Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify the entering competencies a transportation safety professional should possess. To facilitate this identification a search of current literature was conducted which indicated that no such studies had been conducted, that no survey instrument had been developed and that few studies had been conducted in perpherial fields. To gather data for competency identification selected leaders from three transportation safety organizations, the American Trucking Associations, the National Motor Fleet Safety Supervisors Association and the National Safety Council provided a set of 41 competencies which were modified and edited by a five member panel of review from the Texas Transportation Institute. These 41 competencies served as the survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was validated and a Cronbach's Alpha test indicated a .92 reliability coefficient. The survey sample consisted of 800 randomly chosen members of the 1600 transportation safety membership of the American Trucking Associations. A total of 312 (39%) safety professionals responded to the survey questionnaire.The data from the 312 respondents were analyzed by several different methods and indicated that: (1) There was a significant difference in the rating of the competencies, enabling a listing of the competencies according to their perceived value. (2) There was no significant difference in the ratings of the competencies as a function of the demographic variables (educational level, age, ATA associations). (3) There was a significant interaction among the American Trucking Associations sub-groups. (4) There were five distinct factors contained within the 41 competencies. (5) There was no nonrespondent bias present. (6) The five most valuable and the five least valuable competencies by respondent choice were similar to the competencies chosen by mean rating determinations. These analyses facilitated the recommendations that: (1) Curricula be developed predicated upon the previously listed analyses. (2) That these curricula be guided by the listing of the most valuable competencies as well as the five factors provided by the factor analysis and the mean listing of the competencies. (3) Studies be conducted in allied areas of safety.
Montgomery, Johnny Frankli (1983). The identification of entering competencies for transportation safety professionals. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -537980.