Ferry

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Ferry Boat, Car Ferry, Commercial Vehicle Ferry, Vehicle Ferry Terminal

Category

Transportation, Transport Facilities, Transport Modes, Travel, Tourism, Concessions

Message / Function

To indicate the location of shipping services for vehicles

	Source	Description
	France IISR	Front view of boat with car inside at jetty, water shown as three wavy lines
a)	Egger	Front view of boat with car inside at jetty, water shown as three wavy lines
b)	IN-SAFETY Testdesign	Front view of smoking boat with car inside at jetty, water shown as two wavy lines
c)	IN-SAFETY Testdesign	Boat with smoke above smoke pipe and car inside, water shown as two wavy lines
	BS 8501:2002	Silhouette of side view of boat on water with car inside, water shown as two wavy lines
	BS 8501:2002	Silhouette of side view of boat on water with truck and car inside, water shown as two wavy lines
	UIC	Silhouette of side view of boat on water with car inside
	UIC 413 b	Side view of front of boat on water with car displayed on hull
	UIC 413	Side view of front of boat on water with car displayed on hull, water shown as two wavy lines
	Kapitzki	Side view of boat on water with car on deck, water shown as three wavy lines
	MUTCD Sup	Side view of boat on water with car on deck, water shown as wavy line
	Parks Canada	Side view of boat on water with car on deck, water shown as wavy line
	Québec	Boat on water with car on deck, water shown as wavy contour
	CNIS	Side view of boat with car on deck
	CNIS	Side view of boat with three human figures on deck, car displayed on hull
	MUTCD	Side view of car on platform with wavy contour at bottom
e)	In-Safety	Side view of car on pontoon boat, water shown as two wavy lines
	Tern	Side view of car on pontoon boat, water shown as two wavy lines
	SN 640 827	Side view of two cars on pontoon boat, water shown as wavy line
	U.S. National Park Service	Front view of two cars on pontoon boat, water shown as wavy line
	Bolivia	Front view of car on pontoon boat, water shown as two wavy lines
	Aragón	Front view of car on pontoon boat, water shown as two wavy lines
	DER	Front view of car on pontoon boat, water shown as two wavy lines
	Nova Scotia	Front view of car on pontoon boat, water shown as three wavy lines
	Québec	Side view of boat with smoke and several other details, water shown as wavy contour
	ISO 7001	Side view of boat on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	STVO D	Side view of boat on water, water shown as two wavy lines
	MTA	Side view of front of boat on water shown as two wavy lines
	PANYNJ	Side view of front of boat on water shown as two wavy lines
d)	London Transport	Side view of boat

Note: Some of the pictogram variants above were mirrored horizontally to contrast differences.

Discussion

The collection shown above is only a small selection of the wide variety of pictograms used all over the world to indicate the location of shipping services for vehicles, but it gives a good hint of what is available. There are several general concepts and a multitude of visualizations that also reflect the heterogeneity of ferries in use. No single visual stereotype can be identified.

Most studies just regard the more general referent Boat / Port, as this referent is more general and also includes Ferry. But some research also was done specifically regarding Ferry:

In a project concerning the comprehensibility of graphical symbols used on highways using a Comprehensibility Judgment Test (identical with the Comprehensibility Estimation procedure), five pictograms were examined in four countries regarding their suitability to convey the message Ferry (Brugger, 2006). Of these, four variants just showed a boat or a boat and water. The test design by Stefan Egger shown in the table above reached a score of 89.4 indicating good comprehensibility, while the other variants were judged as rather inadequate.

When Fiori (2008) examined a map symbol showing a front view of car on a pontoon boat (similar to the Brazilian traffic sign labeled as DER) on basis of a Comprehension Test, 62.2 % of the responses were classified as correct.

In another Comprehension Test (Siebenhandl et.al., 2006 a) conducted in Austria, the Czech Republic and Hungary, and focused on traffic environments, only persons holding a driving license participated. The four variants labeled a) to d) were examined: of these, pictograms a), b) and c) proved to be remarkably comprehensible across all countries with overall comprehension scores of 94.7, 96.4 and 95.2, while graphic symbol d) reached a score of 63.0 only. It has to be mentioned that the education level of the respondents in this study was above average.

The variant labeled e) then was reviewed in a follow-up Comprehension Test (Siebenhandl et.al., 2006 b) conducted in Austria and the Czech Republic. Also this variant reached a superb overall comprehension score of 95.2, equaling the scores of the best pictograms of the study conducted before.

Recommendations

Ferry

Based on test results available we recommend the use of a symbol showing a boat on water with a car inside like the IN-SAFETY Testdesign shown above to signify Ferry, but for small vessels, as on inland waterways like rivers and lakes, showing a pontoon boat like the TERN Pictogram TS0210: Ferry or Boat presented above will probably be more adquate.

Tests of pictograms of referent Ferry

Brugger Ch. (2006): Comprehensibility Judgment Test. Report In-Safety, Contract No 506716.

Fiori, S. R. (2008): Mapas para o turismo e a interatividade - proposta teórica e prática. Tese de Doutorado - Depto. de Geografia, FFLCH-USP.

Siebenhandl, K., Brugger, Ch., Simlinger, P., Egger, S., Hollo, P., Weinberger, J., Vasek, J. (2007 a): Results of the Comprehension Tests on pictograms conducted in Austria, the Czech Republic and Hungary; Report In-Safety, 506716.

Siebenhandl, K., Brugger, Ch., Simlinger, P., Egger, S., Hollo, P., Weinberger, J., Vasek, J. (2007 b): Results of the 2^nd Comprehension Tests on pictograms conducted in Austria and the Czech Republic; Report In-Safety, 506716.

Further test results are available for the more general referent Boat / Port:

Brugger, Ch. (1977): Abschlußbericht über den Reihungstest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute, Vienna, 1977-07-27.

Brugger, Ch. (1977): Abschlußbericht über den Erkennungstest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute, Vienna, 1977-10-04.

Easterby, R.S. & Graydon, I.R. (1981): Evaluation of Public Information Symbols: ISO Test: 1979/80 Series. Part I: Appropriateness Ranking Tests. AP Report 99, Applied Psychology Department, University of Aston in Birmingham, January 1981.

Easterby, R.S. & Graydon, I.R. (1981): Evaluation of Public Information Symbols: ISO 1979/80 Test Series. Part II: Comprehension/Recognition Tests. AP Report 100, Applied Psychology Department, University of Aston in Birmingham, January 1981.

Eco-Mo Foundation (2001): Test data of public information symbols in Japan - Procedure for the testing of public information symbols by the Study Committee. ISO: ISO/TC 145/SC 1 N 329.

Gehringer, J. (1979): Untersuchung über die zeichnerische Gestaltung von Pictogrammen in Abhängigkeit von einigen Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen, sowie Überprüfung einiger Bildzeichen auf ihre Erkennbarkeit. Dissertation, Psychology Department, University of Vienna.