Personnel Selection in the Transportation Sector: An Investigation of Personality Traits in Relation to the Job Performance of Delivery Drivers

The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of a pre-employment selection instrument for predicting occupational success of delivery drivers. A criterion-based concurrent validation study was performed on a customized version of the Personal Style Inventory , a work-based personality measurement system based on the Five Factor model of personality (Lounsbury & Gibson, 2000). Relationships between both broad and narrow bandwidth personality dimensions and important job performance criterion measures were examined. Four traits were found to be correlated with Overall Performance Rating of delivery drivers: Agreeableness, Comfort with Procedures, Attention to Detail, and Preference for Long Tenure. A stepwise regression method revealed that Comfort with Procedures was the best predictor of overall performance, accounting for 17% of the variance in the regression model. No other personal style scales accounted for additional incremental variance. Intercorrelations between predictor variables are discussed and limitations of current study are examined. Findings are discussed in regard to previous literature reviewed and suggestions for future research are made. In addition, theoretical and practical implications of the research are discussed.