INTERNSHIP REPORT
Towards Inclusive Mobility
Investigating the feasibility and usability of MobiMate: A Dutch perspective
Bouchra Mohamed
STUDENT NUMBER COMMISSIONING PARTY ECTS + COURSE CODE SPECIALIZATION 2509234 Vervoerregio Amsterdam 27 EC + AM_1120
DATE VU SUPERVISOR 10 jul. 2020 PhD A. Scheffelaar
ATHENA SCIENCE SHOP
Colophon Title: MobiMate; A Digital Platform for Inclusive Mobility Key words: Accessibility, Inclusive public transport, disabled people, people with a disability, public transport Word count: 14169 Author: B. Mohamed Commissioning organization: Vervoerregio Amsterdam VU supervisor: PhD. A. Scheffelaar On-site supervisor: C. Zandstra
February-June 2020 Course code: AM_1120
This internship report was established in cooperation with the Athena Science Shop.
Athena Institute Faculty of Science VU University Amsterdam De Boelelaan 1085 1081 HV Amsterdam The Netherlands
2 Executive Summary
Background. Many people with physical disabilities encounter difficulties while taking public transport. Therefore, it is pertinent to deal with such issues and to make public transport more accessible to them. An innovative digital platform, MobiMate, might help make public transport more inclusive for people with disabilities. MobiMate connects people in need of assistance with potential volunteers who can assist them during their travel journey. The research objective of this study was to offer Vervoerregio Amsterdam recommendations concerning the feasibility and usability of MobiMate in the Netherlands. In order to examine this, the perspectives of the stakeholders and their role in the implementation of the digital platform were investigated. The Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory (1995) that was used by Carter & Belanger (2004) has been utilized in this research. This conceptual framework explores the success and effectiveness of the innovative digital platform, MobiMate.
Methods. A qualitative research method has been chosen to gain in-depth insight into the perspectives of the stakeholders. The representatives were chosen using the purposive sampling. The 15 semi- structured interviews were conducted over phone and then transcribed. The data was analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding.
Results. Even though public transport is more accessible than it had been before, there still remains some difficulties, such as limited travel assistance and various applications that provide different information on accessibility. The digital platform MobiMate has a lot of benefits. For example, it removes the mental barrier of persons with a physical disability, because they can ask for assistance through a platform. Moreover, the persons with a physical disability can request assistance at any time. The latter was identified as essential during unforeseen situations such as when a train is cancelled. Some of the challenges that were reported were regarding the safety of the person with a disability, the digital complexity of the MobiMate and the uncertainty that a person in need will receive (proper) assistance. Most of the organizations seemed to have the same view on their role regarding the digital platform depending on their function in society. For example, some stakeholders are willing to introduce MobiMate to their audience, as well as offer their help during the pilot phase.
Discussion. Purposive sampling is an important strength of this study because it has provided a real in-depth view regarding the perspectives of the stakeholders and gave an overview of how and to what extent can MobiMate be implemented in Amsterdam. Additionally, the limitations of telephone interviews might be minimized because of the use of purposive sampling. Interviews should be held with every public transport company in the Netherlands in order to have reliable information about the feasibility and usability of MobiMate in a Dutch context and to investigate their role in achieving that. Further studies are required in order to examine which organizations would be held accountable if something goes wrong, and which ones would be responsible for financing and maintaining the digital platform.
Conclusion. It has been shown that MobiMate has advantages that aligns with the needs of the person with a physical disability if it is able to ensure the safety of the person in need and if it is able to provide (proper) assistance when needed. It is recommended to involve people with disabilities during every step of the development of the digital platform to properly understand their needs. It is also recommended to cooperate with other public transport organizations to achieve accessible mobility for all people with disabilities in the Netherlands.
3
Table of contents Introduction ...... 5 1 Contextual Background ...... 6 1.1 Laws, policies and regulations ...... 6 1.2 Current situation ...... 7 1.3 Disability in context ...... 8 1.4 Policy and Projects in Amsterdam ...... 8 1.5 MobiMate ...... 8 1.6 Stakeholders ...... 9 2 Theoretical Background ...... 11 2.1 Inclusive mobility ...... 11 2.2 Digital platform ...... 12 2.3 Framework 1: The Need Assessment Model ...... 13 2.4 Framework 2: Diffusion of Innovation Theory ...... 15 3 Conceptual Framework ...... 16 4 Methodology ...... 18 4.1 Research design ...... 18 4.2 Qualitaitive data-collection ...... 18 4.3 Participants ...... 18 4.4 Qualitative Data-analysis ...... 19 4.5 Research quality ...... 19 4.6 Ethical considerations ...... 19 4.7 Planning ...... 19 5 Results ...... 21 5.1 Current Inclusive Public Transport ...... 21 5.2 Relative Advantage...... 22 5.3 Compatibility ...... 24 5.4 Image ...... 26 6 Discussion ...... 28 6.1 Recommendations ...... 30 7 Conclusion ...... 31 8 References ...... 31 9 Appendix I Interview guide ...... 38 10 Appendix II ...... 41
4 Introduction
Communities are built around the theory of high mobility. In the Netherlands, 5.5 million people take public transport on a daily basis [V&W, 2010]. According to a study report of the Finnish Disability Forum, there is a shortage of inclusive transport in the European Union [Finnish Disability Forum, 2002]. This means that many people experience struggles and barriers while taking public transport. The Netherlands has around 2 million citizens with a physical disability [Rijksoverheid,2019]. It is of great importance that these citizens and visitors with physical ability can make use of public transport without facing difficulties.
In 2011 the Dutch government decreed that public transport should be accessible to disabled people who are self-reliant and can travel independently [Gemeente Amsterdam, 2018]. Despite the efforts, persons with a physical disability still frequently encounter difficulties while using public transport. These difficulties come in many different forms. According to research conducted by DTV Consultancy, some of the barriers are the mentality of the drivers, access to transport and the design of the busses. Persons with a disability are not sure whether the public transport to their destination is accessible or to what extent the surrounding area of a station includes hindrances. Due to these reasons, some persons with a disability are not able or are afraid to travel by public transport. [Rijksoverheid, 2019; Buijs, 2017]
The Dutch Institute for Health Services Research, has interviewed people with a physical disability, people with an intellectual disability and elderly. Their findings showed that 89% of the respondents do not take the public transport or rarely make use of it. 65% of the respondents have difficulty coming to the bus or station stop [van Hees, 2018]. Nowadays more people with a physical disability would like to travel by public transport. It may be that people are not yet sufficiently familiar with public transport [Rijksoverheid,2019b]. A new digital platform called MobiMate is a digital platform that aims to make public transport and public space more accessible for people with physical disabilities. The digital platform connects people in need of a helping hand with potential volunteers who make the same travel journey. This platform is expected to offer new opportunities to make the journey for persons with disabilities more convenient and public transport more inclusive [Schiffarth & Zandstra, 2019]. Amsterdam Municipality works in various ways to make public transport more accessible for all the users including people with disabilities [Gemeente Amsterdam, 2018].
To have an in-depth insight into the obstacles that this new digital platform might have and opportunities it might offer the views of different stakeholders will be investigated. In this study, the research objective is to give recommendations for Vervoerregio Amsterdam about the limitations and benefits of the digital platform that connects people in need of a helping hand with potential volunteers in order to make public transport more accessible by gaining insights into perspectives of different stakeholders on the feasibility, usability and the added value of the digital platform in a new context as the Netherlands.
The main research question of this study is: ‘How do Dutch stakeholders perceive the feasibility and usability of the digital platform aimed at making the public transport in the Netherlands more inclusive, and their own role in the implementation?’
5 1 Contextual Background
1.1 Laws, policies and regulations United Nations Regulations
In 2006 the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD). This convention is intended to alter approaches and attitudes towards persons with disabilities. It gives persons with all types of disabilities access and the right to have the same rights and opportunities on an equal basis with others by protecting, safeguarding and promoting their human rights. The fundamental principles in the Convention are full participation, accessibility, and personal autonomy [VN-verdrag, 2016; Verdrag inzake de rechten van personen met een handicap, 2006]. It also fosters respect for their dignity. Other guiding principles of the convention are:
• Equality between men and women; • Respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities; • Equality of opportunity; • Full and effective inclusion in society; • Non-discrimination; • Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity [Verdrag inzake de rechten van personen met een handicap, 2006].
The Convention obliges States Parties to take appropriate actions to achieve and to ensure that people with physical disabilities have access to all forms of public facilities and services including transport. Therefore, the states are obliged to identify which changes or adjustments have to be made and which obstacles and barriers have to be removed to have full and effective accessibility in for example, building, roads and transport. Article 20 of the Convention states that the States Parties must take actions to guarantee that persons with disabilities have personal mobility with the highest imaginable independence at affordable cost and at the time of their choice. According to the same article in the Convention, States Parties must manage the access to quality mobility aid, devices, and assistive technologies and encourage institutions who provide these services to take all kinds of disabilities into account. The convention clarifies that governments are pledged to work together with independent national human rights institutions, disabled people and their interest groups for the monitoring and implementation process. [VN-verdrag,2016; Verdrag inzake de rechten van personen met een handicap, 2006].
