The Short and Long Term Effects of In-Person Performance Feedback: Evidence from a Large Bus Driver Coaching Program

Does in-person coaching structurally increases worker productivity? We answer this question
using detailed performance data from a large-scale bus driver coaching program, exploiting
natural variation in when drivers receive coaching.
Our results show significant improvements in fuel economy and outcomes pertaining
to passenger comfort. Drivers with lower pre-coaching productivity experience the largest
treatment effect, initially closing about 40% of the productivity gap. These effects last four
to nine weeks and replicate in a control region. The data suggest that the main mechanism
behind the coaching effect is information transmission from higher- to lower-productivity
workers, rather than peer pressure or signaling