Objective: Investigate new bus operators' (n = 293) occupational and health backgrounds to inform how transit authorities can support their future health and job success.
Methods: New bus operators completed surveys and direct measurements that addressed demographics, work history, and 10 health risk factors.
Results: Participants averaged 42.76 years of age and were predominantly male (73.5%). Many (45.7%) came from minority backgrounds and most (66.3%) had no prior commercial driving experience. Transportation and material moving occupations were operators' most common prior jobs followed by protective service and sales and related occupations. Study-specific criteria classified operators as having low (49.5%), medium (37.9%), and high (12.6%) health risk levels.
Conclusion: About half of the sample had medium-to-high health risks and most lacked commercial driving experience. Such information may help employers proactively support new bus operators' health and job success.
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