The Netherlands
By ratifying the UN Convention in 2016 the Dutch government has to take the fundamental principles into account when making policy and legislation. The institution ‘Het College voor de Rechten van de Mens’ is established to ensure that people’s rights are being protected and enforced in the Netherlands. This institution informs an UN Committee, which is established as the supervisor of the implementation of the Convention, to what extent the disabled people’s rights are being enforced [VN-verdrag, 2016]. A Dutch law called ‘WGBH/CZ’ states that it is prohibited to make a distinction between persons with physical disabilities or chronic illness and persons without disabilities. According to this act each individual must be enabled to be autonomous [Wet gelijke behandeling op grond van handicap of chronische ziekte, 2017]. The Social Support Act 2015 states that an individual has the right to obtain custom-made assistance when he or she receives inadequate through formal or informal help. Some of the basic principles of the Social Support Act 2015 are addressing the strength of the individuals and giving the individuals more control over their lives by
6 giving them the possibility to travel on their own [Wet Maatschappelijke Ondersteuning, 2015]. The government must ensure that private parties that provide services intended for the public, such as public transport, remove any obstacles and barriers that disabled people experience. To enhance the accessibility of public transport The Decision accessibility of public transport act was carried out [Besluit toegankelijkheid van het openbaar vervoer, 2011].
In 2018 the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) published a program called ‘Onbeperkt meedoen’. In this program it is mentioned that people with disabilities must be involved at all levels, from agenda-setting to implementation to make the Netherlands more accessible. The purpose of this program is to implement the CPRD. The aim of VWS is to give people with disabilities the right to participate in society. They want to achieve this by taking measures to ensure that people with disabilities experience noticeably fewer barriers. Regarding the public transport the program mentions that travelers with disabilities must use public transport more and that target group transport, a transport service for people who are not able to travel autonomously, must be improved. These changes require reliable and accessible information provision and more connection between public transport and target group transports [VWS,2018]. The government action plan ‘Iedereen onderweg’ composed by VWS and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (I&W) focuses on making public transport more accessible to persons with disabilities. The aim of the action plan is to support persons with disabilities to use public transport independently. The action plan explains in detail what changes can be made to make public transport more inclusive. Some of these changes are improving the travel and accessibility information, stimulating the customer-friendliness and encouraging the station and surrounding area to become more accessible. Another measure is making the target group transport and the public transport better aligned. By doing so travelers can switch easily from different forms of transport. These steps will encourage persons with disabilities to use public transport because it gives them the ability to choose freely without restrictions and more control over their transport options. [Rijksoverheid, 2019; College voor de rechten van de mens,2019]
1.2 Current situation According to a research done by the Dutch Institute for Health Services Research, only 54% of people with physical disabilities use public transport [Hees et al 2018]. Another research commissioned by the institution ‘Het College voor de Rechten van de Mens’ and conducted by DTV Consultancy, showed that 27% of the completed journeys of people in wheelchairs faced problems because of the design of public transport. 8% of people in a wheelchair were being denied access to transport. In more than half of the cases, this was due to a defective wheelchair board [Buijs, 2017]. Not only the design of the busses are the challenges that disabled people face but also the mentality of the drivers. In 7% of the completed journeys, the wheelchair user experienced problems with the treatment. In 14% of the cases in which the driver provided assistance, this assistance was experienced as inadequate [Buijs, 2017]. In some circumstances, disabled persons are forced to take a taxi to reach a certain station [Gemeente Amsterdam, 2018]. Therefore, it can be concluded that people with a disability are disadvantaged in public transport compared to non-disabled people. Public transport organizations are obligated to make their public transport, their buildings, public transport services, and infrastructure inclusive. These changes require awareness of various stakeholders like transport organizations, provinces and municipalities and require better cooperation between them to create policies to remove environmental barriers and make public transport inclusive [College voor de rechten van de mens, 2019].
7 1.3 Disability in context There are different kinds of disabilities. Some disabilities are visible, such as a person in a wheelchair or a person with a guide dog. Other disabilities are invisible, such as mild intellectual disability, dyslexia or autism. Article 1 of the UN convention states that ‘Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments, which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others’. The UN Convention deals with all disabilities and makes no distinction between them [VWS, 2018; Verdrag inzake de rechten van personen met een handicap, 2006]. To have a clear understanding of the various perspectives of different stakeholders regarding the use of the digital platform for people who need help, the target group of this research will be persons with physical disabilities. An Australian community organization that delivers services to people with disabilities since 1952 defines physical disability as a physical condition that affects a person’s, physical capacity, mobility or power of sustained exertion. This can include not only people with brain or spinal cord injuries but also people with audio and visual impairment [Achieve Australia, 2019]. In this report, the aforementioned definition will be used.
1.4 Policy and Projects in Amsterdam In this research the public transport organizations in Amsterdam will be interviewed. Therefore, in this section the policies and projects in Amsterdam will be explored. A report made by the public health service of Amsterdam indicated that 14% of the population in Amsterdam has a physical disability. The municipality of Amsterdam has sought to accomplish several policy goals to make public transport more inclusive. They invested money to make bus stops inclusive by making platforms barrier-free with guiding lines. The bus stops and tram stops are being raised in order to enable a level-entry entry. Also, tram stops and combined bus stops and tram stops were changed to be more accessible to physically disabled people. In 2018 about 444 stops, including junction stops, were accessible, which reaches only 75% of travelers. The accessibility of combined bus stops and tram stops turned out to be a complex task and therefore has not been accomplished. [Gemeente Amsterdam, 2018].
To make public transport easier for people with a physical disability few experiments were initiated by the municipality of Amsterdam. OV-coaching Amsterdam’, ‘GoOV-app’ and ‘Reisinformatie’ are some of these experimental programs. OV-coaching Amsterdam is an experiment that offers training wherein disabled people can learn how to use public transport on their own and arranges for a counselor during the journey. A digital application ‘GoOVapp’ has been created especially for people with cognitive impairment to accompany them during their journeys. The purpose of this app is to teach the users to use public transport independently. Furthermore, an experiment called ‘Reisinformatie’ investigates what information people with physical disabilities or visual impairments need about accessibility to have more self-confidence in themselves and eventually to take public transport more often. The results and points for improvement of the experiments will used as much as possible in the public transport system of Amsterdam and region [Gemeente Amsterdam 2018].
1.5 MobiMate Obstacles and barriers have a negative influence on inclusive transport. As mentioned earlier some travelers with disabilities point out that they no longer have the courage to use public transport and that public transport is often not suitable for traveling because of their disability [Buijs 2017; Hees et al 2018] Help from other travelers can be used by people in need to overcome barriers, and consequently use public transport [Rigg, 2007]. MobiMate, an innovative digital platform might erase some of the obstacles and might make public transport more inclusive. MobiMate was developed by the German railway company, Deutsche Bahn in Berlin. The digital platform connects persons with a disability, who want to use public transport with potential volunteers. These potential volunteers
8 can assist disabled people through the travel journey. This includes not only aid in public transport but also public space. The users of the digital platform can give feedback, which can be used to make public space and public transport more accessible. The innovation will make the individual with disability depend on social support of volunteers [Schiffarth & Zandstra, 2019]. This research will investigate if this platform is feasible for individuals with a physical disability. To assess whether MobiMate is likely to be feasible in a Dutch context, the various stakeholders that might be involved and play a role must be identified. In the next section, the stakeholders will be discussed.
1.6 Stakeholders In this research the stakeholders are divided in five actors and two groups; formal stakeholders and informal stakeholders. The two groups are distinguished based upon their position and authority. For example, formal stakeholders have a right to give orders and therefore have a high position and authority over other organizations.
Formal groups
The first actors concern the public transport companies, including GVB, NS and ProRail. GVB is a public transport company that provides the metro, tram, bus and the ferry across the IJ and North Sea Canal transport in and around Amsterdam. Daily around 875,000 people travel with GVB vehicles. Most of their vehicles are accessible by wheelchairs and strollers. But some scooters are still not allowed on GVB vehicles. On the website of GVB travelers can control whether a stop is accessible [GVB, 2019]. To improve the inclusiveness of public transport GVB provides in association with the client NGO ‘Cliëntenbelang’ a training called ‘Met Makke en Gemak in Mokum’. The aim of the training is to teach drivers and employers of the service team ‘Transport’ how to behave towards travelers with a disability and how to help them [GVB, 2020]. The NS are the Dutch rail network company and they are responsible for managing and operating more than 400 train stations and train station areas in the Netherlands [NS, 2020]. NS works together with the third stakeholder, ProRail, which is responsible for the maintenance and extensions of the national railway network infrastructure. It develops all kinds of necessary facilities to make train journeys disability- friendly. Accessibility of the regional railway is the responsibility of ProRail as well. Not only on the platforms but also around the stations ProRail provides measures to be accessible to physically disabled people [ProRail, 2020; Prorail, 2015]. The NS train stations are furnished with guidelines to the Service & Tickets Shop, to the ticket machines and to the check-in and check-out posts. The stations have gates with an extra-wide passage for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. A Braille pictogram is available at every check-in point or gate and an audio connection is available in the OV Service & Tickets Shops and at the information desks for people with an auditory impairment. Travelers with a visual impairment can order a free home version of a tactile station map of four Dutch train stations. These tactile maps are also provided at the service desk of the four train stations. Together with the client NGO ‘Oogvereniging’ and the Service & Tickets Shops, NS will determine if tactile maps will also be made for other train stations. Stations without service staff have Service and Alarm posts, which are on the platforms and can be used to ask for information constantly without disruption. Travelers who need assistance can request assistance from trained NS employees. Lastly, the new trains are disability-friendly and the existing trains are remodeled to be disability-friendly as much as possible [NS, 2020b; ProRail, 2015].
