Use of the content analysis to help in the characterization of semiurban road passenger transport in Brazil: a systemic and interdisciplinary viewpoint

Abstract

In Brazil, the National Land Transportation Agency (ANTT in Portuguese) Resolution 16/02 defines semiurban road passenger transport as journeys with urban transport characteristics that are as long as 75km (or less) and that cross the State, Federal District or Territory border. Even though this type of service is regulated, Decree 2.521/98 does not present a specific approach for this service, which may jeopardize its regulatory policy and service planning. Besides, the lack of a specific approach allows for user expectations to remain unfulfilled. Thus, regarding land passenger transport, the main problem we spotted was the lack of knowledge on semiurban road passenger transport. To consider the perceptions of users, planners and operators involved in semiurban transport is essential to understand how it works and, subsequently, to characterize it. From this point of view, Content Analysis comes to light as a specific technique that aims to describe content objectively, systematically, qualitatively and quantitatively in order to build a System of Synthetic Categories for each actor in semiurban transport. This study aims to demonstrate how Content Analysis techniques can contribute to characterize semiurban road passenger transport from the system of categories of user perception in the Brazilian Federal District and surrounding areas.