Evaluation of a Supervisor Training Program for ODOT’s EcoDrive Program

Eco-driving consists of using energy-efficient approaches to driving aimed at reducing fuel consumption and, ultimately, CO₂ emissions. A previous study found that an EcoDrive informational campaign was effective at increasing the use of eco-driving behaviors, but only when employees perceived that their supervisor supported the program and when they were personally motivated to perform the eco-driving behaviors. In order to build upon the findings of the previous study, the present study focused on increasing the use of eco-driving behaviors through an informational eco-driving campaign combined with supervisor training to support the use of eco-driving practices. The authors found that, in general, participants reported using eco-driving behaviors more often in the follow-up surveys compared to baseline measures. However, the authors did not find direct support for the supervisor training intervention providing an incremental increase in eco-driving behaviors and attitudes compared to the informational campaign alone. On the other hand, the authors did find that supervisor support, frequency of communication about eco-driving, and the percentage of employees who viewed the EcoDrive materials were greater in the supervisor training group compared to the control group. Additionally, employees in the supervisor training group rated the EcoDrive materials as more useful compared to the control group. Based on these findings, the supervisor training seemed to be effective in improving indicators of supervisor support; however, it may be that the limited sample size did not allow the authors to find statistically significant differences between the two groups in eco-driving behaviors. In this report the authors discuss in more detail the basis for this study, the implementation of the intervention, the results, and potential explanations for the findings in order to inform future studies. The authors also provide a detailed account of the methodology used in this study.

• Record URL:
  http://ppms.trec.pdx.edu/media/project_files/NITC-RR-781_I4y60rb.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/32142
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Portland State University

  Department of Psychology
  P.O. Box 751
  Portland, OR  United States  97207-0751

  Portland State University

  Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC)
  Portland, OR  United States 

  National Institute for Transportation and Communities

  Portland State University
  P.O. Box 751
  Portland, OR  United States  97207

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Oregon Department of Transportation

  555 13th Street NE
  Salem, OR  United States  97301
• Authors:
  • Truxillo, Donald M
  • MacArthur, John
  • Brady, Grant
  • Hammer, Leslie
  • Bauer, Talya N
• Publication Date: 2016-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 52p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Behavior; Ecodriving; Employees; Evaluation; Supervisors; Surveys; Training
• Identifier Terms: Ohio Department of Transportation
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Environment; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01622659
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: NITC-RR-781
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jan 18 2017 12:06PM