1.3. Objective and scope
The overall objective of the current study was to qualitatively
explore the state of safety as perceived and discussed by drivers.
The driver group was selected on the following assumption. The
operating part of the STS organization was considered the cornerstone,
turning travel quality policy into practice, with driver
performance thus the final output.
Since passengers also seem to run the risk of being injured without
being involved in a vehicle collision, a more specific aim of
the study was to elicit possible causes for incidents and occurring
wheelchair user injuries, as discussed among drivers themselves.
The emergent themes were to be situated within a workplace context.
The study participants were Swedish STS drivers working either
in taxis or specially designed minivans. The drivers were employed
by taxi or public transit (PT) operators, which in turn were contracted
by municipalities or transit authorities to perform STS
services on a long-term basis (3–5 years).