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The deregulation

base, led to a major continuity break

from the Sloan Foundation Truck-

in 1996.” Beyond an analysis of pub-

ing Industry Program (

) Driver

transformation

TIP

lished

numbers, this study ex-

Survey: “We investigate these possi-

BLS

amines alternative measures of safety

bilities by examining the relationship

Transportation

Labor

Issues

and

conditions, such as injuries per unit

between these factors and effective

Regulatory Reform. Edited by James

of output. These measures are viewed

mileage rates, annual miles, and ap-

Peoples and Wayne K. Talley, San

against various determinations of

ropos of work intensification, hours

Diego,

, Elsevier, 2004, 234 pp.,

productivity. Among the findings are

worked per week and violations of

$97.95 /hardback.

that the railroad rate of injuries per

the hours of service regulations.” In-

ton mile was less in the 1990s than

cluded in this analysis is information

Deregulation’s effect on compensa-

in the 1970s. And, when the other

about variation in wages, work hours,

tion and working conditions is still a

transportation industries are com-

fatigue, turnover and quit rates, as

subject of debate, largely because of

pared with manufacturing, the data

well as union affiliation. The over-

difficulties in data analysis. Beyond

suggest that “safety outcomes have

all conclusion of this study is that

simply increasing competition, the

not worsened.” The author concludes,

technology has improved productiv-

industry deregulation that began in

“Only in railroads does there appear

ity and earnings but intensified and

the late 1970s would have an impact

to be any linkage between deregula-

lengthened the workday.

on transportation employees for the

tion and workplace safety.” The safety

How did airlines try to beat the

next 30 years. In Transportation Labor

picture in that industry had already

competition in the face of deregula-

Issues and Regulatory Reform, James

started deteriorating in the 1960s,

tion? To lower costs, they increased

Peoples and Wayne Talley present

explains the author. Deregulation led

employment of part-time workers,

nine studies that try to evaluate the

to a “financial renaissance” of sorts,

increased workloads, and increased

impact of deregulation in the face of

improving productivity and working

hours, according to a different study

technological advances and structural

conditions to an extent.

in this collection. These moves helped

change.

“Determinants of driver safety are

delay significant wage declines until

This is the tenth volume in a series

not limited to driver compensation,

the 1990s—quite a few years after

on research in transportation eco-

driver attributes and occupational de-

deregulation began in the industry in

nomics. Though a number of years

mands of drivers,” claim the authors

1978. This study summarizes key air

have passed since the first volume

of the second study in this collection.

transportation economic indicators,

was first published, the editors have

They add another factor—financial

and it supplies a lengthy list of car-

provided a valuable resource that

performance of trucking firms. In

rier bankruptcies. With an in-depth

presents a wide range of analyses

addition to

data, this study uses

analysis of pilots, flight attendants,

BLS

both in terms of scope and depth.

data from the Signpost National

and mechanics, the study demon-

With much historical information,

Survey of Driver Wages, the Depart-

strates that “Deregulation has not

this book provides a rich backdrop

ment of Transportation (

) Motor

affected occupational employment

DOT

to understanding all the forces that

Carrier Management Information

equally.” The authors also point out

have shaped the recent evolution of

System, and Motor Carrier Financial

some of the less-obvious effects of

the transportation sector.

and Operating Statistics (

deregulation; for example, layoffs led

MCFOS

In the first study, a researcher ex-

Although they found no systematic

to cockpit crew assignment varia-

amines

workplace injury data in

BLS

differences in crash rates based on

tion, a factor that can increase pilot

the railroad, trucking, and commer-

financial performance, the authors

error. The authors additionally exam-

cial aviation industries. Noting limi-

did find a relationship between safety

ine productivity measures, including

tations inherent in the available data,

and small-firm liquidity.

revenue passenger miles (

) per

RPM

the author also cites a major obstacle

In determining the impact of

employee (the number of miles flown

caused by

coding changes: “The

SIC

technology in the motor freight in-

by revenue generating passengers di-

haphazard growth of the courier busi-

dustry, the authors of the third study

vided by the number of employees).

ness over the past 30 years, with some

describe the work life of an over-

In discussing working conditions,

major firms developing from an avia-

the-road driver. The authors use data

the study authors note that air trans-

tion base and some from a trucking

Monthly Labor Review • August 2008 45

Monthly Labor Review - The Deregulation Transformation - Bureau Of Labor Statistics - 2008

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