Appendix B
Interview Guides

Interview with the MSAA Sites  –  Project Manager

Team and Site Information Review

1. Please confirm the site characteristics on the attached page, including the list of partners that we were able to ascertain from the proposal or the workshop presentation.  Are all of the partners still going to be part of the TMCC design process and in what capacity?  Have there been any changes?  [NOTE:  A Background Form was prepared for each site and sent to the interviewee.]
2. Are there any key partners/agencies not currently involved that need to be added?

Discussion Items

Project Partners Involvement

3. Have some or all of current partners worked together in past?  If so, how would you describe the success of those collaborative efforts?  Can you provide specific examples of previous collaborative efforts?
4. Among the partnering agencies, what type and level of support have they committed?  Were any formal commitment mechanisms used, such as a memorandum of understanding (MOU)?  Has the support been forthcoming so far?  If no, please explain.
5. Are consultants or vendors a part of your team?  Have any contractual or other issues arisen regarding private sector participation?  Is conflict of interest a potential concern with any private-sector participants and, if so, how will that be dealt with?

Broader Regional Stakeholder Involvement

6. In addition to the list of partners identified earlier, are there broader stakeholder groups or agencies that you would like to reach out to during this project?  Please describe.
7. Have you faced any challenges in getting such stakeholders involved?  Please describe.
8. Do you have plans to use processes/forums/groups is this project to maximize stakeholder involvement in the region?  If so, what are they and how do you plan to use them?  (e.g., organize a steering committee or subcommittees; hold periodic meetings; send a newsletter on progress.)  Please describe.
9. Have the goals and objectives for TMCC in the proposal been shared and discussed with all the regional stakeholders?
10. Will regional stakeholders have a role to play in influencing the TMCC design?  Please explain.
11. Are you including the end-users (including individual riders and groups representing the mobility challenged) in the design process and, if so, how?  (If not, why is that?)

Project Management

12. What is your and your team’s experience in program management? 
13. Have you established a schedule for the project, and, if so, may we obtain a copy?  How would you assess your success in meeting the schedule so far?
14. What do you think are the important capabilities required for this project and how have they been filled at your site?  (e.g., technical knowledge, institutional knowledge, facilitation skills, etc.)
15. How do you expect to measure progress on this project?
16. What are some of the challenges/concerns or hot issues in terms of project management at this stage?
17. Have you garnered support from senior-level management at agencies or other influential individuals (e.g., elected politicians) important to your project?  If so, what processes have you successfully used?

MSAA Program Collaboration

18. Did the information shared by other sites and discussions you may have had with representatives of other sites at the March 19-20 workshop provide any useful lessons for your project?  Please describe.
19. Have you been in touch with the federal liaison assigned to your site?  If so, how often, for what purpose, and have they been a benefit to the project so far?  In the future, how often and for what purpose do you expect to use the federal liaison?
20. Have you been in touch with the technical assistance team assigned to your site?  If so, how often, for what purpose, and have they been a benefit to the project so far?  In the future, how often and for what purpose do you expect to use the technical assistance team?

Other Comments

21. Do you have any additional comments or feedback that you would like to provide?

Interview Questions for the Transportation Representative

TMCC Goals and Objectives

1. Describe in your own words your vision for how your TMCC will affect transportation service delivery operations?  If you have a near-term and a long-term vision, please describe both.
2. The federal government has published a variety of research reports and guidance on coordination of human services transportation.  Are you familiar with any of these?  Have you found these helpful in developing your vision
3. What are the biggest challenges (operational, institutional, and technological) to coordination of transportation that you expect the TMCC to address?
4. From the standpoint of transportation providers in the region, are there any major transportation-related barriers to achieving a TMCC design?

Existing Linkages with Human Services and Transportation Providers

5. Are there existing operational linkages (shared vehicles, inter-jurisdictional trips, transfers, cost allocation, etc.) between transit agencies in the region?
6. To what extent have the Health and Human Service (HHS) agencies and transportation agencies in the regions worked together in past? 
7. Can you provide an example of past partnering efforts?  How would you describe the success of those past partnering efforts?
8. Have you included non-traditional transportation providers such as private providers, volunteer operations, faith-based organizations into TMCC design?  If so, please describe their existing role?  Do you expect their role to change in the future?

Stakeholder and Partners Involvement

9. What will your role be in the design of the TMCC?  In general, how many hours a week do you anticipate spending on this project? 
10. In addition to your time, is your agency committing other resources to this project? 
11. Do you expect other transportation providers in the area to contribute the TMCC design?

