MILESTONE - MobILe and tEchnological SoluTions for OccupatioNal drivErs

MILESTONE: MobILe and tEchnological SoluTions for OccupatioNal drivErs

Professional drivers in freight transport often experience difficult, exhausting and stressful working conditions due to various reasons: irregular sleep patterns, uncertainty in traffic, frequently changing schedules, busy schedules, a lot of time away from home, etc. These working conditions can lead to significant health problems with a significant impact on road safety. According to the International Road Transport Union, Europe is currently facing the most acute driver shortage in decades; which threatens the continued growth of the road transport sector, and its ability to provide solutions to expected volume growth. Technology will play an important role in making road transport safer and more efficient. MILESTONE's overall objective is to develop and test technological interventions which are expected to reduce the difficult working conditions, stress, negative health effects of professional drivers.

The overall objective of MILESTONE is to develop and test technological interventions to reduce the difficult working conditions, stress, negative health effects of professional drivers.

1. Understanding the impact of personal state and contextual stress on driving behavior and road safety, and aims to analyze the relationship between physiological and mental state (e.g., sleep quality, fatigue, sleepiness, stress, thermal comfort), general health status, work-related factors, external stressors, and driving parameters linked to road safety.
2. Developing an intervention to keep drivers within their "stress tolerance zone" (STZ) (personal zone within which stress is acceptable)
3. Analyzing the impact of the MILESTONE interventions for different categories of drivers (long-haul, short-haul and local delivery), compared to an active and passive control group

Inclusion Criteria:

• Working as long-haul, short-haul, or local delivery driver (in a transport company or self-employed)
• Having a smartphone
• Dutch-speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

• No excessive alcohol use
• No drugs use
• Not having an infectious disease
• Not being pregnant