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Freight Performance Measures
As
part of the FHWA-sponsored Travel Time in Freight Significant
Corridors, ATRI has pioneered an effort to develop methods for
measuring freight performance on the nation’s highways, with the
ultimate goal being the identification and eventual mitigation
of freight movement impediments. Working closely with its
telecommunications industry partners and participating motor
carriers, this ITS initiative develops and tests real-time
freight performance measures such as average travel rate,
corridor demand, time of day analysis and reliability along
critical freight corridors throughout the U.S. This research is
conducted primarily through the use of unique and substantial
truck position databases. The initial testing determined that
position data collected from trucks can be processed in a
confidential manner to provide travel metrics along major U.S.
freight corridors, and the research now indicates that a
national system of freight performance measures can be built and
maintained. In the current fourth phase of research, ATRI
continues to lead the effort and is currently conducting further
validations of the research methodology and data processing
tools, expanding coverage beyond the traditional 25 freight
significant corridors and 5 U.S./Canadian border crossings and
developing effective methods for distributing aggregated results
among stakeholders.
Industry Involvement: Carriers continue to provide data through
telecommunications industry partners.
Freight Performance Measures - One Page Summary
(PDF)
Methods of Travel Time Measurement in Freight-Significant
Corridors (PDF)
CVISN Motor
Carrier Business Case
Over the past
decade there has been a push by state and federal government
agencies to implement a system that allows motor carriers to
electronically apply for operating credentials such as IFTA, IRP
and oversize/overweight permits. This initiative, entitled
CVISN, has seen less robust participation from carriers than was
originally anticipated. ATRI is part of a FMCSA-contracted team
to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the system and
collect input on carrier real-world cost savings associated with
the move to electronic credentialing. The interviews that were
used to collect this information will be analyzed and used to
develop a business case for more widespread CVISN utilization.
Carrier interviews are complete and the business case will be
completed and delivered to FMCSA by September.
Industry
Involvement: ATRI interviewed a number of carriers utilizing
electronic credentialing. It is anticipated that FMCSA will
utilize the findings from the interviews and the resulting
business case to encourage more widespread use of CVISN among
the industry.
Columbus
Electronic Freight Management
The U.S. DOT
continues its ongoing research on the original ATRI-designed
“ESCM” initiative in a pilot test of a live system that sends
internet-based notifications and transactions between a series
of supply chain partners in the U.S. and China. The effort is
designed to streamline various components of the freight
industry, thereby reducing system inefficiencies. Aside from
technical assistance to the field test, ATRI has been
commissioned to develop several industry case studies on the
role and utility of supply chain management systems.
Industry
Involvement: The field test is utilizing several manufacturers,
trucking companies and air cargo carriers in both the U.S. and
China.
National
Trucking Industry Data Clearinghouse
Transportation
research and planning relies heavily on the availability of
credible, real-world data. Unfortunately, industry concerns
over civil litigation, competitive information and excessive
regulation has reduced the accessibility of such data. ATRI has
collected a substantial base of essential industry data relating
to safety, productivity and operations but is relatively limited
in its ability to publicly use the data. The ATRI Board has
tasked ATRI to develop a plan for creating a national trucking
industry clearinghouse that addresses/resolves issues such as
confidentiality, legal concerns, access and storage. The
proposed clearinghouse design will be vetted in the Fall of
2007.
Industry
Involvement: The research is funded and directed by industry
representatives interested in aggregating essential industry
data. A small steering committee of relevant stakeholders is
being formed to review the research findings. |
Current Research
