The way of taking food and sleeping was observed on taxidrivers in Tokyo metropolitan area on July 8 and 9, 1971.
Japanese taxidrivers can be classified into two categolies; the one drivers his own taxi independently (drive 25 days a month), and the other is empolyed in a firm (drive 13 times a month).
Owner taxidriver has more regular life rhythm than that of employed drivers. The owner (42 drivers) took meals three times a day and slept for 6 to 8 hours. The drivers who start to drive before 9: 00a. m. had relatively regular habits than that starting after 9: 00a. m..
Employed taxidriver (140 persons) is forced to have 48 hours life cycle. They drive 13 times a month. Their working hour for one cycle is 20 to 22 hours. They took meals 4 times during working day, and slept two or three times per 48 hours.
Type A employed drivers, who start to drive before 9: 00a. m. showed more regular habit for eating and sleeping than type B employed drivers, who start to drive after 9: 00a. m.. Employed single drivers showed the most irregular life rhythm. The owner taxidrivers who had long career controlled their lives by themselves. However, employed drivers over 35 years old seemed not to be able to adapt to their family's life because of their unusual life rhythm.
Most of them come to work in Tokyo from rural area. They have taken Japanese cooking (65%), and have eaten rice for breakfast. But they cared about foods for keeping their good health, taking milk, eggs, meat or fish every day.
The work in driving was harder than the other jobs, because of long working hours and tension required. Over 70% of them was disappointed in their life, and minding to change their occupation if possible.
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