The second actors are the organizations who are the principals of those carriers. In this project, the clients are Vervoerregio Amsterdam, the ministry of I&W and the ministry of VWS. Vervoerregio Amsterdam provides concessions and is in charge of providing the subsidy to public transport organizations that operate in 15 municipalities including Amsterdam [Vervoerregio, 2019]. The Ministry of I&W is responsible for making new policies regarding public transport. They work with the ministry of VWS, multiple municipalities and various organizations. For example, the organization ProRail has given the responsibility to make all train stations in 2030 fully accessible for disabled
9 people [Rijksoverheid, 2018a]. The VWS launched a program called ’Onbeperkt meedoen’. In this program new targets for the accessibility of bus and tram stops and train stations have been set. For example, NS are obligated to buy only new trains that are accessible for persons with disabilities because persons with a walking frame or in a wheelchair must get in and out of the train without assistance [VWS, 2018].
The third type of actors are the municipality of Amsterdam and the association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG). The municipality has the responsibility for increasing the inclusiveness of public transport [Wet Maatschappelijke Ondersteuning, 2015]. Therefore, they play a huge role in making public transport and public space more physically, socially and digitally accessible. As mentioned earlier, the municipality funds projects and experiments and make policies to improve the accessibility of public transport. Their aim is to make public transport more inclusive by 2021[Gemeente Amsterdam, 2018]. Their policies and projects have been discussed in detail in the subsequent paragraph ‘Policy and Project in Amsterdam’. Another stakeholder is VNG, which operate with 25 municipalities to implement the UN-convention by translating national policy into municipal policy. They play a role in suggesting or passing on ideas to make transport in the Dutch cities more inclusive. On top of that they work with a various organization that act as an administrative partner to help spreading the initiatives more widely [VNG,2020; Rijksoverheid, 2018b].
The fourth actors are DOVA and CROW. DOVA partnership consists of the 12 Dutch provinces, the Amsterdam Transport Region, the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region and the Groningen Drenthe OV Office. They work on various topics for example current public transport data. Because of their service customers and travelers get access to current travel information through a digital platform on their smartphone or via displays at stops and stations. DOVA offers and maintain networks, provide professional advice and represent the public transport authorities where necessary [DOVA, 2020]. The second stakeholder CROW is an organization that ensures that infrastructure, public space, traffic and transport are well organized in the Netherlands. On top of that, CROW works together with the DOVA partnership on data and information, policy support and policy development [CROW,2020].
Informal groups
The fifth actors are organizations which represent organizations that provide assistance for persons who have physical disabilities. One of these stakeholders are Cliëntenbelang Amsterdam and Ieder(in). Cliëntenbelang Amsterdam's goal is to increase the participation of residents of Amsterdam with a disability and to make them control over their own lives as far as possible [Clientenbelang, 2020]. Ieder(in) is the largest umbrella organization in the Netherlands for people with a physical disability, intellectual disability or chronic illness. The organization strives to accomplish inclusive transport and their views and goals are based on the UN convention [Iederin, 2020]. The stakeholders Transvision and Qarin are both mobility companies that provide assistance for people in need. Transvision is an organization that provides special transport for people who need assistance while traveling. Qarin is an innovative company that makes existing services more accessible. In order to give every person the possibility to use public transport [Transvision, 2020; Qarin, 2020].
The sixth actor and last stakeholder is NEN. NEN is an organization that connects parties and stakeholders. It ensures that these groups reach agreements that are defined by standards and guidelines [NEN,2020].
10 2 Theoretical Background
The aim of the ratification of the UN-convention on disabilities is to increase the social inclusion of people with a physical disability [VWS, 2018]. This research focuses on a digital platform that might enhance inclusive mobility for people with a physical disability. This chapter will explore the concept of inclusive mobility, the role of a digital platform on the lives of people with disability and the two frameworks; The need assessment model and the diffusion of innovation theory.
2.1 Inclusive mobility “Inclusive mobility is part of a set of political priorities defined by various European countries to refer to the social aspect of transport or daily mobility policies” [Gallez & Motte-Baumvol, 2017]. Inclusive mobility points out to the difficulties of transport and Mobility is defined as the difficulty to access a destination and can be considered as a requirement for participation in "modern life" [Gallez & Motte- Baumvol, 2017; Hernandez, 2018]. Inclusive transport means that all travelers irrespective of a person's abilities or age should have accessible transport [Martens, 2018]. Inclusive mobility and transport-related social inclusion involves the complex relationship between accessibility and achieving the desired level of participation in society. Studies show that, on average, people with disabilities participate less in society than people without disabilities and a lack of access to social opportunities can cause social exclusion [VWS, 2018; Preston & Rajé, 2007]. Another study analyzed the relation of access to public transport with the daily lifestyle of the public and discovered how transport barriers contributes to social exclusion [Mackett & Thoreau, 2015]. Other studies in the UK and Australia linked social exclusion to a lack of access to social opportunities as well [Kenyon and Lyons, 2003; Currie et al.,2008].
Research on social exclusion emphasizes the outcomes of transport deprivation rather than the processes leading to it [Titheridge et al., 2014]. Transport-related social exclusion can be defined as “the process by which people are prevented from participating in society because of reduced accessibility to opportunities, services and social networks as a result of an environment built around the assumption of high mobility and due to whole or in part to insufficient mobility in a society” [Kenyon et al., 2002; Farrington,2007; Farrington & Farrington, 2005]. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that people who experience public transport as accessible also experience less social exclusion [Hui & Habib, 2014]. Persons with a physical disability will have the ability to travel, to attend social activities and to visit worksites, educational institutions, and health facilities. Access to employment, education and health services and an increase in their social networks will elevate their self-confidence and wellbeing [Steinfield et al., 2010; Oishi, 2010; Musselwhite, 2018].
In order to improve inclusive public transport systems perceived accessibility needs to be taken into consideration. According to Lättman, perceived accessibility can be explained as in terms of “how easy it is to live a satisfactory life with the help of the transport system” [Lättman, 2018]. Perceived accessibility is essential since it reflects a person’s perceived ability to arrive at places and to take part in desired activities, which are independent choices. Travelers stated that if perceived accessibility is taking into consideration in transport planning and evaluation, services can be assigned where they are most needed. Therefore, it is essential to comprehend the factors driving perceived accessibility [Lättman, Olsson & Friman, 2017; Lättman, 2018]. The improvements of factors such as safety increase the perceived accessibility and therefore it gives the traveler the ability to choose which transport he or she wants to use and it creates a comfortable life [Lättman, Frimann & Olsson, 2016]. Thus, inclusion means understanding and addressing the diverse needs of the other and accepting the differences between people.
To be able to give broad view about the limitations regarding the digital platform in the public transport of Amsterdam, in this study the definition of inclusive mobility is defined as ‘‘using the local
11 public transport independently with perceived accessibility of public transport services, and equal treatment when using public transport’’ [Giddens, 1991; Burton & Mitchell, 2006; Martens, 2018].
2.2 Digital platform Digital platform is an electronic tool for communication that includes social, email and mobile software. [Ayodeji, Tella, Famuyiwa & Onyebinama, 2020]. It relies on “matching supply and demand more efficiently, using technology to reduce the transaction costs involved in acquiring goods or services from the people able to provide them” [Coyle, 2015]. In this section the strengths, the opportunities and the possible challenges of digital platforms will be discussed.
Strengths and opportunities of a digital platform
Digital platform can be portrayed as a facilitator for social inclusion and might be a useful tool to enhance inclusive mobility, since it provides for the delivery of real-time services, which makes traveling, working, performing social activities and interacting with the community possible for individuals [Brunner, 2017; Van der Heiden, 2006]. A European Disability report points out that digital technologies can be seen as one of the most important factors that can be applied to improve and to support social inclusion. On top of that, it can increase people’s quality of life and it can contribute to reducing existing social gaps [European Union, 2016].
