MCSA-5885 Non-Response with Carriers (Telephone)

Quantitative Non-Response: Carriers
2/15/13

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

OMB Control Number: 2126-XXXX
Expiration Date: 00/00/0000

MCSA-5885
A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure
to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information
displays a current valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 2126-XXXX. Public reporting for this
collection of information is estimated to be approximately 20 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering the
data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are voluntary and
confidentiality will be provided to the extent allowed by law. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Information Collection Clearance Officer, Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration, MC-RRA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, D.C. 20590-0001.

Survey Research to Support Revisions to the Agency’s
Electronic Onboard Recorder (EOBR) Rule
Non-Response Survey with Carriers (Telephone)
ASK TO SPEAK TO PERSON NAMED ON LETTER.
TRY AND GET THE NAME OF THE PERSON TO WHOM YOU WILL BE TRANSFERRED.
R1. My name is [INTERVIEWER NAME] and I’m calling from Abt SRBI, a national research company.
We’re conducting a very important research project about freight and truck driving for the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration and your company was selected to participate.
IF ASKED FOR EXPLANATION.
This is a research study being conducted on behalf of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA). The research will give the FMCSA important information to make decisions about potential
requirements on the use of Electronic On Board Recorders (EOBRs), which log drivers’ status hours. If
necessary: An EOBR may be a dedicated device which only does that, or it may be one part of a multifunction device which helps carriers manage their fleets.
I won’t need more than three minutes of your time. Your answers to this survey, as well as those of other
companies, will help ensure that the FMCSA understands your views as it considers these requirements.
Your participation in this research is voluntary, and there is no penalty if you don’t choose to participate.
But the FMCSA believes your opinions are important and hopes you do participate.
1.

Are you responsible for managing truck drivers at your company? (At some companies the title
might be “fleet manager” or “dispatcher.”)
1
2

Yes
No

Ask to speak to someone with that responsibility.
Record contact information:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

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Quantitative Non-Response: Carriers
2/15/13
2.

Are the truck drivers at your company required to keep a record of hours? Please click one answer.
1
2

3.

5a.

Terminate

Your company was sent a letter about this survey, asking that someone with responsibility for
trucking to go online and fill out our survey. No one from your company did, and we’re trying to
learn more. Do you remember getting the letter about the survey on EOBRs?
1
2
3
4

4.

Yes
No

Yes
No
Don’t know/not sure
Refused

Continue with Q4
Skip to Q6
Skip to Q6
Skip to Q6

Did you forward the letter to someone else to fill out?
1

Yes

2
3
4

No
Don’t know/not sure
Refused

Ask to be transferred to that person; record contact information.
Repeat introduction when speaking to that person.
Continue with Q5a
Skip to Q6
Skip to Q6

We hear a variety of reasons why people don’t fill out surveys. I’m going to read you a list, and for
each item please tell me whether or not it was a reason why you didn’t go online and fill out the
survey. Read each item one at a time and record yes/no for each. (Order will be randomized.)

I didn’t have the time
I didn’t think my answers would matter
I was afraid my answers would become known
I didn’t want to use a work computer, and don’t have
Internet access at home
My company doesn’t let us fill out surveys
I don’t trust the government
Surveys ask too much sensitive information
I started to fill it out but got nervous
5b.

Yes
1
1
1

No
2
2
2

DK
3
3
3

Ref
4
4
4

1

2

3

4

1
1
1
1

2
2
2
2

3
3
3
3

4
4
4
4

Besides what we just discussed, are there any other reasons which you might have had for not
filling out the survey? Record verbatim. Probe: Any other reasons?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

6.

Thanks. Now please tell me, what tools does your company use to track your drivers’ “duty status”
for compliance with the Federal hours of service regulations? Read list. Record all that apply.
1
2
3
4

Paper logs
Tachographs
An EOBR which only logs your drivers’ duty status (automatically when the truck starts and
stops, as well as when they manually start it logging)
An automatic EOBR which is part of a fleet management system, including other functions such
as real time communications between your company and your drivers

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Quantitative Non-Response: Carriers
2/15/13
If “4” was the answer to question 6, ask 7. Otherwise skip to 9.
7.
There are a variety of types of equipment which are synched to the engine to automatically record
service hours, and serving the function of an EOBR. Which of them does your company have in its
trucks? Read list. Record all that apply.
1 A smartphone synched to the engine, and logging the hours
2 A laptop synched to the engine, and logging the hours
3 A console/display that is not a smartphone or computer, branded with a manufacturer’s name
4 Another device (Please Specify)
5 None of these
[Do not read]
6 Don’t know/not sure
7 Refused
8.

How satisfied are you with the automatic status logging functionality of the EOBRs your company
uses? Read list. Accept only one answer.
1 Extremely satisfied
2 Very satisfied
3 Not too satisfied
4 Not at all satisfied
[Do not read]
5 Don’t know/not sure
6 Refused

The last few questions are for classification purposes only.
9.

How many trucks does your company have, across all its locations? Please give us your best estimate.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

1-5
6-10
11-20
21-50
51-100
101-250
251-500
501-1,000
1,001-3,000
More than 3,000

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Quantitative Non-Response: Carriers
2/15/13

10.

Is your primary type of business…
1
2
3
4
5

11.

Approximately what percent of your drivers are members of a truck drivers union, or covered by a
collective bargaining agreement?
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

12.

None
1-10%
10-19%
20-29%
30-39%
40-49%
50-59%
60-69%
70-79%
80-89%
90-99%
100% (all of them)

Are you…
1
2

13.

Truck load
Less than truckload
Parcel
Dedicated operation
Other (Please Specify)

Male
Female

Lastly, how old are you?
1
2
3
4
5

18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55 or older

This concludes our survey. Thank you for participating in this important research.

4