A personal interview survey of 615 heavy vehicle commercial transport drivers and 551 other motorists was conducted at roadside restaurants on major New South Wales roadways during May, 1976. Questions were designed to provide background information on typical, long distance truck driver behaviour, life style, opinions and attitudes for control data purposes. This report includes an extensive literature review and describes the rationale for the survey, the methodology and resulting profile of long distance truck drivers that has emerged. Significant differences between truck drivers and other motorists are discussed in terms of the life style and cohesive fraternity evidenced by the truck drivers interviewed. A second report, to be published later, will describe analyses conducted to investigate whether or not such variables were related to the drivers' reported traffic crash frequency.