Persons with vision impairment stated that travelling alone is very stressful. For example, when changing buses there is usually no automatic help for transferring so the person has to keep asking for help. To avoid this circumstance and more unpleasant circumstances personal aid or human contact from a traveler would be very useful [Gallagher, Hart, O’Brien, Stevenson & Jackson, 2011]. According to Liang et al (2019) access to information and human contact are important factors that have a positive influence on inclusive mobility in public transport. The development of digital platforms that provides accurate travel information for people with a physical disability might be a way to improve the access of public transport. Many studies showed that social support improves wellbeing and health [Liang et al.,2019]. Thus, a digital platform that makes it possible for persons with disability to receive personal aid and social support from potential volunteers might have positive effects on persons with a disability. Not only social support from individuals but also social support from groups or the so-called special interest groups have a positive impact. It provides interpersonal relationships and volunteers with various kinds of emotional, informative and material support. It also provides greater harmony with the shared norms of each group regarding needs expression and help seeking; greater flexibility to provide support comparing to the formal services; greater adaptability to individuals’ needs, as a result of the knowledge that emerges in interpersonal relationships [Hernández-Plaza, Muñoz, & Alonso-Morillejo, 2004].
Possible challenges
As mentioned before Liang et al. (2019) describes human contact as one of essential factors that have huge influence on inclusive mobility in public transport. In the digital platform potential volunteers can be strangers. The use of strangers as potential volunteers has possible side effects and might have a negative consequence on vulnerable people. For example, some people with no knowledge of people with a disability might behave in a particular negative way or have a negative attitude towards people with a disability. Despite the fact that the strangers without disabilities might have good intentions, the encounters are humiliating or infantilizing towards people with a disability. Because of the disturbing questions these people receive from strangers without a disability. Communicating with strangers without disability can be a source of ongoing stress and uncomfortability for people with a disability [Olkin, 2017; Liang et al., 2019]. A research conducted by Gallagher et al. (2011) states that persons with disability expressed that the public transport staff have a lack of understanding of disability and were not helpful and rude. Disabled people believe that society needs to be aware and knowledgeable about their needs and abilities [Gallagher et al.
12 2011]. Moreover, it has been indicated that human contact improves when people know about the activities through which they are going to help disabled persons in using public transport [Endsley & Garland, 2000]. Thus, awareness plays an essential role in making a digital platform a tool to enhance inclusive mobility. An aspect that has to be discussed regarding the use of digital platform is the safety of the user. Because people with disabilities can encounter deception and harm on digital platforms [Bowker & Tuffin, 2002].
Another point that has to be mentioned is that the use of digital platform requires text messaging. This may lead to problems for some people, who have literacy difficulties [Vázquez, Sexto, Rocha & Aguilera, 2016]. To make use of digital platforms it is a requirement to have a smartphone and Internet. Only 45,04% of the world’s population owns a smartphone [Turner, 2020]. Some people simply may not like using mobile phones or do not know how to access the Internet via a smartphone. On top of that some people do not use Internet on their smart phones because Internet cost is too high [Proudfoot et al.,2010] All these people are digitally excluded and will not make use of the digital platform.
Several different information technologies have been used to develop applications for people with a disability. Only a few empirical studies have been conducted into examining the technology trends used to develop applications for people with a disability. To provide insight into barriers of digital platforms for people with a disability more empirical studies should be conducted [Manzoor & Vimarlund, 2018]
In order to optimize the service of the digital platform, it is necessary to gain knowledge about the specific persons’ needs and demands regarding the digital platform. Involving all actors including the stakeholders to improve inclusive public transport is important to fulfill the specific needs and demands of the travelers and thereby improve inclusiveness.
2.3 Framework 1: The Need Assessment Model In this research the needs of the potential users and their opinions about the digital platform will be assessed. Therefore, the question is how can stakeholders answer the existing needs of the people through this platform.
To evaluate the ability of different organizations to satisfy existing needs of users Hernández-Plaza et al. (2004) has developed a need assessment model consisting of two elements (figure 1). The two elements in the need assessment model are (1) description and prioritization of needs; and (2) analysis of possible resources and solutions for identified needs. The latter component is focused on the analysis of formal support and informal support. Formal support is provided by different kinds of institutions, through the implementation of programs and services. The informal support comes from the informal (social) networks and these networks are the interest groups. The need assessment model is divided in three phases: needs assessment planning, needs analysis and social resources analysis (see Figure 1) [Hernández-Plaza et al.,2004]. These 3 phases will be explained in the next paragraphs.
13 Fig 1. The Need Assessment Model [Hernández-Plaza et al.,2004].
Phase 1: Needs assessment planning
In phase 1 the development of a needs assessment plan and the communication with the target population whose needs will be assessed takes place. According to Hernández-Plaza et al. planning covers several steps. Firstly, the objectives must be defined to indicate the needs. Secondly, the target population must be identified such as their geographical area. Furthermore, general information about the area is needed to have a clear starting point [Hernández-Plaza et al. 2004].
Phase 2: Needs Analysis
In the research of Hernández et al. (2004) the needs analysis focuses on identifying and describing the needs of the target population and prioritizing them once they are described. To gain in-depth information about the needs in-depth interviews or focused groups are suggested as the best tool to analyze individuals’ perceptions, opinions and subjective valuations. To get access to a large number of individuals surveys and structured interviews can be used. It is also necessary to consult other researches to gain more insight and to get well founded information about the existing needs [Hernández-Plaza et al. 2004].
Phase 3: Social resources analysis
The third phase focuses on the analysis of social resources for needs satisfaction. In the model the social resources consist of two systems; the formal and informal social resources. Analysis of the formal support system can be done by identifying the organizations that provides services and by describing these services. The informal support system can be analyzed in social network structure. The social network structure should be done by exploring social relationship within the society that can be represented as a source of assistance[Hernández-Plaza et al. 2004]. Furthermore, this framework can be used in this research.
14 2.4 Framework 2: Diffusion of Innovation Theory In this research the digital platform is an innovation. Literature research on the topic of adopting an innovation has led to Rogers’ (1995) Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI). This theory is used frequently in information systems research to explain user adoption of technological innovations. Diffusion refers to “the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social society’’ [Sahin, 2006]. According to Moore & Benbasat (1991) eight components can impact the diffusion of an innovation. These components are relative advantage, compatibility, image, volunatiness, ease of use, visibility, trialability, ease of use and result demonstrability. Tornatzky and Klein (1982) suggest that relative advantage, compatibility, and ease of use are the most relevant constructs to adoption research. Carter and Bélanger (2004) have adopted the DOI model to study the citizens’ adoption of e-government services. They used the impact of relative advantage, compatibility, ease of use and image, on the intention of citizens to use e-government services to estimate the adoption. The findings of their study show that higher levels of relative advantage, compatibility and image are significantly associated with an increased intention to adopt e-government services (figure 2).The quality of these three separate components determines the success and effectiveness of an innovation [Carter & Belanger, 2004].
Fig 2. Diffusion of Innovation Theory [Carter & Belanger, 2004].
15 3 Conceptual Framework
This section explains how the frameworks discussed in theoretical background are applied to this research and which concepts are derived from the chosen conceptual framework. In this research the DOI theory will be used as a conceptual framework for discovering whether this platform is feasible, usable and has added-value for various stakeholders as it provides insights into their perspectives.
The need assessment model can be seen as a helpful tool to understand the process of the data collection and the steps of this research. For example, phase 1 of the need assessment model mentions that the communities whose needs will be evaluated and the geographical area identified must be specified and identified. These two points are identified and can be found in the contextual and theoretical background of this report. Additionally, the general information mentioned in phase 1 can be seen as the policies and regulations. Because of these policies and regulations various projects can be developed or implemented. The general information has been mentioned in the contextual background. Phase 2 of the need assessment model, can be applied on this research. By analyzing the views of the stakeholders insight can be gained into the possibilities and barriers of implementing the digital platform
Phase 3 focuses on the social resources, which can be divided into two categories: The formal and the informal stakeholders. This report investigates to what extent the formal and informal stakeholders dedicate themselves to people who face problems in public transport. And what kind of projects and services they have to achieve inclusive mobility. Both groups are analyzed and discussed in the contextual framework.
The DOI theory gives a deep insight of the perspectives of the different stakeholders regarding the digital platform. Because of the three components of the DOI theory: relative advantage, compatibility and image. The sub-questions of this research will be derived from these three components since they have the essential importance of intentions to use (Figure 2) [Carter & Belanger, 2004]. They give a clear indication of how stakeholders can be influenced and how that can have an effect on inclusive mobility through the innovative digital platform. Thus, one sub-question will arise from each of the three components of the DOI theory and from one-sub question interview questions will be made for the different stakeholders. By asking the right question, it provides a complete overview of perspectives on the issue of inclusive mobility through this digital platform. The next section will define the three components and the derived sub questions.
Relative advantage
Relative advantage can be defined as the degree to which this digital platform will be better than other services [Carter & Belanger, 2004]. It gives an insight into the added value of the innovation by comparing it with the other experiments and by all other services that are being currently available such as NS Travel Assistance. The target groups in this research are the stakeholders mentioned in the contextual background. By discussing the different outcomes that can be perceived like the usage of volunteers or volunteers for assistance and the availability of the service (individuals who need this service can use it 24 hours a day, seven days a week) the stakeholders can recognize the advantages of this platform. Similarly, the potential disadvantages and challenges of the digital platform will be explored in detail, to give a comprehensive overview of the relative advantage of the digital platform. The challenges that must be taken into account are e.g. the safety of the user, the behavior of the help giver towards persons with a physical disability and the importance of having a smartphone with Internet [Bowker & Tuffin, 2002; Olkin, 2017; Proudfoot et al.,2010]. A high level of relative advantage increases stakeholders’ intentions to realize this platform [Carter & Belanger, 2004]. The first sub question related to the component relative advantage is ‘What are the perspectives of the stakeholders regarding the relative advantages of the platform?’
