Freight transportation concerns and issues have received increasing attention during the 1990s. Public sector agencies use various methods to identify locations where improvements are needed to facilitate freight movements. Concerns and needs regarding improvements have been based on a blend of modeling, technical data and estimates, reviews of plans and other documents, personal observations, and public input. Various observers believe information from these sources should be combined with more specific information from shippers and motor carriers moving freight. There has been little definitive research done, however, on how best to survey the freight community. In order to establish the most effective means of gathering perceptions of infrastructure problems encountered by the freight industry on the state highway system and supporting road network, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) sponsored research on a methodology for conducting surveys of shippers and motor carriers. A series of pilot studies resulted in the development of a telephone survey methodology capable of yielding a 60% response rate. To demonstrate this methodology a full-scale survey was also conducted with a statewide sample of nearly 3,600 firms. The objectives of this study were threefold: (1) To investigate the nature of past attempts to contact the freight community through various survey techniques; (2) To research various survey methods and approaches, in order to develop a methodology that would be capable of gathering representative information from freight system users about problems they encounter en route; and (3) If a workable methodology could be developed, to demonstrate it in a statewide survey of shippers and motor carriers to gather information on their perceptions of transportation related problems while en route in Oregon. Chapter 2 of this report reviews past efforts to collect information from the freight community regarding infrastructure problems. Chapters 3 and 4 describe the development and pilot testing of freight survey methodologies, to collect information on problems that freight system users encounter en route. Chapter 5 discusses the full-scale testing of a selected methodology. Chapter 6 summarizes the work offers some conclusions that may be drawn from this research effort.
Survey Methods for Assessing Freight Industry Opinions. Final Report
2002
146 pages
Report
No indication
English