Factors influencing heavy vehicle drivers’ service performance with safety performance as mediator

Abstract

Heavy vehicle operators are generally very concerned with high safety performance since frequent road accidents involving heavy vehicle drivers will negatively affect productivity and the overall service performance. The aim of this study is to determine factors that can improve heavy vehicle drivers’ safety among the various types of operators which will eventually contribute to high service performance. The main objective of the study is to identify factors influencing heavy vehicle drivers’ safety competency and their relationship with service performance. A total of 129 respondents from various types of heavy vehicle operators in Johor had given their feedbacks in the study. The research was conducted in quantitative manner by employing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modelling (SEM) and analysis of moment structure (AMOS). The results revealed that only 45 percents of the respondents had practiced self regulation on safety for their heavy vehicle drivers. It was hypothesized that heavy vehicle drivers’ safety competency would influence organizational service performance. Relationships between heavy vehicle drivers’ safety competency and service performance were examined. Four factors were found to be correlated with service performance; namely the recruitment and selection of heavy vehicle drivers, safety training, defensive driving and organisation safety culture. The overall findings had proven that any improvement initiatives by the organisation particularly on the job related skills will lead to the above average productivity performance. One of the implications of the findings is the need for work organisation policy on safety and regulation changes with regard to the occupational safety improvement for heavy vehicle operators in Malaysia.