16 Compatibility
The component compatibility refers to the extent to which an innovation is seen to be consistent with the existing values, experiences and needs of the public [Carter & Belanger, 2004]. To determine the compatibility of the digital platform the first issue is to explore the existing values, needs and past experiences of the potential users. If the digital platform is not compatible with the mentioned factors the potential users will not use the platform. In this research the added-value of the digital platform for stakeholders will be investigated. If the digital platform is not compatible with their past experiences of the stakeholders, it may be difficult to promote the innovation. Or each stakeholder can have different values. As a result of their values they can influence the degree to which this innovation will be used or even be implemented [Rogers, 2010]. For example, a research about the adoption of an e-Government platform indicated that citizens who consider being compatible with their value, lifestyle and needs express a high level of compatibility. In the context of the digital platform, it can be expected that the similarity of this relationship remains the same with this research [Carter & Belanger, 2004]. For this reason, it is useful to explore the different perspectives of the stakeholders based on these four concepts: values, experiences, and needs. The sub question is as follows:
‘To what extent are the values, experiences and needs of the different stakeholders compatible with MobiMate?’.’
Image
In this framework, the component image can be defined as the “degree to which the use of the innovation is seen as enhancing an individual’s image or social status” [Carter & Belanger, 2004]. Rogers stated that the desire to gain social status is one of the most important motivations for almost any individual to adopt an innovation. Because the digital platform might influence the image of the stakeholders positively [Moore & Benbasat, 1991]. Furthermore, it can have a positive effect on inclusive mobility because the organizations will inform the people in need of this platform about this new service. Therefore, they might contribute to the implementation of MobiMate. The sub question can be defined as following:
‘To what extent might the digital platform influence the social status of different stakeholders and what role can different stakeholders play in the implementation of MobiMate?’
17 4 Methodology
In this section, the methodology of the research will be explained and justified.
4.1 Research design This research will explore what added-value the digital platform has for several organizations in Amsterdam and to what extent it is feasible and usable. The qualitative research design has been chosen to gain insight into the current perceptions and perspectives of different stakeholders. Because qualitative research provides an understanding of the underlying opinions and perspectives which suits the research objective [Verschuren, Doorewaard & Mellion, 2010; Cohen, 2006]. As a result of the data gathered in this report recommendations can be made.
4.2 Qualitaitive data-collection The qualitative data was collected by semi-structured interviews. This approach was used to get insight into the perspectives of the different stakeholders regarding the digital platform. The semi- structured interview method creates not only a deep understanding of the stakeholder’s view but it also gives the stakeholder freedom to express suggestions [Verschuren, Doorewaard & Mellion, 2010; Cohen, 2006]. Semi-structured interviews have disadvantages as well. For example, the interviewer unintentionally might guide the interviewee in a certain direction. This disadvantage can be reduced if the interviewer is aware of the negative consequence [Opdenakker, 2006]. Face-to- face interviews were due to circumstances not possible. Therefore, the interviews are conducted by telephone [Gray, 2014]. The interview guide can be found in Appendix I.
4.3 Participants The outcome of qualitative research provides insight into the variety of perspectives of the stakeholders. Selecting the right representative that reflects the characteristics of the stakeholder is extremely important. For this reason, the purposeful sampling technique has been used. This technique identifies and selects persons that are aware of the phenomenon of interest [Gray, 2014; Palinkas et al., 2015]. The stakeholders that are going to be interviewed are shown in table 1.
Table 1: Stakeholders.
Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
Municipality of Amsterdam and VNG
Vervoerregio Amsterdam
ProRail, NS, GVB
DOVA, CROW
Ieder(in), Cliëntenbelang
NEN
Qarin, Transvision
18 4.4 Qualitative Data-analysis To analyse the data from the interviews, all the interviews will be transcribed from spoken words to written content. The written content will then be analyzed iteratively and transcribed into categories or codes. Each code represents an important aspect of the interview. The coding consists of three steps: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. During the process of open coding, the raw data is collected and analyzed. The purpose of open coding is to break down the data into segments in order to compare, examine, conceptualize and categorize them [Belgrave & Seide, 2019]. In the axial coding, different categories are linked to their subcategories according to their dimensions and properties. Selective coding is the last part of the coding process. During this process, the theory will be integrated and refined. At this moment the core categories become clear and the concepts and their connection to the theory will emerge. Codes are developed into a coding structure, providing guidance for when and how to use these codes. Coding saturation is reached when there are no more codes emerging. Citations from the participant will be used in the text to support the analysis and findings of this research. Furthermore, the internal validity of the research increases when using citations [Gray, 2014].
4.5 Research quality To ensure the quality of the research some points should be evaluated. This can be done through a variety of means. In this section, the research quality of the qualitative data will be discussed.
It is advised to establish contact before conducting telephone interviews and to start the interview with a brief prepared script to introduce the aim of the research without creating bias. This ensures a stronger relationship of trust [Carr & Worth, 2001; Burke & Miller, 2011; Flynn et al., 2003]. Member checking can be done to ensure the quality of qualitative research. Member checking means that the researcher restates, summarizes, or paraphrases the information received from the interviewee to guarantee that what was heard was understood well. This is an important aspect that adds accuracy to the findings [Flynn et al., 2003]. Reducing researcher bias will be done by creating an interview guide and recording and transcribing all interviews [Shenton, 2004; Gray, 2014]. Interview guide will ensure consistency because the same topics will be discussed. This will ensure high reliability and internal validity as well [Gray, 2014].
4.6 Ethical considerations Ethical considerations should be taken into account while performing quantitative research. Some important ethical considerations in this research are assuring anonymity and using informed consent. In this research, only the names of the organization are shown. In this way, anonymity is assured and the privacy of the interviewees is protected. Besides, to ensure confidentiality the data was only used in this research and will not be shared with others. The informed consent informs the participants that they have the rights not to participate during all stages of the study. It also mentions that the data of the interviewee will be protected and only be accessible for Vervoer Regio Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam and the student researcher of the VU Amsterdam. Before the start of the interviews, the interviewer asked the interviewee if they signed the informed consent. The informed consent form can be found in Appendix II [Gray, 2014].
4.7 Planning After sending the invitation to the participants. Participants will have approximately 2 weeks to respond. If they do not respond after two weeks a reminder will be sent. And if a participant does not respond to the reminder within 5 working days, the participant will be contacted via telephone. Transcribing the interviews will be done after every interview. When all interviews are transcribed, coding will be initiated and themes will be developed throughout the data analyses. The last weeks will be focused on the data collection, analyses and writing of the research report. Table 2 shows the working schedule.
19
Table 2. Working schedule
WEEK 16-18 18-22 22+23 23-26
TASKS
Participant recruitment
Data collection: Interviews
Data transcription: Interviews
Data coding: Interviews
Data analysis: Interviews
Results analysis
Study write up
20 5 Results
In this section, the results of the interviews are presented, which is structured as follows: Current inclusive transport, relative advantage, compatibility and image. In each section, differences and similarities in the perspectives of the stakeholders are discussed. All the interviews were linked to a number; see table 3 below.
Table 3. Overview of interviewee- and reference numbers. Function interviewee + Name Stakeholder Number
Project manager of a railway infrastructure company 1
Project manager of a railway company 2 Policy maker of a principal public transport 3
Consultant of a nonprofit-organization (NPO) 4
Project manager of a governmental institution 5
Policy maker of a client NGO 6
Program manager of an NPO 7
Product owner of a mobility company 8
Director of a mobility company 9
Policy coordinator of an NPO 10
Project maker of a governmental institution 11
Policy maker of a client NGO 12
Policy maker of a governmental institution 13
Coordinator of a public transport company 14
Trainer of a public transport company 15
5.1 Current Inclusive Public Transport In this section inclusive public transport is discussed to understand the current situation. All of the interviewees indicated that public transport is currently more accessible than it had been before. For example, in Amsterdam, many metros, busses and trams have low-floor entry, which makes boarding easier, as stated by the representative of a principal public transport. The representative of a railway infrastructure company stated that in the last 5 years, trains have become more accessible. Railway infrastructure company ensures that the train platforms are at the correct height and that NS adjusts the trains in order to make them wheelchair-accessible. The representative of a railway company stated:
“ProRail has installed a structure at the train stations so that when people with a visual impairment arrives at the station, they can independently find their way to the train.” 2
21 Nonetheless, most interviewees stated that changes need to be done to improve accessibility. Regarding trains, the representative of a governmental institution noted that the travel assistance service offered by NS makes individuals dependent on the help of others and that if assistance is delayed, persons in need will miss their train. The representative also indicated the limited travel assistance available during large events, for example, when a large number of people with wheelchairs need support to use the train.
