The following link is an article comparing the MD11 to the 757...very interesting.

http://www.hfxnews.southam.ca/Crash/swissair82.html

This Canadian site has had excellent coverage of the MD11, from the article:

During the five-year period, there were 167 safety-related eports and recommendations filed on fewer than 50 U.S.-based MD-11s. There were only 144 filed on behalf of more than 300 U.S.-based 757s.

Richman said the number of safety reports on MD-11s is particularly disturbing given the departures involved - 96,500 for the MD-11s compared with almost 2.2 million for the 757s, or almost 23 times as many 757 takeoffs.

He also cited flying hours - 594,400 MD-11 hours compared with 5.2 million for the 757. He calls the results troublesome: