1. Safety Perceptions of Ridesharing Companies by Individuals with Visual Impairment

2. Overview Background Methods Findings Future research
Questions and answers
Contact information

3. Background Mobility can be a challenge for everyone
Visual impairment introduces unique challenges
Mode specific issues
Transportation Network Companies or TNCs offer an option

4. Background Safe-D University Transportation Center
Safety perceptions of TNCs by individuals with visual impairment

5. 5 specific research questions
Background
5 specific research questions

6. Methods Establish strategic partnerships Literature
Establish project panel
Literature
review li

7. Methods Data analysis Survey development and testing
Data collection and processing
Data analysis

8. TNC representative interviews
Methods
TNC representative interviews
Reporting

9. Results
Demographics 9

10. Results
10 Factors
Factors to assess safety of transportation modes

11. Results
Passengers
Passengers. Respondents that evaluated a mode as unsafe often mentioned a feeling of uneasiness around other passengers. Conversely, respondents that evaluated a mode as safe mentioned that the presence of other passengers made them feel safer. As such, presence or absence of passengers can both increase and decrease feelings of safety.

12. Results
Drivers
Drivers. Drivers that are poorly trained or were not good at recognizing riders who are visually impaired were mentioned as leading causes of feeling unsafe. Respondents that evaluated a mode as safe reported that well trained drivers put them at ease. Furthermore, this group felt safe because transportation service providers, TNCs or public transit agencies, perform due diligence with drivers by conducting driver background checks.

13. Results
Familiarity
Familiarity. Familiarity with services, familiarity with the system and/or familiarity with the driver were identified as significant factors that affect feelings of safety and security. A lack of familiarity can lead to an unsafe feeling.

14. Results
Technology
Technology. Among TNC users, the ability to use the TNC app to monitor a trip was seen as a factor that increased feelings of safety.

15. Pre or post trip activities
Results
Pre or post trip activities
Pre or post trip activities. The trip to or from a transit station was mentioned by respondents as a factor that affects their perception of safety. Additionally, waiting at a transit station for a public transit vehicle to arrive was also reported to make many people feel unsafe.

16. Results
Regulation
Regulation. Particularly among respondents that had not used TNCs in the last 60 days, lax TNC regulations led to a feeling of concern for safety.

17. Service Animals Results
Service Animals. For respondents with service animals, a cause for concern was how well their animal is accommodated. Many respondents with service animals reported lower quality of service or no service at all, because of the service animal.

18. Results
Vehicle
Vehicle. Several respondents, particularly those that had not used a TNC in the last 60days, stated that larger vehicles make them feel safer than when being transported in smaller passenger vehicles.

19. Results
Reputation
Reputation. Particularly among respondents that characterized TNCs and paratransit as being safe (despite not actually using these modes in the last 60 days), the reputation of a transportation service provided was a factor that can help establish a perception of safety.

20. Vulnerability Results
Vulnerability. Finally, many people reported that being disabled in and of itself was cause for a sense of feeling vulnerable and unsafe. As such, the extent to which a modal option either mitigates or exacerbates this feeling of vulnerability can be linked to perception of safety, or a lack thereof.

21. How safe or unsafe are TNCs relative to other modes
Results
How safe or unsafe are TNCs relative to other modes

22. Results What about TNCs make respondents feel safer or less safe
Relative to paratransit and transit

23. What TNC technology mitigates safety risk
Results
What TNC technology mitigates safety risk

24. Results
What TNC service addresses these issues best v ?

25. Future Research
What methodological improvements can be made?
What would motivate non users to use TNCs?
Can pooled service help lower the barrier?

26. Future Research What is the driver perspective?
Are newly implemented TNC policies working?
Some see a factor as enhancing safety. Others see the same factor as decreasing safety. Why?

27. Questions and Answers

28. Contact information
Chris Simek