SUSTAINABILITY ON WHEELS: PERCEPTIONS OF LAND TRANSPORT IN THE FACE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS

Abstract

This exploratory study, “Sustainability on Wheels: Perceptions of Land Transportation in the Face of the Environmental Crisis,” investigates the interpretations, attitudes, and practices of managers and drivers in the transportation sector in the Puerto Cortes and San Pedro Sula area during a six-month fieldwork period. The main purpose is to analyze how environmental perceptions influence the intention and adoption of sustainable practices, as well as to identify barriers and facilitators for the operational transition toward more sustainable models. The overall objective of this study is to analyze, during the six-month data collection period, the perceptions and attitudes of land freight transport companies and operators regarding environmental sustainability and to determine how these perceptions influence the adoption of sustainable practices, identifying the main barriers and facilitators that affect the transition to environmentally responsible operations. The proposed methodology is qualitative and exploratory, employing semi-structured interviews with managers and drivers, participant observation, and thematic analysis of the transition until saturation is reached. This approach was chosen to understand narratives, meanings, and motivations that are not captured by quantitative studies. The theoretical framework articulates the diffusion of innovations theory, the theory of planned behavior, and a multilevel sociotechnical approach to situate business decisions within their structural context.