Automation of underground LHD and truck haulage

This paper reviews the state-of-the-art in the automation of underground mining vehicles and reports on the development of an autonomous navigation system under development through the CMTE with sponsorship arranged by AMIRA. Past attempts at automating LHDs and haul trucks are described and their particular strengths and weaknesses are discussed. The auto-guidance system being developed overcomes some of the limitations of state-of-the-art prototype æcommercialÆ systems. It can be retrofitted to existing remote controlled vehicles, uses minimum installed infrastructure and is flexible enough for rapid relocation to alternate routes. The navigation techniques use data fusion of two separate sets of sensors combining natural feature recognition, nodal maps and inertial navigation techniques. Collision detection is incorporated and people and other traffic are excluded from the tramming area. This paper describes the work being done by the group with regard to auto-tramming and also outlines the future goals.

Automation of underground truck haulage

This paper reviews the state-of-the art in the automation of underground truck haulage. Past attemps at automating LHDs and haul trucks are described and their particular strengths and weaknesses are listed. We argue that the simple auto-tram...

Automation of underground truck haulage

This paper reviews the state-of-the-art in the automation of underground truck haulage. Past attempts at automating LHDs and haul trucks are described and their particular strengths and weaknesses are listed. We argue that the simple auto-tramming systems currently being commercialised, that follow rail-type guides placed along the back, cannot match the performance, flexibility and reliability of systems based on modern mobile robotic principles. In addition, the lack of collision detection research in the underground environment is highlighted.

The Driver Behaviour Questionnaire as accident predictor: A methodological re-meta-analysis

Problem The Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) is the most commonly used self-report tool in traffic safety research and applied settings. It has been claimed that the violation factor of this instrument predicts accident involvement, which was supported by a previous meta-analysis. However, that analysis did not test for methodological effects, or include contacting researchers to obtain unpublished results. Method The present study re-analysed studies on prediction of accident involvement from DBQ factors, including lapses, and many unpublished effects. Tests of various types of dissemination bias and common method variance were undertaken. Results Outlier analysis showed that some effects were probably not reliable data, but excluding them did not change the results. For correlations between violations and crashes, tendencies for published effects to be larger than unpublished ones and for effects to decrease over time were observed, but were not significant. Also, analysis using the proxy of the mean of accidents in studies indicated that studies where effects for violations are unknown have smaller effect sizes. These differences indicate dissemination bias. Studies using self-reported accidents as dependent variables had much larger effects than those using recorded accident data. Also, zero-order correlations were larger than partial correlations that controlled for exposure. Similarly, violations/accidents effects were strong only when there was also a strong correlation between accidents and exposure. Overall, the true effect is probably very close to zero (r<.07) for violations versus traffic accident involvement, depending upon which systematic tendencies in the data are controlled for. Conclusions: Methodological factors and dissemination bias have inflated the mean effect size of the DBQ in the published literature. Strong evidence of various artefactual effects is apparent. Practical Applications A greater level of care should be taken if the DBQ continues to be used in traffic safety research. Also, validation of self-reports should be more comprehensive in the future, taking into account the possibility of common method variance.

Prevalence of alcohol-impaired driving and riding in northern Ghana

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the roadside prevalence of alcohol-impaired driving among drivers and riders in northern Ghana. The study also verifies motorists’ perception on their own alcohol use and knowledge of legal Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limit of Ghana. Method With the assistance of police, the systematic random sampling was used to collect data at roadblocks using a cross-sectional study design. Breathalyzers were used to screen whether motorists had detectable alcohol in their breath and a follow-up breath tests conducted to measure the actual breath alcohol levels among positive participants. Results In all, 9.7% of the 789 participants had detectable alcohol among whom 6% exceeded the legal (BAC) limit of 0.08%. The prevalence of alcohol-impaired driving/riding was highest among cyclists (10% of all cyclists breath tested) followed by truck drivers 9% and motorcyclists (7% of all motorcyclists breath tested). The occurrence of a positive BAC among cyclists was about 8 times higher, (OR=7.73; p<0.001) and 2 times higher, among motorcyclists (OR=2.30; p=0.039) compared with private car drivers. The likelihood for detecting a positive BAC among male motorists/riders was higher than females (OR=1.67; p=0.354). The odds for detecting a positive BAC among weekend motorists/riders was significantly higher than weekdays (OR=2.62; p=0.001). Conclusion Alcohol-impaired driving/riding in Ghana is high by international standards. In order to attenuate the harmful effects of alcohol misuse such as alcohol-impaired driving/riding, there is the need to educate road users about how much alcohol they can consume and stay below the legal limit. The police should also initiate random breath testing to instil the deterrence of detection, certainty of apprehension and punishment, and severity and celerity of punishment among drink-driving motorists and riders.

Safety culture and speeding in the Australian heavy vehicle industry

Inappropriate speed and speeding are among the highest causes of crashes in the heavy vehicle industry. Truck drivers are subjected to a broad range of influences on their behaviour including industrial pressures, company monitoring and police enforcement. Further, drivers have a high level of autonomy over their own behaviour. As such it is important to understand how these external influences interact with commonly shared beliefs, attitudes and values of heavy vehicle drivers to influence their behaviour. The present study uses a re-conceptualisation of safety culture to explore the behaviours of driving at an inappropriate speed and speeding in the heavy vehicle industry. A series of case studies, consisting of interviews and ride-along observations, were conducted with three transport organisations to explore the effect of culture on safety in the heavy vehicle industry. Results relevant to inappropriate speed are reported and discussed. It was found that organisational management through monitoring, enforcement and payment, police enforcement, customer standards and vehicle design factors could all reduce the likelihood of driving at inappropriate speeds under some circumstances. However, due to weaknesses in the ability to accurately monitor appropriate speed, this behaviour was primarily influenced by cultural beliefs, attitudes and values. Truck drivers had a tendency to view speeding as relatively safe, had a desire to speed to save time and increase personal income, and thus often attempted to speed without detection. When drivers saw speeding as dangerous, however, they were more likely to drive safely. Implications for intervention are discussed.

