Emerging Technologies Applicable to Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety and Security (2011)

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65 Overview A total of 34 interviews were conducted, involving 49 interviewees representing 24 types of organizations such as regulators, security agencies, academics, national labo- ratories, research consulting organizations, carriers, man- ufacturers, shippers, technology providers, environmental protection agencies, and emergency responders. Interview responses are displayed by organizational type grouping in Table B-1. The Interview Guide used by the team is provided in this appendix. In the interview summaries that follow the Inter- view Guide, some of the thoughts captured have been paraphrased or structured in a way that is meant to best convey the perceived point of the interviewee. It should be noted that the interview record does not preclude the pos- sibility that an interviewee’s message was not recorded exactly as intended, that some point significant to the inter- viewee may not have been captured, or that references to time (i.e., something current) are necessarily still valid. For the purpose of maintaining anonymity, certain responses such as organizational identity may have been intentionally recorded in more generic terms than information provided by the respondent. In addition to needs and potential solutions tied to emerg- ing technologies, responses include information on prior technology initiatives as well as the status quo (i.e., current state-of-the-art technology in use for Hazmat safety and security). While this information is not about emerging technologies per se, these responses provide perspective. When respondents provided other references, these were appreciated but have not been included in the following record unless there was a particular perspective that needed to be captured by the reference. Finally, not all respondents addressed emerging technologies to a degree sufficient for their remarks to be included. Interview Guideline for Emerging Technologies Applicable to Safe and Secure Hazmat Transportation HMCRP Project 04 Purpose: This guideline is to verify the lists of functional requirements and the gaps in them that have been developed by the Emerg- ing Technologies team. It is for understanding the users’ view- points on the technologies available to fill the gaps and their perceptions of obstacles to wider deployment. The information from this interview supports Tasks 1 and 2 of the HMCRP Project 04. This discussion may yield information on existing plans to develop or deploy technologies, but that is not its primary purpose as that activity is for Task 4. Intended respondents: This guideline is for interviewing those who experience the functional requirements and could directly benefit from fill- ing the gaps. It is for those who deal with the Hazmat itself on a regular basis—shippers, carriers, consignees, and emer- gency responders—either in their individual companies or through their trade associations. It is also for government officials who have a perspective on the needs of the systems they regulate. This guideline is not optimized for interview- ing vendors or manufacturers of products that implement the technologies. Format: Regular type: instructions to the interviewer Bold type: words or suggestions for the interviewer to say HEADINGS: broad topics of the conversation Introduction Thank the respondent for taking time to meet with you. A P P E N D I X B Initial Research Interview Summary and Guideline

Explain the purpose of the project • Identify needs in the safe and secure transportation of hazardous materials • Identify emerging technologies that can meet those needs. Assure the respondent that they will not be identified by name or affiliation. They will be identified as “a manager at a major railroad” or “a shipper of corrosives.” For those in industry: Please speak for the entire industry, not for your own company. We are looking for common problems faced by everybody, and not for any private details of your own operation. For those in government: Please tell us your thoughts from your own perspective. I want you to be free to say what’s on your mind without worrying if you are misrepresenting agency positions. If you want to tell me official agency pol- icy, that’s OK, but I will report your words as official policy only if you specifically identify it as such. Do, however, be sure you have the complete identity, affil- iation, and contact information for the person with whom you are speaking. Needs We’ll talk about the needs first and then get to your per- spectives on new technologies. Begin with an open-ended question: What phone call at 3 o’clock in the morning do you dread the most? What do you see are the biggest needs in transporting Hazmat safely and securely? If the interviewee begins with safety, make sure you turn the conversation to security before leaving the topic of needs. Keep a list of the needs that are mentioned. Refer to the project’s Functional Requirements for the mode at hand. If there are any requirements that have not been mentioned, ask “How important is it to __________?” The answer will likely fall in one of three forms: 66 Type of Organization Total Number of Organizations Total Number of Respondents Marine Shipper 1 1 Level 1 First Responder Organization* 4 4 Level 2 First Responder Organization* 5 5 First Responder Training Organization 1 2 Academic 3 3 Government Security Agency 1 4 Emergency Responder Association 1 1 Motor Carrier Association 2 4 Chemical Manufacturer Association 1 1 Supply Chain Tracking Technology Provider 1 2 Class I Railroad 1 2 Environmental Protection Agency (state) 1 2 Air Carrier Association 1 2 Environmental Remediation Company 1 1 Modal Regulatory Agency 1 2 Motor Carrier – Truckload 1 2 Motor Carrier – Specialized 1 3 Emergency Response Technology Provider 1 1 National Laboratory 1 2 Rail Tank Car Technology Provider 1 1 Multi-Modal Regulatory Agency 1 1 University Technology Developer 1 1 Chemical Manufacturer/Shipper 1 1 Railroad Trade Association 1 1 Total 24 Types 34 Organizations 49 Respondents *These descriptions were taken from the five levels recognized by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Publication 472: Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents. Table B-1. Characterization of interview respondents.

1. No, it’s not really a big need. If so, leave that topic. 2. Yes, it’s a need, but it’s being met. If so, ask how it’s being met or if there’s room for improvement. 3. Yes, I forgot to mention it. If so, have the respondent elab- orate on the gaps if necessary. Technologies When you have a complete list of needs, go back through and ask what technologies the respondent is aware of to meet those needs. For each technology (and there may be more than one per need), ask “What are the shortcomings in capability, what are the obstacles to adoption?” A technology might be a specific product on the market, it might be a research project they have vaguely heard about, or it might be just a wish, “somebody ought to invent _______.” Can the respondent name any specific products they use? And then ask if they are familiar with the technologies (people in operations will probably know the products more than the technologies) on our list. Ask what are the capa- bilities and shortcomings of those technologies. What are the barriers to wider adoption of the technologies? Without leading the respondent, try to find out whether the barriers are technical (e.g., technology is unproven, technology still leaves an unacceptable gap, technology needs another supporting technology) or economic (e.g., product is too expensive, risk of a loss is too remote). (This question is more for Task 4 than for Task 1, but it is beneficial to ask for the users’ perspective as well as the suppliers’). Can you think of any examples in recent history of well-executed deployment of new technol- ogy? Ask how it came quickly and rapidly gained acceptance and provided its intended benefit. Can you think of any exam- ples of poorly introduced or marketed technologies? What went right? What went wrong? Date of Interview: Name and Organization of Interviewer(s): Name of Interviewee(s): Title or Position and Organization: Other Hazmat Affiliation(s): Contact Information Phone number: E-mail address: Address: Place of Interview (or teleconference): Specialty: Biggest Concern with Hazmat: Need(s) and Gaps Identified: Emergency Technologies Identified: Forecasts: Obstacles: Referrals: Other Remarks: 67