Concerning the accessibility of metros, busses, and trams in Amsterdam, the representative of a client NGO stated that some stops are still not accessible and metro stations have not been designed to be user-friendly toward those with a disability. A representative of a public transport company stated:
“Amsterdam is a difficult city for people with a disability. This is partly because we have outdated equipment that is less accessible and we have a city like Amsterdam itself that has a limited space, which means that stops cannot be made accessible.”14
One interviewee argued that all regional transport organizations should work together at the national level instead of having different agendas regarding the accessibility of public transport. As for the current travel information, most of the interviewees mentioned the same issues concerning travel information apps. They all stated that various information apps provide different information on departure times and accessibility. The representative of a principal public transport believes that a solution to this problem is to develop one digital platform:
“One platform where I can see in one glance where I am, where I need to go and if the journey is accessible enough.” 3
The representative of a client NPO mentioned that to enhance accessibility persons with a disability should be asked what difficulties they encounter and what could or/and should be improved.
5.2 Relative Advantage. Relative advantage is one of the concepts that is mentioned in the conceptual model of this report. The concept leads to two topics: The advantages of the digital platform and the challenges it might face when using it.
Advantages Interviewees stated that the digital platform has relative advantages for the users. For example, it raises awareness about the fact that people with a disability can independently use public transport with a little aid from the rest of society. Through this platform, people with disabilities will be able to travel like other people without disabilities and this contributes to achieving the objectives of the UN CRPD, as reported by the representative of a governmental institution. Other interviewees stated that the digital platform has a relative advantage for people who travel frequently and need help in specific locations. Specific locations are, for example, metro stations in Amsterdam stated a representative of an NPO, who additionally explains:
“You often have various exits (in metro stations) and they are sometimes difficult to find, especially for people with a visual impairment. Of course, if someone can help with that, it makes a big difference.” 7
According to a representative of a client NGO, this service provides people with a disability with the opportunity to learn new travel routes. Other interviewees indicated that the digital platform will also be of value to people with a disability who do not use public transport often. People with disabilities
22 find it difficult to ask for help from strangers. Therefore, this platform could aid people with disabilities by enabling them to ask for help via the digital platform.
The representative of a client NGO believes that connecting travelers without a disability with people with a disability has a social function because users will get to know each other and will travel together. Unlike professional assistants whose job is to help the person in need. Thus, the social aspect of the digital platform can be considered as a relative advantage. If a traveler needs assistance in using the train, he or she will have to request the required help earlier. In practice, this is not feasible because the journey of a traveler often turns out differently than planned, said the representatives of a public transport company and a NPO, such as when a train is canceled or the travel journey has changed. According to some interviewees, this digital platform would be very helpful during these situations because people can immediately ask for help. The representative of a governmental institution mentioned that if people choose to travel independently instead of using the target group transport, this would be interesting for the municipality:
“'No social workers from the municipality are needed anymore because people can travel independently instead of using the target group transport.” 5
This means that if regular public transport is accessible, the municipality could save money because the municipality arranges target group transport for a large group with disabilities, she explains. However, even if all the physical barriers are removed and the professional assistance service is no longer required, a group of people who have disabilities will still need help, stated some interviewees.
Disadvantages After exploring the relative advantages of the digital platform, the disadvantages were also discussed. Some disadvantages can be seen as barriers to use the digital platform. The safety of a person with a disability is an important point that has been mentioned by several interviewees. The question frequently raised was ‘how can the safety of the person in need be guaranteed?’. People with a disability are a vulnerable group, therefore they should be protected from exploitation. A representative of a railway infrastructure company stated that it can ‘create concerns’ when one does not know whether the person who will help them has sincere motives. He added: “You have to remove concerns otherwise the digital platform will not be used.” 1
A representative of a public transport company stated:
“Trusting people is the major challenge”.15
The platform might not be a good system for more vulnerable people. This is because these people might not have the ability to verbally express themselves clearly if they are being mistreated, stated a representative of governmental institution. Most interviewees agreed that not every traveler should just sign up as a potential volunteer to provide help to others. Some interviewees expressed that the volunteers must be ‘screened’ to ensure they are trustworthy people. A representative from a mobility company further added that one option could be that the service requests that potential volunteers should provide a certificate of conduct. However, some interviewees indicated that they assume that volunteers who sign up for this platform can already be considered trustworthy and sincere because they want to help people in need. A representative of a governmental institution added that a person in need will not encounter any harm if the assistance takes place in a public and open area, where many people are present.
A crucial point that has been mentioned by several interviewees is the digital complexity of the platform, as it should be easily accessible to people with disabilities. For example, the representative of a client NGO stated that a large group of people with a disability from his organization cannot use
23 the platform because they do not have digital skills. A few interviewees further mentioned that some people who do not have a smartphone will not be able to use this service. Hence, the representative of a principal public transport indicated that such people will be excluded, which goes against the idea of making public transport accessible to as many people as possible. Moreover, people who do not have digital skills will have more trouble creating an account, which was mentioned by the representative of a NPO. On the other hand, the director of a mobility company mentioned that most people have smartphones nowadays. Thus, as long as the platform is simple and the person in need realizes the added value of the platform, he or she is likely willing to read the user manual and make use of the digital platform. Furthermore, another factor mentioned was the use of the digital platform in sparsely populated areas where the supply and demand are very low due to the increasingly low population. Therefore, some interviewees stated the digital platform may not be usable in these areas.
5.3 Compatibility The compatibility of the digital platform with the existing values, needs, and experiences contributes to the intention to use the digital platform. Therefore, the following sub-sections discusses these points.
Stakeholders It is essential that the digital platform does not conflict with the value of the stakeholders and the needs of the users. For example, some interviewees stated that they consider the digital platform a nice addition to other services but in their views, it should never replace other services. The representative of an client NGO stated:
“The platform might delay future plans because transport organizations might say: At this moment we found an alternative that makes public transport inclusive.” 6
In addition to that, the representative stated that every municipality and public transport company needs to make every public transport accessible so that there will be no need for the digital platform. Moreover, it should be the choice of the person with a disability whether he wants to use the platform or not. Most interviewees agreed that it is beneficial if there are people in society who want to assist others in need, indicating that the platform aligns with the social responsibility of their organizations. mentioned that her company wants that every traveler has an enjoyable journey while traveling has three values: The respondent from a governmental institution also believes that the platform contributes to achieving the objectives of the UN CRPD and of her job because people with a disability can participate normally and will become visible in society through public transport.
The representative of a railway company stated that in the past a similar service had been brought to life at a station in The Netherlands: “There were enthusiastic volunteers who made sure that people with a wheelchair could get on and off the train. This went well for 1.5 years until volunteers were unavailable to help.” 2 The representative added that the people thought that his company was responsible for the shortage of volunteers.
24 Users Some interviewees stated that the digital platform would not be able to fulfill all the needs of persons with a disability. For example, the representative of a mobility company stated that if the platform works only in Amsterdam, travelers with a disability would not be able to make a trip outside Amsterdam. Other interviewees affirmed that in case of unforeseen issues, the needs of disabled persons cannot be met through volunteer’s efforts. For example, the representative of a client NGO indicated that the latter cannot help a person in a wheelchair if the shelves on the bus are broken or the elevator is not working. With regard to the needs of a traveler, the director of a mobility company stated that it would be ideal if the digital platform has an emergency button, which people in need could use to call a helpline if they need help. When people know they have this option, they will rest assured when using public transport.
Another factor to consider is the uncertainty that a person in need will receive help or receive help to degrees of inadequacy from a volunteer. According to the representative from a mobility company, it is vital to guarantee that they will receive help, so they can trust the digital platform as their journey depends on it. Also, numerous interviewees stated that with other services the travelers are certain they will receive help. A representative of a governmental institution implied that if a person with a disability who usually travels via a special bus wants to use MobiMate, they will not only deal with the uncertainty of receiving help but also their journey will require more effort than usual. The special bus is a user-friendly service, thus the representative stated that the special bus will pick the person in need up from where he is and bring him to a place where the person in need wants to be.
Some interviewees stated that volunteers have to be aware that helping someone takes time. For example, potential volunteers should not be people who have to be at work at 09:00 am and do not have enough time to help others, a representative of a governmental institution stated. Besides it is important to be patient, stated the representative of a principal public transport:
“If you are willing to offer help to someone you should realize that someone with a wheelchair needs a little longer to get on the platform or to get on and off the train.” 3
Most of the interviewees stated that to receive adequate help potential volunteers should have basic knowledge regarding different physical disabilities and how to communicate with this group in order to understand their needs. When the potential volunteer is able to communicate and to explain things clearly, the person with a disability might be able to travel on their own next time, stated some representatives. The representative of an NPO stated:
“The potential volunteer should also be familiar with the specific needs of certain groups with a disability.” 10
If you make too many conditions, fewer people will sign up to help because you have created a lot of thresholds for the potential volunteers most of the interviewees agreed. Having a reasonable understanding of public transport is a skill that potential volunteers must have stated the representative of a railway infrastructure company and the representative of an NPO. Furthermore, the representative of a railway infrastructure company added that someone who has annual subscriptions at NS is an experienced traveler and takes public transport often and therefore this person has a reasonable understanding of public transport.
