Transportation's Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions ...

Transportation’s Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Volume 2
Freight route management information is in common use in the private sector. Carriers
use GPS systems to track truck locations, provide weather and traffic information, and
identify alternative routes. The state-of-the-art with GPS is to incorporate real-time traffic
data into the routing algorithms. These are available on consumer GPS, both as original
equipment manufacturer (OEM) installations on vehicles as well as aftermarket devices.
In addition, most carriers use routing and dispatching programs that plot and optimize
truck routes based on pick up and delivery points, refueling stations, etc. UPS and FedEx
both have in-house proprietary systems that do dynamic routing.
Figure 4.2 Parking Information System in Freiburg, Germany
A few States have explored 511, weather, and traffic congestion information systems for
truckers, but few have done much that is sufficiently targeted or timely enough to be as
good or better than motor carriers’ own systems. One exception is the Washington State
DOT’s proactive road condition and weather/emergency closure notification program.
Additional demonstration projects currently are being funded by some public agencies.
For example, the Kansas City Cross-Town Improvement Project, funded in part by
FHWA’s Office of Freight Management and Operations, is designing a system that would
allow trucks to dynamically change routes due to traffic congestion/incidents. The
FleetForward test, funded by the I-95 Corridor Coalition, integrated real-time traffic
information into carrier routing decisions/software. The Pennsylvania DOT and the I-95
Corridor Coalition currently are looking at the operational benefits of integrating real-time
parking availability data into motor carrier routing decisions.
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