The evaluation of intercity bus drivers' working conditions in the context of occupational social work: A qualitative research

The present research aims to examine the experiences of bus drivers engaged in intercity passenger transportation within the framework of professional social work practices and reveal what kind of practices can be carried out in professional social work based on these experiences. The study was conducted with the qualitative research method by using phenomenological design. The study sample was recruited by snowball sampling, and within the scope of the research, in-depth interviews were carried out with 24 bus drivers engaged in intercity passenger transportation. The interviews were transcribed, and data is analysed through the MAXQDA 2020 program. After the content analysis, some categories emerged, which are: the drivers' working relations, the stressors originating from the workplace and the effects of these stressors on the drivers and the social systems created by the drivers, the opinions of the bus drivers about their profession, and their wishes and expectations for the profession. The findings were discussed, and social policy recommendations were made in the last chapter of the study. Key Word: Social Work, Vocational Social Work, Bus Driver