Truckies and workplace health promotion: Targeting a hard-to-reach group

- Introduction Research identifies truck drivers as being at high risk of chronic disease. For most truck drivers their workplace is their vehicle. Truck drivers’ health is impacted by the limitations of this unique working environment, including reduced opportunities for physical activity and the intake of healthy foods. Workplaces are widely recognised as effective platforms for health promotion. However, the effectiveness of traditional and contemporary health promotion interventions in truck drivers’ novel workplace is unknown. - Methods This project worked with six transport industry workplaces in Queensland, Australia over a two-year period. Researchers used Participatory Action Research (PAR) processes to engage truck drivers and workplace managers in the implementation and evaluation of six workplace health promotion interventions. These interventions were designed to support truck drivers to increase their physical activity and access to healthy foods at work. They included traditional health promotion interventions such as a free fruit initiative, a ten thousand steps challenge, personal health messages and workplace posters, and a contemporary social media intervention. Participants were engaged via focus groups, interviews and mixed-methods surveys. - Results The project achieved positive changes in truck drivers’ health knowledge and health behaviours, particularly related to nutrition. There were positive changes in truck drivers’ self-reported health rating, body mass index (BMI) and readiness to make health-related lifestyle changes. There were also positive changes in truck drivers reporting their workplace as a key source of health information. These changes were underpinned by a positive shift in the culture of participating workplaces. Truck drivers’ perceptions of their workplace valuing, encouraging, modelling and facilitating healthy nutrition and physical activity behaviours improved. PAR processes enabled researchers to develop relationships with workplace managers, contextualise interventions and deliver rigorous outcomes. Despite the novelty of truck drivers’ mobile workplace, traditional health promotion interventions were more effective than contemporary ones. - Conclusion In this workplace health promotion project targeting a ‘hard-to-reach’ group of truck drivers, a combination of well-designed traditional workplace interventions and the PAR process resulted in positive health outcomes.

The Victorian 260 cc Legislation. Evaluation Report Using Accident Data to December, 1982.

Learner and first year probationary motorcyclists are over-represented in traffic accidents, being involved about four times as often as full motorcycle licence holders in relation to their numbers. In an attempt to reduce this over-involvement, the Victorian Government amended the law in 1979 to restrict learner and first year probationary motorcyclists to motorcycles with engine capacities of less than 260 cc. This paper reports an evaluation which showed that casualty rates for learner and first year probationers began to decrease from mid 1979 and continued to do so until the end of 1980. A further analysis indicated that compared to full licence holder casualties, learner permit casualties were about 40% less than expected while first year probationary casualties were about 39% lower.

A comparison of self-nominated and actual speeds in work zones

Despite significant research on drivers’ speeding behavior in work zones, little is known about how well drivers’ judgments of appropriate speeds match their actual speeds and what factors influence their judgments. This study aims to fill these two important gaps in the literature by comparing observed speeds in two work zones with drivers’ self-nominated speeds for the same work zones. In an online survey, drivers nominated speeds for the two work zones based on photographs in which the actual posted speed limits were not revealed. A simultaneous equation modelling approach was employed to examine the effects of driver characteristics on their self-nominated speeds. The results showed that survey participants nominated lower speeds (corresponding to higher compliance rates) than those which were observed. Higher speeds were nominated by males than females, young and middle aged drivers than older drivers, and drivers with truck driving experience than those who drive only cars. Larger differences between nominated and observed speeds were found among car drivers than truck drivers. These differences suggest that self-nominated speeds might not be valid indicators of the observed work zone speeds and therefore should not be used as an alternative to observed speed data.

Chronic disease risks and use of a smartphone application during a physical activity and dietary intervention in Australian truck drivers

- Objective This study examined chronic disease risks and the use of a smartphone activity tracking application during an intervention in Australian truck drivers (April-October 2014). - Methods Forty-four men (mean age=47.5 [SD 9.8] years) completed baseline health measures, and were subsequently offered access to a free wrist-worn activity tracker and smartphone application (Jawbone UP) to monitor step counts and dietary choices during a 20-week intervention. Chronic disease risks were evaluated against guidelines; weekly step count and dietary logs registered by drivers in the application were analysed to evaluate use of the Jawbone UP. - Results Chronic disease risks were high (e.g. 97% high waist circumference [≥94 cm]). Eighteen drivers (41%) did not start the intervention; smartphone technical barriers were the main reason for drop out. Across 20-weeks, drivers who used the Jawbone UP logged step counts for an average of 6 [SD 1] days/week; mean step counts remained consistent across the intervention (weeks 1–4=8,743[SD 2,867] steps/day; weeks 17–20=8,994[SD 3,478] steps/day). The median number of dietary logs significantly decreased from start (17 [IQR 38] logs/weeks) to end of the intervention (0 [IQR 23] logs/week; p<0.01); the median proportion of healthy diet choices relative to total diet choices logged increased across the intervention (weeks 1–4=38[IQR 21]%; weeks 17–20=58[IQR 18]%). - Conclusions Step counts were more successfully monitored than dietary choices in those drivers who used the Jawbone UP. - Implications Smartphone technology facilitated active living and healthy dietary choices, but also prohibited intervention engagement in a number of these high-risk Australian truck drivers.