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TCRP A-33A Final Report 45 APPENDIX B Interview Discussion Guide with Experts Representing Populations with Communication Challenges Purpose Although unusual, transit passengers and drivers can encounter emergencies that require a sudden change in service or operating procedures. Transit and paratransit drivers must then inform their passengers about the change(s), the reason for the change, and what the passengers can expect as they try to reach their destinations. This interview is part of a research project funded by the Transportation Research Board to identify what types of picture-based communication tools (pictograms) would be most helpful to assist transit and paratransit passengers and drivers/operators in communicating with each other in the event of an emergency or during routine bus travel. Pictograms can be especially useful for people with functional communication needs. However, stressful situations can make it difficult for anyone to understand emergency information and to take appropriate action. The information collected through this research project will help identify pictures that drivers can use to communicate effectively with their passengers in difficult or dangerous circumstances. The answers you provide will not be directly attributed to you and your name will not be used in the research report. Only your organization or agency will be identified in the report.
TCRP A-33A Final Report 46 QUESTIONS PROMPTS 1. Which populations groups do you represent or serve? Communication needs Transportation needs Medical care Supervision needs Geographic/social isolation Low income Elderly/Very Young Other 2. Of those groups, which would be most likely to need and respond to picture-based communication tools in an emergency situation or for routine trips on a bus? 3. What personal experience have you had in working with the population group(s) you serve in communicating about riding a bus? About a hazardous event? About transportation options in an emergency? None Training/education Frontline (actual event) Emergency Communication Network 4. Imagine some sort of unexpected, major change in service or operating procedures. What do you think is likely to be the first thing that passengers with communication barriers would need to know? It could be a weather-related event, a catastrophic accident or other dangerous event. 5. What would passengers with communication barriers likely want to ask driver if the bus changed its routine operations? How do you think these questions would differ from those asked by other passengers? 6. If a driver uses pictures to communicate, how helpful do you think it would be if passengers had seen them before? Pamphlet? Bus Stop? Posted on the bus? In a transfer station? On a route map? Thank you for participating in this interview. The research will continue for another 10 months. A final report with recommended pictograms will likely be releases sometime in 2013. Please feel free to contact me if you have additional thoughts or ideas after today.
