National Academies Press: OpenBook

Alternative Truck and Bus Inspection Strategies (2006)

Chapter: Chapter 4 - Trends Affecting Commercial Vehicle Inspection Strategies

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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Trends Affecting Commercial Vehicle Inspection Strategies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2006. Alternative Truck and Bus Inspection Strategies. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13939.
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Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Trends Affecting Commercial Vehicle Inspection Strategies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2006. Alternative Truck and Bus Inspection Strategies. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13939.
×
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Page 10
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Trends Affecting Commercial Vehicle Inspection Strategies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2006. Alternative Truck and Bus Inspection Strategies. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13939.
×
Page 10
Page 11
Suggested Citation:"Chapter 4 - Trends Affecting Commercial Vehicle Inspection Strategies." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2006. Alternative Truck and Bus Inspection Strategies. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13939.
×
Page 11

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8CHAPTER 4 TRENDS AFFECTING COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INSPECTION STRATEGIES SUMMARY OF INDUSTRY TRENDS Commercial motor vehicle operations are modified con- tinually in response to the changing economy and the demands of customers. As such, economic trends have a key impact on the motor carrier and motor coach industries. Key trends currently affecting the industries include: • Increasing freight volumes, • Increasing international shipments, • Changing logistics patterns, and • Increasing fuel prices. These trends and their effects on commercial vehicle oper- ations and safety are described below. These trends will play a key role in driving the demand for and placement of road- side enforcement resources, as well as the use of alternative inspection strategies. Increasing Freight Volume In 1998, freight movements in the United States (includ- ing exports and imports) totaled approximately 15.2 billion tons with a combined value of $9.3 billion [FHWA, Freight Analysis Framework]. Of this total, commercial trucks were responsible for moving 71% of the tonnage (10.9 billion tons) and 80% of the value ($7.4 billion). These freight volumes are anticipated to nearly double by 2020–25.8 billion tons and $30 billion. Commercial trucks are projected to remain the dominant mode of freight movement in the United States— accounting for 74.2% of the 2020 tonnage and 78% of the 2020 value. In order, to accommodate these rapid increases in freight volumes, the number of commercial vehicle miles driven also will increase dramatically. Commercial vehicle freight traffic is projected to increase by nearly 90% by 2020. This increase is in addition to other sizable increases in commercial vehicle miles traveled that have occurred since 1980. Figure 1 illus- trates the past and projected dramatic rises in commercial vehi- cle (i.e., a straight truck with two or more axles and six tires, a combination vehicle) miles driven [FHWA, Integrating Freight in the Transportation Planning Process training course, slide 7 (NHI Course 139001, Publication #: NHI-FHWA-04- 130, February 2004.)]. Enforcement resources likely will be unable to keep pace with this rapid growth in commercial vehicle traffic. Concern about this trend was illustrated in the state survey results. The top two issues that were identified as burdening the jurisdic- tions’ commercial vehicle inspection program were: “increases in commercial truck/bus traffic” (61%) and “availability of jurisdiction enforcement resources” (57%). Increasing International Shipments The enactment of international trading agreements and the globalization of trade will dramatically increase the number of international shipments entering/exiting the United States. In 1998, international freight totaled one billion tons. This freight is expected to double to two billion tons by 2020 [FHWA, Freight Analysis Framework]. This increase in international shipments will precipitate an increase in truck traffic deliver- ing goods to/from the United States’ North American trade partners. In particular, North–South trade corridors in North Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, New York, New England, and the Pacific Northwest are expected to experience significant growth to support United States– Canada trade [FHWA, Integrating Freight in the Trans- portation Planning Process training course, slide 16]. The I-10 and I-35 trade corridors in the southern United States are forecast to experience significant growth in support of United States-Mexico trade [FHWA, Integrating Freight in the Transportation Planning Process training course, slide 17]. Ports on the United States northern and southern border will see corresponding increases in truck traffic—as shipments transit into/out of Mexico and Canada. In addition to increased highway and port of entry traffic, international trade will impact commercial vehicle operations at and around maritime ports across the United States. Con- gestion at ports, as commercial vehicles wait to be loaded and unloaded, is projected to worsen as port shipments increase without a corresponding increase in capacity. Further, “larger trucks operating on older access routes often have to deal with short signal times, inadequate roadway geometrics, and other local roadway conditions” [FHWA, Trade: From National Markets to Global Markets, available: http://ops.fhwa.dot. gov/freight/theme_papers/final_thm1_v3.htm)]. Since the enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the number of Canadian and Mexican registered