Interview Questions for the Health and Human Service Representative

TMCC Goals and Objectives

1. What is your agency’s current role in human service transportation?  For example, do you fund, plan, broker, and/or provide/deliver transportation services?
2. Describe your vision for how you expect your TMCC to improve health and human service operations?  If you have a near-term and a long-term vision, please describe both.
3. The federal government has published a variety of research reports and guidance on coordination of human services transportation.  Are you familiar with any of these?  Have you found these helpful in developing your vision? 
4. What are the biggest challenges (operational, institutional, and technological) to coordinated transportation that you expect the TMCC to address?
5. From the standpoint of health and human service organizations in your region, are there any major barriers to achieving a TMCC design?

Existing Linkages with Other HHS Agencies and Transportation Providers

6. To what extent have HHS agencies in your region worked together in the past to coordinate transportation? 
7. Can you provide any examples of past partnering efforts with transportation providers? How would you describe the success of past partnering efforts?

Stakeholder and Partners Involvement

8. What will your role be in the design of the TMCC?  In general, how many hours a week you anticipate spending on this project? 
9. In addition to your time, has your agency committed other resources to this project?
10. Do you expect other health and human service stakeholders in the area to contribute the TMCC design?

Interview Questions for the Technical and ITS Lead

Current Level of Technology Deployment

1. Do you have any prior working relationship with the project lead agency?  If so, please describe.
2. Based on information in the proposal and workshop presentation, we have assembled this list of current and planned ITS technology in the region.  Would you please verify or make corrections if necessary?  [Note:  A list of ITS technologies for each site was sent to the interviewee in advance of the interview.]
3. Besides transportation technologies, are there any significant systems or technologies used within the key health and human services partners?
4. How are you planning to assess and include legacy systems into the TMCC design?
5. What are some of the technological barriers that you expect to overcome during the course of this project?

Systems Engineering

6. Are you familiar with the National ITS Architecture and regional architecture? 
7. If so, have you already or do you plan to assess statewide or regional architectures and ITS deployments to see how the TMCC project can benefit?
8. Are you familiar with the ITS systems engineering process?  (It was discussed at the March workshop in DC.)  If so, how closely are you following the systems engineering process?  Please describe.
9. Have you begun any of the following, and if so please discuss:
   1. Assessing needs. 
      1. How are you going about that?
      2. Are these needs of riders, partner, others?
      3. If there are more needs than can be accommodated at the present time, how do you expect to decide on which needs to focus?  (i.e., how to prioritize needs?)
   2. Assessing technology alternatives.  How are you going about this? 

Interview Questions for the Transportation User

1. What type of transportation service do you use on a regular basis?
2. Do you have any difficulties or do you need assistance when you arrange for a trip?  Please explain.
3. Do you feel that your transportation needs are currently met in the region?  If not, please describe the challenges that you face
4. Do you ever assist others in using different types of transportation in the community?  Please explain?
5. Are there any major successes you have seen in your community regarding various types of transportation?  Please describe what works well from your standpoint in terms of a transportation trip.
6. Are you familiar with the concept of coordinated transportation? 
   1. If so, how will a coordinated transportation system benefit you and others in the community?
7. What aspects of coordination would you most like to have occur?
8. Are you familiar with [LEAD AGENCY FOR MSAA PROJECT]?
   1. Have you heard about a project they are leading to develop a Travel Management Coordination Center or TMCC in your region?
   2. If so, what would you say are the goals of that project?
   3. Do you expect to be involved in the project in some way?

Interview Questions for the User Group Representative

1. In what role do you participate in human service transportation in your region?  (e.g., represent mobility-challenged riders, plan trips for riders as part of your job function, etc.).
2. Are there any major successes you have seen in your community regarding human services transportation?  Please describe.
3. Does your community have any major challenges in fulfilling the transportation needs of individuals who have special transportation needs or difficulties in traveling?  Please explain.
   1. Have these challenges affected your role [defined in Q1]?  If so, please explain.
4. Are you familiar with the concept of coordinated transportation for the mobility-challenged? 
   1. If so, would a coordinated system benefit you in your role [defined in Q1] or the users you represent?
   2. What aspects of coordination would you most like to have occur?
5. Have you heard about a project in the region to develop a Travel Management Coordination Center or TMCC in your region? 
   1. If so, what would you say are the goals of that project?
   2. Do you expect to be involved in the project in some way?
   3. If so, how will you be involved and how much time do you expect to devote to the TMCC project? 
6. Have you previously been involved in efforts to coordinate human service transportation in your region?  How do you think the current efforts compare to these earlier activities?

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