Louisville, KY (February 2, 2018) – IQS Research, a custom market research and data analytics firm, announced today that two market research strategies it developed as part of its work with the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project have been recognized as national best practices by the Transportation Research Board, a program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
Specifically, IQS Research was recognized for its creative and effective work designing and implementing engagement strategies to reach hundreds of low-income and minority residents and leaders – known collectively as environmental justice (EJ) communities. The feedback from these populations informed the design of the Ohio River Bridges Project tolling policy.
According to Shawn Herbig, President & Founder of IQS Research, “We are delighted to receive this recognition for the critical role EJ research played as part of the much larger Ohio River Bridges Project. Underserved populations are often the hardest to reach to ensure that their views are represented since traditional forums and focus groups can be inconvenient due to work schedules, childcare challenges, etc. We had to be creative and decided instead to conduct on-site interviews at discount grocery stores and other neighborhood locations, offering gift cards for the same stores in return for their time. In addition, thanks to our partnership with DeVone Holt and the Urban Insight Agency, we were able to meet with and collect data from minority business leaders and business owners on both sides of the river in the specific geographies that were going to be impacted by the bridges and all in a very short period of time.”
The Transportation Research Board’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program reports received contributions from a number of organizations across the United States including Anne Morris and her staff who seek to engage traditionally underserved populations in transportation decision making. The two EJ reports in which IQS Research was recognized are entitled Environmental Justice Analyses When Considering Toll Implementation or Rate Changes and Assessing the Environmental Justice Effects of Toll Implementation or Rate Changes: Guidebook and Toolbox. According to the Transportation Research Board, the first report summarizes the technical research and presents the technical memorandum that documents the literature, existing case studies, resource documents, and other reports compiled. The guidebook and toolbox together provide an assessment framework and supporting tools to measure the impacts of tolling on such factors as mobility, access, and household expenditures, as well as tools to engage low-income and minority populations.
About IQS Research
Founded in 1999, IQS Research is a custom market research and data analytics firm. We provide precise and actionable insights about your employees, communities, customers and markets. We are the trusted partner that decision makers rely on, not just to answer questions, but to enable meaningful change. For more information, please visit www.iqsresearch.com.
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