Measuring the mental workload and identifying stress factors among public transportation drivers in Cikande, Indonesia

Eka Indah Yuslistyari; Kusmasari, Wyke; Supriyadi, Supriyadi · 2024 · Crossref

DOI: 10.37373/jenius.v5i2.1342

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Summary

This study investigates the mental workload and stress factors affecting public transportation drivers in Cikande, Indonesia, a region where public transit is critical for accessing services and employment. The research was motivated by the recognition that driving imposes significant cognitive demands due to traffic congestion, competition, noise, and vehicle conditions, which can lead to fatigue, reduced performance, and safety risks. The primary objective was to quantify this mental burden and identify specific internal and external contributors to driver stress. The researchers employed a comparative descriptive quantitative approach using the NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) method. The study sample consisted of 30 public transportation drivers selected via stratified random sampling, divided into two groups: 15 drivers of red-colored vehicles and 15 drivers of red-and-white vehicles. The NASA-TLX assessment involved a weighting phase, where drivers performed pairwise comparisons to prioritize six workload dimensions—mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, performance, effort, and frustration—followed by a rating phase where drivers scored each dimension on a scale of 0–100. The final workload scores were calculated by multiplying weights by ratings and normalizing the results against a classification table ranging from low to very high. The results indicated that both groups experienced high mental workloads, though the dominant stressors differed. Red public transportation drivers had an average workload score of 77.5, classified as "High" to "Very High," with 53% of respondents in the "Very High" category. For this group, Mental Demand was the highest dimension (average score 19.2), reflecting intense cognitive strain from the need for constant vigilance, adherence to traffic signs, and responsibility for vehicle maintenance. In contrast, red-and-white drivers had a lower average score of 61.5, classified as "High," with 80% in the "High" category. Their primary stressor was Frustration Level (average score 13.6), attributed largely to illegal levies and extortion by brokers, which impact financial stability and passenger safety. The study concludes that mental workload is driven by a complex interplay of internal factors, such as age-related cognitive decline and emotional exhaustion, and external factors, including traffic complexity, poor road conditions, customer service demands, deposit targets, and the condition of older vehicles. The findings highlight the urgent need for interventions by local authorities and transport owners to mitigate these stressors. The authors suggest that future research should expand the geographic scope and integrate physiological measurements, such as heart rate variability, to provide a more holistic understanding of driver stress and inform strategies for improving safety and performance in public transportation systems.

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Topics

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• stress driving
• workload measurement
• mental demand

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• Empirical Findings: self report data, physiological data
• Theoretical Contribution: theory or model