Phone Reminder

Ag Survey Telephone Follow-up Script
Hello, may I speak to…
My name is _____. I’m calling from Washington State University. We are calling regarding a
survey we are doing about transportation and shipping needs in your region. (The person I need
to speak to is the person responsible for shipping and/or transportation decisions. This person
would be the Shipping and Transportation Manager.)
The purpose of the survey is to evaluate the transportation modes and freight costs associated
with shipping products and/or commodities. This survey has been approved by OMB with
control number 0710-0018 which expires 11/30/2017.
Q1.
First, does your business ship any products and/or commodities from your location? (We
are interested in any shipping that is done by barge, rail, or truck.)
1.
2.
3.

Yes
No  Thanks for your time. That’s all the information I need. (Code as I1)
Out of business  (Code as I2)

[Intv: Ineligibles include companies that only use UPS, FedEx, or the Post Office; gas/petroleum
companies where everything goes through pipelines; companies where the customer come on site
and get the product.]
Q2.
We would like to send you a questionnaire to complete. (It is fairly short. It only takes
about 15 minute to fill out.)
1.
2.
3.
4.

OK, send new questionnaire  Check name and address. Update as necessary.
Already completed  “Unfortunately we have not received your questionnaire.
Can we send you a new one to fill out?”
Ok, I can send an email with a weblink and access code for you to complete the
survey. Send
No  Refusal

Thanks for your time. You should get the questionnaire within the next week.

ELVA Ag Shipper Miss River
Telephone Contact: Frequently Asked Questions

The following FAQs are provided to the individuals making the telephone reminder contacts to
ensure consistent communication of information relevant to the survey.
What is the purpose of this survey?
The US Army Corps of Engineers is collecting information related to transportation movements
along the Upper Mississippi River System in order to assess the potential impact and demand
responses to different levels of investment. Gathering more information about your shipping
needs and decisions will greatly benefit their planning.
Who is sponsoring this project?
This study is sponsored by the Washington State University School of Economics and the US
Army Corps of Engineers.
How much time does the questionnaire take to complete?
It should only take less than 15 minutes to complete this questionnaire. You may also complete
on line
http://opinion.wsu.edu/AgShipper2017
Voluntary Participation
Participating in this study is voluntary. However, this is an opportunity to directly communicate
with the Army Corps of Engineers your needs of using the Upper Mississippi River System for
shipping your commodities.
Confidentiality of Personal Information
If you agree to answer this survey, we will ask about your use of the Upper Mississippi River
System for shipping purposes, including the Upper Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio and other
tributaries. All the information you provide will be kept strictly confidential. All that data that
will be released will be presented in such a way that your individual business cannot be
identified. The only individuals with access to the research records are the project staff that have
signed a written oath to maintain the confidentiality of all respondents. Findings and aggregate
results from this study may be presented at meetings or published in journals. Please be assured,
no names or identifying information of any sort will ever be included.
Who is conducting this research?

This survey project is being conducted by Washington State University in conjunction with
researchers from the University of Oregon and US Army Corps of Engineers. We have
contracted with the US Army Corps of Engineers to implement this project.
If you have any questions about this study you can contact the principal investigator of the
project, Eric Jessup (eric_jessup@wsu.edu) or the survey study director, Danna L. Moore (800833-0867, moored@wsu.edu)

Should we complete the questionnaire even if we don’t use the Mississippi River for
shipping?
It would be very helpful if you would answer the questionnaire even if you do not use the
Mississippi River for your shipping needs. The broad range of shipping options makes this study
important to understanding all the different shipping option in the region.
Did you send a questionnaire to our company earlier?
Yes. In June we sent questionnaires to businesses; the title “2017 Agricultural Shipper Needs
Survey: Upper Mississippi RiverSystem”. In August, we sent questionnaires to businesses; the
title “2006 Survey of Transportation Needs in the Midwest”.