Introduction: Occupational noise exposure remains a significant concern for public transport drivers, given their sustained exposure to vehicular and urban noise. This study conducted at Bahawalpur Medical and Dental College aimed to investigate the impact of such noise exposure on the hearing capabilities of public transport drivers in Bahawalpur. Method: A total of 45 drivers, aged between 20 and 60 years, were enrolled, with a focus on those driving 3 to 9 hours per day. Data collection included comprehensive questionnaires, otoscopy examinations, and pure tone audiometry assessments. Result: The results revealed a diverse range of auditory outcomes, with a majority of subjects within the 20-40 age groups. Conductive hearing loss (CHL) emerged as the predominant type of hearing impairment, raising concerns about the potential effects of repeated noise exposure on conductive pathways. Notably, a correlation between hours of noise exposure and the degree of hearing loss was observed. Conclusion: These findings underscore the urgent need for tailored interventions and awareness campaigns to safeguard the auditory health of public transport drivers, mitigating the impact of occupational noise exposure. While limitations in sample size and localization exist, this study contributes valuable insights and prompts the exploration of future research directions to protect the auditory well-being of this essential workforce.

Keyword: occupational noise, hearing loss, public transport drivers, conductive hearing loss, noise exposure, auditory health, audiometry, intervention, awareness campaigns