vehicles operating in the United States has increased. Concerns about the safety of Mexican commercial vehicles (e.g., they suffered from an out-of-service rate 36 to 44% higher than the United State’s national average [United States General Accounting Office, North American Free Trade Agreement: Coordinated Operational Plan Needed to Ensure Mexican Trucks Compliance with U.S. Standards, December 2001, page 6] resulted in the limiting of these vehicles’ operations to com- mercial zones near the border. Mexican carriers can now oper- ate outside of the commercial zones by using FMCSA form OP-1 MX to apply for the appropriate operating authority. Changing Logistics Patterns The motor carrier industry continues to refine its logistics in response to changes in the U.S. economy. As the economy evolves from one based on manufacturing to one based on ser- vice industries, demand for smaller (less-than-truckload) and higher value shipments has increased. Even within the manu- facturing industries shippers’ demands have changed. Manu- facturers now require more flexible and predictable shipments of raw materials and parts, in order to support their just-in- time supply chains. Motor carriers and air freight companies are best suited to meet these new demands. In either case, the demand for commercial vehicles is increasing. Rising Fuel Costs The rising cost of diesel fuel has the potential to be a key factor affecting commercial vehicle safety. Diesel fuel costs 9 are a motor carrier’s second largest cost component—behind only labor [Bodipo-Memba, Alejandro, “Diesel Jumps Higher than Gas: Trucking Expenses to Trickle Down to Consumers,” Detroit Free Press, October 27, 2004]. As such, when these costs rise dramatically, some motor carriers feel pressure to cut back on other costs—including maintenance and safety programs [“Higher Fuel Costs Put Pressure on Truck Safety,” National Union of Public and General Employees Newsletter, September 12, 2005]. Being that diesel prices have increased by a one-third in the past year (national average of $3.144 for the week of October 3, 2005 compared to a national average of $2.053 for the week of October 4, 2004) this type of pres- sure is possible. INSPECTION CHALLENGES Inspection agencies are confronted with numerous chal- lenges, in addition to those posed by a growing and changing industry. These challenges are technical, institutional, and budgetary in nature. Each challenge is described below. Technical A variety of technical challenges confront enforcement per- sonnel as they attempt to conduct commercial vehicle inspec- tions. These challenges include the following: • Accurately identifying commercial vehicle; • Accurately selecting vehicles for inspection; and • Uploading inspection data, in a timely fashion. Forecast 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 1980 1985 1990 1995 1999 2005 2010 2015 2020 Year Truck VMT (in Billions) Figure 1. Truck vehicle miles traveled 1980–2020.

