Protocol

Commodity Flow & PHMSA
Hazardous Materials Data Collection
Discussion Guide for Company Visits
9/20/19
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Introduction:
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Thank you very much for your time. Let me start by telling you a little about what we will be
doing today. The Commodity Flow Survey provides detailed data on the movement of goods in
the United States, and the data are used to analyze trends, to forecast the demand of goods, and to
determine the need for associated infrastructure and equipment.
Today we’d like to get your feedback on whether you would be able to provide us with data
relating to the shipment of hazardous material (HAZMAT) and what the level of burden
associated with retrieving that data might be.
Any information you provide will be kept confidential.

Demographics:
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Titles/Roles of Interviewees:

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Years in Position:

Commodity Flow Survey:
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Can you describe your general process for filling out the Commodity Flow Survey?
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How many people were involved?

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How many reports/databases were referenced?

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What were the most burdensome/time consuming aspects?

About how long does gathering the data for the survey take?

PHMSA:
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What records do you keep that relate to hazardous material (HAZMAT)?
o In what format are these hazmat records kept? Are they available electronically, or paper
files? Both?
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What kind of HAZMAT is usually shipped at your establishment?
o Do you deal with bulk as well as non-bulk HAZMAT shipments?

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How easy or difficult would it be to report the type of HAZMAT within a shipment?
o Would you need to access additional databases/records apart from those you use to provide
CFS data, to provide us with these items?
 What are those records?
o Would you need to get assistance from others to provide us with these items?
 Who would you need assistance from?
 How would you contact them?
 How easy or difficult would it be to get assistance from them?
o How much time would it take for you to report type HAZMAT within a shipment?
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Do you have mixed HAZMAT shipments, wherein hazardous materials are put in with nonhazardous materials, or wherein different types of HAZMAT are put in the same package?
• How easy or difficult would it be to provide us with that level of detail?
Would there be anything proprietary/sensitive about providing that item-level data?

How easy or difficult would it be to report the type of packaging that the HAZMAT was shipped in?
o If we asked you to provide the UN packaging code, can you estimate what the additional
burden of retrieving this would be?
Would you need to access additional databases/records apart from those you use to provide
CFS data, to provide us with these items?
 What are those records?
o Would you need to get assistance from others to provide us with these items?
 Who would you need assistance from?
 How would you contact them?
 How easy or difficult would it be to get assistance from them?
o How much time would it take for you to report type of packaging that the HAZMAT was
shipped in?

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How easy or difficult would it be to report the volume of the items within a HAZMAT shipment?
o Would you need to access additional databases/records apart from those you use to provide
CFS data, to provide us with these items?
 What are those records?
o Would you need to get assistance from others to provide us with these items?
 Who would you need assistance from?
 How would you contact them?
 How easy or difficult would it be to get assistance from them?
o How much time would it take for you to report the volume of the items within a HAZMAT
shipment?

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How easy or difficult would it be to report the mode of transportation of the HAZMAT items?
o Would you need to access additional databases/records apart from those you use to provide
CFS data, to provide us with these items?
 What are those records?
o Would you need to get assistance from others to provide us with these items?
 Who would you need assistance from?
 How would you contact them?
 How easy or difficult would it be to get assistance from them?
o How much time would it take for you to report the mode of transportation of the HAZMAT
items?

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What level of detail are you able to provide regarding the destination of the HAZMAT shipment?
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How easy or difficult would it be to provide that data?
Would you need to access additional databases/records apart from those you use to provide
CFS data, to provide us with these items?
 What are those records?
How much time would it take for you to look up that information?
Would you need to get assistance from others to provide us with these items?
 Who would you need assistance from?
 How would you contact them?
 How easy or difficult would it be to get assistance from them?
How much time would it take for you to report the destination of the HAZMAT shipment?
Are you able to see what other locations or ports the shipment passed through?

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How consistently do you have access to this data? Does it ever vary based on the shipment method or
some other variable?

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How are these different data items formatted? Are they written out in text, or are these numerical
codes?
o Are they descriptions unique to your company and not easily understood?
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[If codes] Are these codes company specific?

Could you show us your records that have this information in them?
Considering these different variables we discussed (type, volume, mode of transport, location) if we
asked you to provide more detailed data relating to HAZMAT on the Commodity Flow Survey, can
you estimate what the additional burden of retrieving this would be?

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Wrap Up:
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We are almost finished. Do you have any other comments or suggestions for us?

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Thank you so much for your time today.

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