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Coach-driving peer rejects fatigue theories

11th October 1968
Page 25
Page 25, 11th October 1968 — Coach-driving peer rejects fatigue theories
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

• ':My inquiries have shown that scientific research, both here and in other countries, gives no grounds for reducing the hours of work. Moreover, I can see many ways in which the changes will increase the risk of accidents and have adverse social consequences."

These remarks were made by Lord Teviot who was commenting on the proposals for reducing drivers' hours contained in the Transport Bill. Lord Teviot issued on Saturday a report on his investigation into fatigue as affecting professional drivers. The report shows that, after driving coaches for over 7,000 miles with a daily average of 258 miles during the Parliamentary recess, he found no effects of fatigue and said he normally felt fresher after a long day's drive than when he started. He drove vehicles belonging to Premier Travel, George Ewer, and Barton Transport.

Introducing his report, Lord Teviot said: 'We have heard a lot of arrant nonsense talked in Parliament on drivers' hours—Part VI of the Transport Bill. From my own experience of driving buses I knew this was so and determined to do something to put the record straight." (Lord Teviot was a bus conductor and later a driver for about six years with the Brighton. Hove and District Omnibus Co. Ltd., up to the end of last year.) Lord Teviot continued by saying that time would be needed to get the right answers, to complete proper research. and do something that would genuinely improve the driver's lot. "Until they do this, to proceed with their proposals, as contained in the Bill at present, can only be another bureaucratic interference with the driver's freedom, which will hit him where it hurts—in the pocket! It will affect all

of us too, by increasing prices and fares and reducing transport services. It is people that matter, not crackpot theories.

In his report, Lord Teviot states that he worked for seven weeks as a coach driver. He asked for a good quota of the more arduous journeys as well as a number of duties on school and similar contract services. His reactions were confirmed by scientific observation on some journeys and convinced him that, within the existing legal limits for drivers' hours, there was no fear of fatigue from driving making a normally healthy person unsafe. Even fatigue from outside sources, which could not be legislated against, was a relatively minor problem.

A full schedule of his work was given at the end of Lord Teviot's report and is reproduced here. Some breaks were unavoidable because of personal business, while off-duty days in Scotland provided an opportunity to study the particular problems of that country.

The following is an extract from his report: The investigation covered three points:— (I) A systematic self-assessment of subjective response during unaccompanied journeys; (ii) Assessment of my psychological and physiological state by observers who accompanied me on certain journeys: (iii) A study of the activities of other coach drivers. .

(i) Self Assessment: On no occasion did I feel in any way doubtful about my ability to drive with complete safety. It was nine months since I had driven a double-decker bus and, at first, the longer and more powerful coaches were unfamiliar. No doubt the physical and psycho

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People: Teviot, George Ewer

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