Managing driver fatigue

Fresh Air’s experience in the field of driver fatigue began in 1999, when Dr Paul Jackson joined the UK Department for Transport, as Research Manager responsible for Driver Impairment. In this role he was responsible for the driver fatigue research programme, which included research undertaken by Professor Jim Horne’s team at the Loughborough University Sleep Research Centre.

Subsequently, he joined the fatigue management consultancy set up by Professor Horne, as managing director. In this role he secured fatigue management contracts with a range of major clients including BP, the Freight Transport Association, Wincanton, Argos and easyJet.

Since that time, Paul has worked as an expert witness in road traffic collision cases involving drivers suspected of having fallen asleep at the wheel; lectured on driver fatigue at Cranfield University; written fatigue management guidance for transport operations; and delivered fatigue risk management training for London Bus Operators.

Paul was also Head of Impairment Research at the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), where he provided technical expertise on a range of road transport projects, including HELM UK, a research project to independently evaluate the potential benefits of HGV platooning in a real world commercial environment on UK roads, to help inform future decision making.

For more information about any of our work for the road transport sector, please contact us.

Background

In 2019, in response to a report by Loughborough University which highlighted the extent of fatigue experienced by London bus drivers, Transport for London’s Bus Safety Standards team introduced new rules requiring all London Bus Operators to introduce fatigue risk management plans to demonstrate their effective management of driver fatigue.

In his role as TRL’s Head of Impairment Research, Fresh Air’s Dr Paul Jackson provided guidance on the fatigue element of the safety training developed for London Bus Operators.