Telephone Reminder Script and FAQs

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 U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with control number 0710-0018 which expires 11/30/2019. The paper survey we sent to you earlier contains the complete privacy act statement including applicable authorities. Participation in the survey is completely voluntary, however your responses are important to the completeness and accuracy of this study. No personal information is requested and the responses you provide are combined with all other responses to help improve demand models associated with use of Corps of Engineers managed waterways.

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. Yes

2. No Thanks for your time. That’s all the information I need. (Code as I1)

3. 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. OK, send new questionnaire Check name and address. Update as necessary.

2. Already completed “Unfortunately we have not received your questionnaire. Can we send you a new one to fill out?”

3. Ok, I can send an email with a weblink and access code for you to complete the survey. Send

4. No Refusal

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

ELVA Ag Shipper Ohio 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 Ohio 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/AgShipper2019

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 Ohio 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 Ohio River System for shipping purposes, including the Ohio, Kentucky, Cumberland, Tennessee 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 (800- 833-0867, moored@wsu.edu)

Should we complete the questionnaire even if we don’t use the Ohio River for shipping?

It would be very helpful if you would answer the questionnaire even if you do not use the Ohio River system for your shipping needs. Note the Ohio River ”system” comprises the Ohio River, Kentucky River, Cumberland River, Tennessee River, and other tributaries.

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 “2019 Agricultural Shipper Transportation Needs Survey: Ohio River System”.