A big challenge is the way people without a disability communicate with people with a disability, stated some interviewees. A representative of a public transport company stated:
25 “We teach our employers to ask a person (in need) if he or she needs help. It is important to make contact and to show that you want to help, instead that you have to help.” 15
A representative of a governmental institution stated:
“What may still be happening is that people with disabilities in a wheelchair are approached as if they are children because they need help.” 5
The representative of a railway company indicated that after talking with a client NGO it turned out that people with a visual impairment wanted to be helped by a permanent supervisor because the permanent supervisor responds better to the needs of the person with a visual impairment. In addition to having had a permanent supervisor, the interviewer added that it appeared that every person with a visual impairment wanted to be helped differently by the trained caregiver. Most interviewees agreed that people with disabilities are as diverse as the rest of the society; hence they do not want to be treated all the same way. If the potential volunteer has contact with the person with the disability in advance, the potential volunteer will be able to adjust to the person's circumstances stated the representative of a client NGO
Persons who want to use the platform will always find someone who can offer them assistance if a large number of people are registered as volunteers. Therefore, it is important to recruit a large number of potential volunteers stated some interviewees. However, finding and motivating a great number of volunteers might be a challenge in some cases, stated the interviewees. Although, the director of a mobility company stated that it is possible to find a large number of people who want to give aid because experience has shown in the past that people like to help people in need. He gave an example of a digital platform called ‘HartVeiligWonen’. This platform alerts people when someone nearby has a cardiac arrest:
“I don't know the number but there are really a lot of people who have signed up to help through that platform ‘HartVeiligWonen’ and show commitment to the cause. So why wouldn't they do this (MobiMate)?” 9
5.4 Image In this section, the concept image will be described. To gain better insight into the desire that an organization might have to gain social status, questions regarding the role of the stakeholders in the implementation of the digital platform were asked.
Most of the organizations seemed to have the same view on their role regarding the digital platform depending on their function in society. The representatives of the client NGOs agreed that they will introduce the digital platform to their people. The organizations that are involved in public transport stated that they will ask their employees to sign up as potential volunteers. Institutions who are not involved in public transport stated that they could not play a role in providing users. The respondent of a mobility company stated that they can help with developing the digital platform.
The results did not show that organizations would like to elevate their social status by this platform. On the contrary, one organization mentioned that the concept of this platform might damage the image of the organization. The representative explains that when a platform is done via his organization, his organization will be responsible for a number of aspects such as quality, continuity and safety. He adds:
26 “Assisting staff that we provide meet the basic level of quality and that is always difficult to assess properly when you work with volunteers’’. 2
According to the representative, it is not a problem if one wants to help another person as long as it is not organized via his company. Besides, their company will not accept requests from volunteers to use travel aids of the company. A crucial step mentioned by some interviewees is that the users must be involved in the development of the digital platform. Therefore, some organizations are willing to provide test persons during the pilot phase. The representative stated:
“I think we would be open to organize a pilot in Amsterdam. I think in Amsterdam you have the best chance of finding many people who participate in such an application.” 3
Another point mentioned by this interviewee and by other interviewees is that public transport organizations and companies involved with travel information must work together to enhance inclusive transport by creating one digital platform. In this digital platform users can find all travel information including the application MobiMate.
27 6 Discussion
The purpose of this research is to see how Dutch stakeholders perceive the digital platform MobiMate, which aims to make public transport in the Netherlands more inclusive. I investigated the perspectives of stakeholders on the feasibility and usability of the digital platform and their own role in the implementation by conducting qualitative interviews with stakeholders and analyzing them. The conceptual model was used to derive three sub-questions and answer the main question.
In this research, several relative advantages were identified regarding the digital platform. According to the stakeholders, the digital platform MobiMate has features that other services do not offer. These advantages are: ((i) it gives an awareness that people with a disability can independently use public transport with a little help of fellow travelers; (ii) it allows people in need to ask for help during difficult situations; (iii) it gives them the chance to learn new travel routes; (iv) it removes the mental barrier for asking help face to face; (v) it has a social aspect; (vi) a person in need can immediately ask for help; and finally, (vii) the municipality might save money if the people in need will use public transport instead of target group transport because of the presence of the MobiMate. However, the digital platform has challenges as well. The most important challenges are protecting the safety of the person with a disability and the digital complexity of the platform. These challenges can be considered as barriers to the usability and feasibility of the platform.
An idea that is incompatible with the values, needs or experiences of the users and stakeholders will not be adopted as quickly as an innovation that is compatible [Robinson, 2009]. The general opinion of the participants was that potential volunteers should possess appropriate knowledge about the various kinds of disabilities. In addition, experience has shown that even professional volunteers have difficulties with assisting people with disabilities, as not everyone wishes to be treated the same way. This indicates that having the appropriate knowledge usually is not enough. Volunteers should be aware of the different preferences people have in terms of treatments. It is therefore equally important for volunteers to understand how they can communicate with them in the best way possible. Additionally, it is important that the person in need has some form of certainty on whether he or she will be helped. Even though it has shown that digital platforms are difficult to manage at the national level, it is beneficial for the person in need if the digital platform would be implemented at a national level [Flew, 2018].
As mentioned before gaining social status is one of motivations for organizations to adopt a certain innovation [Carter & Belanger, 2004]. The results did not show that organizations would like to elevate their social status by this platform. On the contrary, one organization mentioned that working with volunteers might have negative consequences, and therefore might damage their image. Most of the organizations seemed to have the same view on their role regarding the digital platform depending on their function in society. Most of the organizations agreed that they want to introduce the digital platform to their audiences. Some organizations are willing to provide test persons during the pilot phase. This is very helpful because innovation that can show that it is trialable represents less risk to the organization [Robinson, 2009] Additionally, it is essential to involve the users on how to design the digital platform. The answers on the sub questions guide to the answer of the main research question. The main research question was as follows:
‘How do Dutch stakeholders perceive the feasibility and usability of the digital platform aimed at making public transport in the Netherlands more inclusive, and their own role in the implementation?’
Stakeholders perceive the digital platform as feasible and usable if the needs of the people with disabilities are fulfilled. Besides, the digital platform should be implemented at a national level in order to be accessible to people everywhere in the country. Furthermore, all public transport organizations and travel information providers should cooperate in order to provide all information on one platform for the traveler, which should also be user-friendly for people with disabilities.
28 Moreover, ensuring the simplicity of that digital platform will make it possible for people with all kinds of physical disabilities to easily use it. Most of the organizations agree that they do see themselves contribute to the implementation of the platform. Some organizations are willing to introduce the digital platform to their people and to provide test persons during the pilot phase.
Evaluation of the conceptual model
The DOI Theory developed by Rogers is generally used in the area of technology diffusion and adoption [Sahin, 2006]. The diffusion of innovation theory model that has been utilized in this research was used in an earlier study to estimate the adoption of e-government services. It did so by assessing the impact of relative advantage, compatibility, ease of use, and image, on the intention of citizens [Carter & Belanger, 2004]. In this research, the adoption to use the digital platform was estimated by interviewing the organizations and not the users themselves. Nevertheless, the model was useful to examine the perspectives of the stakeholders, as it helped in determining if the digital platform service can have a positive effect on inclusive mobility. Moreover, the representatives were well aware of the needs of the users.
However, with regard to the concept ‘image’ criticism can be outed on the use of the model. Since gaining social status was not a motive for most organizations to adopt this service, it did not affect their intention to use it. Moreover, it helped to determine to what extent the organizations will cooperate to make the service feasible.
Social relevance
The findings of my research reveal the importance of offering services other than the existing ones. The shortage of support in daily activities decreases the participation in society of people with a disability. According to a study from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the employment rate for people with a disability was 44 % and the inactivity rate for disabled people was about 2.5 times higher than people without a disability [Domingo, 2012]. The results of this research are not only applicable to public transport in Amsterdam, but also in other big cities. The research can also contribute to improve inclusion in public transport for the elderly.
Strengths & limitations
One of the strengths of this research is that the most important stakeholders involved with public transport and with people with disabilities in Amsterdam were interviewed. Governmental institutions on a city- and national level were interviewed as well. The interviewees were knowledgeable representatives in the field of accessibility. This provided us a real in-depth view of the perspectives of their organizations and a detailed overview of the extent this digital platform can be implemented in Amsterdam. Another strength of the study is that it discusses the role of digital platforms in the development of inclusive public transport for people with a physical disability. As yet, not much research has been done on this topic. This makes the findings of this research unique.
However, some limitations. can be identified as well. In this research, I did not interview the officials of public transport companies who operate mainly in sparsely areas. Therefore, the results may not be a fair reflection of the Dutch context. Due to the current Coronavirus 2019 outbreak interviews were conducted by phone. Telephone interviews have some disadvantages such as the interviewees can be distracted by activities in their surroundings and the interviewer cannot see the body language of the interviewee [McCoyd & Kerson, 2006; Opdenakker, 2006]. As a result of these limitations, the interview might lack in-depth answers and discussion. On other hand, these consequences might not have occurred because of the use of purposive sampling. Another factor that has perhaps influenced and biased the results is the way the research has been presented to the interviewees.
