Hu
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Xiaolin Wu: Zhou Enlai School of Government, Nankai University, Tianjin 300050, China
Huimin Zhang: School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
Wangxin Xiao: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
Peishan Ning: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China
David C. Schwebel: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
Guoqing Hu: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-9

Abstract: Bus crashes are common in urban China, and bus company regulations are hypothesized to be related to bus crash risk. We conducted a retrospective survey to examine the association in four large Chinese cities (Changsha, Shenzhen, Fuzhou, and Wuhan). Four types of bus crashes were considered: (a) passengers injured while riding the bus; (b) bus colliding with or scraping other motor vehicles; (c) bus colliding with non-motorized vehicles or pedestrians; and (d) bus damaging public facilities. Based on regulations governing the drivers’ work, complete round trips per day, and their paid salary, three categories of companies were studied: type A: ≥14 h worked/day, ≥6 round trips/day, and >70% of salary based on performance; type B: 8–13 h/day, 4 or 5 round trips/day, and 36–70% of salary; and type C: <36% of salary and no other specified requirements. Of the 926 respondents, 20.7% reported one or more crashes or related risk events in the past month. Drivers from the three types of companies reported crash incidence rates of 31.9%, 8.8%, and 6.0%, respectively, in the past month. Type A crash rates were significantly higher than type C after controlling for relevant covariates (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 7.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.74–13.47). We conclude that more stringent bus company regulations, which mandate drivers to work long hours and obtain salary based on job performance in meeting demanding metrics, are associated with elevated bus-related crash risks. Local governments in China should regulate bus companies to ensure drivers work reasonable hours and are paid based on the quality of their work (e.g., safety).

Keywords: bus crash; bus company regulation; retrospective survey; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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