Developing a Guide for Transporting Freight in Emergencies: Conduct of Research (2024)
Chapter: Appendix B: Survey Transmittal Letter, Survey Questions, and Interview Questions
Appendix B. Survey Transmittal Letter, Survey Questions, and Interview Questions
Appendix B includes the survey transmittal letter distributed to state permitting agencies, the online survey questions, and the follow-up questions for the telephonic interview.
Transmittal Letter
Dear First Name Last Name,
The TTI is leading an NCHRP research project on regulatory relief of commercial vehicle weight requirements for emergency transportation of critical commodities. One of the research objectives is to identify successful practices, procedures, and processes for increasing weight limits during emergencies, including coordination and harmonization with neighboring jurisdictions.
We are seeking your response to the following survey (smartphone-accessible)
https://tti.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9oeGwGvUAKxW32K
You have been identified as the appropriate person at your DOT to complete this survey. The survey link that you received is unique to your DOT. If it would be more appropriate for someone else at your DOT to take this survey, please forward the email with the survey link to them or send their name and email address to Sushant Sharma (s-sharma@tti.tamu.edu).
Please complete this survey ASAP or by April 7, 2023. It will take around 10 minutes of your time.
Questions regarding the project or survey should be directed to the Principal Investigator, Sushant Sharma, at (817) 462-0508 or s-sharma@tti.tamu.edu. Thank you for participating in this survey! Additional Information about this NCHRP 23-13(05) Project
https://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5093
TTI Sushant Sharma, Ph.D., PMP
Research Scientist
Multi-Resolution Modeling Program
TEXAS A&M TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE
Arlington, TX 76013
T: 817-462-0508 (Internal Ext. 11508)
Follow-Up Phone Interview Questions
Dear Participant,
Thanks for participating in the web survey for the NCHRP Project: Regulatory Relief of Commercial Vehicle Weight Requirements for Emergency Transportation of Critical Commodities. This interview is a follow-up of your responses.
In the survey you mentioned that your state implemented special permitting or waivers for commercial vehicles or OW vehicles for a prior emergency or disaster
Q1) Can you describe your state or organization part in any emergency overweight special permitting coordination efforts?
Q2) Has your state implemented policies, procedures, or processes to make emergency overweight special permits and waivers easier for the trucking industry?
If yes,
Q2.1 What policies, procedures or processes have the greatest impact?
Q2.2 How did they reduce carrier burdens?
Q2.3 What policies, procedures, or processes have the least impact?
Q3) How does your state describe or define the term a. “emergency”? b. “emergency commodities”?
In the survey you mentioned that your state coordinated implementation of special permitting or waivers for commercial vehicles or OW vehicles for a prior major emergency or disaster other states
Q4) How does your state monitor and coordinate enforcement of overweight regulations when issuing special permits in an emergency?
Q 4.1 How did you coordinate with those states?
Q 4.2 What policies or practices that made coordination easier?
Q4.3 What policies or practices made coordination harder?
In the survey you mentioned that your state initiates recent changes to overweight laws, regulations or policies based on prior experiences with emergencies or disasters
Q5) What were recent changes to overweight laws, regulations or policies in your state?
Q6) Were they successful? and What lessons did you learn?
In the survey you were listed as point of contact for your state’s outreach or education efforts with the trucking industry about emergency overweight special permits or waivers
Q7) Can you describe your state’s efforts outreach or education efforts with the trucking industry about emergency overweight special permits or waivers?