29 Since the interviewees know the commissioner of this research and had prior knowledge about MobiMate. Therefore, these factors could influence the interviewees to have a positive opinion about MobiMate. As a result of this suggestive questions were avoided to prevent bias.
Future research
Future research should be done to explore the needs and expectations of people with disabilities and of the potential volunteers. In addition, it is also necessary to take the elderly into account because they need assistance as well [Spoorpro, 2018]. These results will indicate if the Dutch society will benefit from this digital platform. Moreover, research should be done to investigate what kind of tasks can be done ethically by volunteers and to what extent safety risks can be reduced. To implement the digital platform, further studies are needed to investigate which organizations would be held accountable if something goes wrong, and which ones would be responsible for financing and maintaining the digital platform.
6.1 Recommendations In this section the policy recommendations for the commissioner are formulated.
1. The digital platform MobiMate should be integrated in an existing travel information application platform, such as 9292. In order to achieve this, Vervoerregio Amsterdam should cooperate further with other organizations who are involved in public transport and urge them to develop one platform, where accurate travel information can be found.
2. To assure that the potential volunteer has proper communication skills and basic understanding of different physical disabilities, he or she must follow an online training (one-time) that is designed to provide proper knowledge. When the volunteer successfully completes the training, he or she will get a certificate that will allow him or her to assist people with a physical disability. Furthermore, to assure that the potential volunteer is trustworthy, he or she must provide a certificate of conduct.
3. MobiMate should be user-friendly for people with physical, auditory and visual disabilities. In order to create a platform that is effective, people with the abovementioned disabilities should be involved during the developmental phase.
4. During the pilot phase, the digital platform should be tested in Amsterdam and the surrounding villages, as this will help to give a better idea regarding the efficacy of the platform in the Dutch context. Moreover, A qualitative evaluation of the pilot of the first user experiences -both help givers and people with disability- should be done.
5. MobiMate should not delay or remove other services that are available for people with disabilities.
30
7 Conclusion
This research aims to provide recommendations to Vervoerregio Amsterdam with regards to the feasibility and usability of the digital platform MobiMate. In order to reach these recommendations, the following research question has been set;
‘How do Dutch stakeholders perceive the feasibility and usability of the digital platform aimed at making public transport in the Netherlands more inclusive and their own role in the implementation?’.
In answering this question, this research has proved that in order to have a feasible and usable platform the needs of the persons with a disability need to be fulfilled. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to involve people with a physical disability in the development of the digital platform. Additionally, the safety of a person with a physical disability using MobiMate should be guaranteed and the service must ensure that the person with a physical disability who asked for assistance through MobiMate will receive help. Furthermore, some stakeholders are willing to provide test participants for the pilot phase and are willing to inform their people about MobiMate.
Lastly, future studies should clarify what kind of tasks can be done ethically by volunteers and to what extent safety risks can be minimized. Further research should be done to explore who is accountable if something goes wrong and who is responsible for financing the digital platform.
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37 9 Appendix I Interview guide
Introduction Good morning/afternoon (name participant), ! I am * my name* , student from the master Management, Policy Analysis and Entrepreneurship at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Thank you for your time and participating in this research.
I am conducting a study for Vervoerregio Amsterdam where I want to investigate the feasibility, the usability of a digital platform in Amsterdam and the added-value it might have the name of the digital platform is MobiMate. MobiMate is a digital platform aimed at enabling people with a disability to connect with random people. These people can help persons with a disability to overcome barriers. Therefore, the potential volunteers aims at making public space and public transport more accessible.Individuals who like to use the platforms will have their own personal accounts. At this moment Deutsche Bahn is working to bring this digital platform into practice. The municipality and Vervoerregio of Amsterdam are in contact with Deutsche Bahn about this project to make this digital platform work in Amsterdam. The current study focuses on exploring the feasibility and useability of the digital platform in a Dutch context. So, we are curious to find out your views and your perspectives on the feasibility and usability of this digital platform in the public transport in Amsterdam and the role your organization might play We think your responses can be insightful for this project
Explaining conditions Before I start I would like to mention that all information you provide is kept confidential and is only used for research purposes. Your data will be protected continuously. would like to record the interview so I can transcribe this interview. Do you give your permission on this? General questions
• Can you tell me something about your function and your work for – Name Organization- ? • What is the role of your organization in the public transport system? • What is the role of your organization regarding accessibility of the public transport system? • What do you think of current information provision of public transport concerning people with physical disabilities? Summarise and ask => Do I miss some important information you want to mention?
Relative advantage
• To what extent might a digital platform offer advantages to the use of the public transport by people with physical disabilities in a Dutch context? • What challenges or limitations do you identify related to a digital platform? • In what other ways might the digital platform be of added value compared to other services? • When you weigh the advantages and the limitations, what would be your overall view on the feasibility and usability of the digital platform? Summarise the information and ask if it is correct
Compatibility The next set of questions is about to what extent the digital platform is consistent with the existing values and needs of the public. As I mentioned before assistance of people with a disability who are in need/human contact is the main factor concerning this digital platform.
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• How do you view connecting volunteers to people with physical disability? • What skills do the potential volunteers should have in order to help people • Do you believe that these volunteers should get something in return? • To what extent is a digital platform a) useful and b) feasible in a Dutch setting? • To what extent do you believe the idea of the platform is compatible with the policy of your organization? If yes, how? If no, why? Summarise the information and ask if it is correct
Image The last set of questions is about the role of your organization regarding this platform. As I mentioned before, this digital platform is a new digital platform in Europe.
• What aspects do you think are important for your organization regarding this digital platform and why? • Do you believe that your organization can play a role in implementing this innovation to the public? If yes, how? If no, why ? • How can your organization play a role in introducing this innovation to the public?
Summarise the information and ask if it is correct
Ending the interview
- Thank you for answering my questions.
39 Interview guide in Dutch Introductie 1. Kunt u mij iets vertellen over uw functie? 2. Wat is de rol van uw organisatie in het openbaar vervoer? 3. Welke rol speelt uw organisatie bij het toegankelijk maken van het openbaar vervoer 4. Wat is uw mening over de huidige toegankelijkheid van het openbaar vervoer en de daarbij omringende openbare ruimtes voor mensen met een fysieke/ audiovisuele beperking? 5. Wat vindt u van de huidige reisinformatie voorzieningen voor mensen met een fysieke/ audiovisuele beperking? Relative advantage 1. In hoeverre kan dit digitaal platform een bijdrage leveren aan toegankelijkheid in een Nederlandse setting? 2. Welke uitdagingen identificeert u met betrekking tot dit digitale platform? 3. Op welke andere manieren kan het digitale platform een toegevoegde waarde hebben in vergelijking met andere diensten? 4. Als u de voordelen en de beperkingen afweegt, wat is dan uw algemene kijk op de haalbaarheid van het digitale platform?
Compatibility 5. Wat vindt u van het verbinden van willekeurige vrijwilligers met mensen met een fysieke/ audiovisuele beperking? 6. Bent u van mening dat de vrijwilligers bepaalde vaardigheden moeten beschikken om mensen te helpen – Zo ja welke? 7. Vindt u dat deze vrijwilligers iets terug moeten krijgen? Zo ja, hoe? 8. In hoeverre is dit digitaal platform haalbaar in een Nederlandse setting? 9. In hoeverre denkt u dat het idee van het platform verenigbaar is met het beleid van uw organisatie? Image 1. Welke aspecten van het digitale platform verdienen extra aandacht? 2. Welke aspecten zijn volgens u belangrijk voor uw organisatie met betrekking tot dit digitale platform en waarom? 3. Bent u van mening dat uw organisatie een rol kan spelen bij het implementeren van deze innovatie bij het publiek? -Zo ja, hoe? -Zo nee, waarom? 4. Hoe kan uw organisatie een rol spelen bij het introduceren van deze innovatie bij het publiek?
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10 Appendix II
TOESTEMMINGSFORMULIER (informed consent) Betreft: onderzoek naar perspectieven van verschillende stakeholders omtrent het digitale platform MobiMate.
Participant: Ik verklaar hierbij op voor mij duidelijke wijze te zijn ingelicht over de aard, methode en doel van het onderzoek. Ik begrijp dat:
§ Ik mijn medewerking aan dit onderzoek kan stoppen op ieder moment en zonder opgave van reden
§ Ik weet dat mijn persoonlijke gegevens niet worden vermeld, maar dat de organisatie waarvoor ik werk en mijn functie worden vermeld in het rapport.
§ De opname vernietigd wordt na uitwerking van het interview.
Ik verklaar dat ik:
• Geheel vrijwillig bereid ben aan dit onderzoek mee te doen
• De uitkomsten van dit interview verwerkt mogen worden in een verslag of wetenschappelijke publicatie
• Toestemming geef om het interview op te laten nemen door middel van een voice-recorder
Handtekening: Naam: Datum:
Onderzoeker: Ik heb toelichting verstrekt over de aard, methode en doel van het onderzoek. Ik verklaar mij bereid nog opkomende vragen over het onderzoek naar vermogen te beantwoorden.
Handtekening: Naam: Datum:
41