Exploratory field study of perceived ergonomic mismatches in long haul truck cabins among Indian truck drivers

India’s freight transport sector depends heavily on long-haul truck drivers, yet the ergonomic suitability of heavy-truck cabins for Indian anthropometric and operational conditions remains poorly documented. This study presents an exploratory assessment of driver-perceived discomfort and cabin–driver mismatches in current Indian heavy-vehicle designs. Using a mixed-methods approach, semi-structured interviews with 21 long-haul drivers were conducted to identify recurrent discomfort themes, which informed the development of a structured discomfort questionnaire. The instrument was subsequently pilot-tested with 50 drivers from western India to document perceived issues related to seating, steering, pedal effort, dashboard accessibility, and reachability. Data collected were descriptive and perception-based; no instrumented measurements or inferential statistical tests were performed due to sample size and study design limitations. Results indicate consistently reported discomfort in the lower back, neck, knees, and shoulders, primarily attributed by drivers to inadequate lumbar support, limited seat adjustability, high pedal effort, and excessive steering resistance. These findings provide preliminary evidence of systematic ergonomic challenges in Indian truck cabins and highlight the need for larger-scale, measurement-based investigations. The study contributes a structured discomfort assessment tool and a foundational set of perceived ergonomic risk indicators to guide future quantitative research and anthropometry-informed cabin redesign efforts.