Plans to make buses run to timetable could place passengers at risk from driver fatigue , a sleep expert says.
Professor Philippa Gander, director of Massey University's Wellington Sleep/Wake Research Centre, yesterday said local and international research had shown 20 per cent of heavy vehicle crashes could be
linked to fatigue.
"It may create unnecessary stress on drivers to meet timetables that may not be practical or realistic given the actual conditions. Certainly if you intensify the workload across the shift and add the stress of having to be there on time, you're not going to be improving the driving standards."
On Monday the Herald revealed that the Government intends legislating to increase public transport use, including sanctions to ensure public transport runs on schedule.
Professor Gander said driver tiredness could be increased in big cities by long commutes. Companies might have to consider measures like offering sleeping facilities for staff to rest before they went home.
She said fatigue could increase quickly after about six hours' driving.
Organisations did not want their staff or passengers to cause harm to themselves or others, so needed to make contingencies and rework rosters to deal with fatigue issues.
A Sleep/Wake Research Centre-organised workshop in Wellington yesterday heard from representatives across the entire transport spectrum, each of whom said fatigue was an issue, especially for small operators.
Tim Allen, general manager airlines group for the Civil Aviation Authority, said an international finding last year that New Zealand had no rules in place to manage cabin crew fatigue had led to a review across the whole aviation sector.
However, there were no regulations on flying hours yet for helicopters, topdressing planes or emergency operations.
Robyn Denton of Land Transport New Zealand said with 40,000 to 60,000 of road transport operators being small businesses, getting the driver fatigue message through was an issue for the organisation. A trial was now under way to study the issue.