These challenges are described below. Vehicle Identification—A series of unique identifiers have been adopted to support the identification of a motor carrier (e.g., U.S. DOT numbers), a commercial vehicle (e.g., vehicle identification numbers, license plates), and commercial drivers (e.g., commercial drivers license num- bers). These identifiers, however, are designed to be read and interpreted by a human. As such, jurisdictions have encoun- tered technical challenges with accurately identifying com- mercial vehicles at highway speeds as they attempt to employ alternative inspections strategies. In 2001, William Baron [2] reported the results of a series of tests performed on various identification systems using com- mercially available technologies. Two of these technologies— license plate readers, and optical character recognition (OCR) devices—attempted to detect the carrier and vehicle identifiers already deployed on commercial vehicles (e.g., license plates and U.S. DOT numbers). Baron’s tests indicated disappointing results for the license plate readers (LPR). Many issues ham- pered the LPRs performance. A primary factor affecting the utility of LPRs was the vary- ing design of jurisdictions’ license plates. Factors such as the type of characters used on a jurisdiction’s license plate (e.g., raised characters, embossed characters, painted on char- acters); the placement of a jurisdiction’s name on the license plate; and the type and color of paint on a license plate all affected the accuracy of the readers. These factors combined with the need to read the license plate at speed, in all weather conditions led Baron to conclude that there was no viable LPR system at the time. Similarly, the use of OCR devices to detect and interpret the U.S. DOT number from the side of a commercial vehicle have been hampered by the lack of uni- formity in sizing and placement of the motor carrier infor- mation on the vehicle. Also affecting OCR performance is the placement of some commercial vehicles’ mirrors and the shadows that they cast on the writing. Baron concluded that a bar code reader was the most appro- priate technology to meet FMCSA’s requirements. Using a system from Pearpoint Inc., Baron observed success rates between 65% and 100% depending on vehicle speeds, bar- code sizes, placement of the barcode, contamination (e.g., dirt), and simulated weather conditions (e.g., plastic applied to the bar code to simulate fog). The major concern regarding bar- codes was (is) that they must be retrofitted to all commercial motor vehicles and therefore require the cooperation of the carrier community. At the time of Baron’s test, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags were deemed insufficient for identifying com- mercial vehicles at speed. Issues with sensor distance, interfer- ence from an adjoining E-ZPass system that operated at a frequency close to that of the RFID transponder, and the inability to record both the transponder ID and associated data packet at normal vehicle speeds led to Baron’s assess- ment. It should be noted, however, that RFID tags, have been successfully deployed and currently are the most widely (and successfully) used means of identifying commer- 10 cial vehicles. This technology is used in both electronic toll collection and electronic screening systems. The issue noted by Baron regarding interference from other systems/tags operat- ing at the same frequency remains a concern and is one reason that stakeholders continue to work toward interoperability and the goal of “one truck—one transponder.” The adoption of 5.9 GHz as the communication standard for dedicated short- range communications may help this issue. Vehicle Selection—As noted earlier, approximately 58% of the respondents to this project’s survey noted the use of a screening algorithm to select commercial carriers and vehi- cles for inspections. Fifty-four percent of respondents, how- ever, reported that the algorithms currently do not meet the needs of law enforcement; a fact that may be driven by the fact the no algorithm currently is designed to target high-risk drivers. Accordingly, 74% of respondents noted that visual inspections are a primary method for either selecting a com- mercial vehicle for inspection or determining the type/level of inspection to be conducted. Uploading Inspection Data—In order to standardize the data collected during the inspection process, FMCSA devel- oped the ASPEN inspection software. This software allows enforcement personnel to electronically record a commercial vehicle inspection. The system’s built-in validation also was designed to improve the quality of data collected at the road- side. To date, the majority of enforcement personnel have been satisfied with the software. Sixty-three percent of sur- vey respondents reported that their current inspection tools (e.g., ASPEN) are meeting the needs of law enforcement. As inspection operations become more decentralized, how- ever, the need for improved communication networks to sup- port the upload of inspection data from remote sites increases. Twenty-nine percent of respondents cited the need to upgrade the communication infrastructure in their jurisdiction. These communication upgrades also would allow roadside personnel to access federal and state safety data systems (e.g., SAFER, CVIEW) remotely. Institutional Industry concerns about privacy and “big brother” have been a key obstacle to the deployment of some enforcement technologies. In particular, technologies that could be used to monitor commercial drivers have raised privacy concerns. Likewise, some motor carriers have opted not to participate in electronic screening programs due to fears that enforcement agencies will use the transponder data to track commercial vehicles and enforce numerous laws/regulations (e.g., hours of service, speeding). These concerns must be considered when new strategies are being contemplated. Operators of some successful programs/services have assuaged these fears by promising not to use the system’s data for enforcement purposes. Further, adherence to the ITS Guiding Principles— one of which requires that all systems be voluntary in nature— also will address the industry’s fears.

The expanding responsibilities of roadside enforcement personnel also are an institutional issue. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, have increased the nation’s focus on commercial vehicle drivers and cargo. Unfortunately, these elements had not been incorporated into previous alternative inspection models and now are being retrofitted where possi- ble. This new role also is requiring coordination with a vari- ety of different federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), as well as with their states’ depart- ments of homeland security. These relationships continue to be defined/refined. Numerous states are participating in oper- ational tests with these agencies, including a container track- ing project in the State of Washington, and the monitoring of in-bound agricultural shipments transiting the United States from Laredo, Texas to Canada. Industry Buy-In One of the most important factors that must be considered when discussing changes in the commercial vehicle inspec- tion process is the potential impact on the industry. The industry representatives that were interviewed agreed that the current inspection process must be augmented, in order to be more effective. They further agree that high-risk drivers, car- riers, and vehicles must be taken off the road. The industry desires a “level playing field,” in which all operators are held to the same safety standards. Further, the industry realizes that commercial vehicle crashes portray a negative image on their industry; one that they wish to dispel. The survey of enforcement agencies identified several con- cerns regarding the inspection process that are often cited by the industry. These concerns include • Travel delays associated with an inspection (58%); • The number of inspections that they are subjected to (54%); and 11 • The lack of standardized inspection tools/practices from jurisdiction-to-jurisdiction (42%). Working with industry representatives to demonstrate that changes in the inspection process will help to rectify these complaints will be key. There is no doubt that there will be numerous “cooperative technologies” employed that will require industry to do something that will cost them time and money. Government must be prepared to quantitatively show how incorporation of these technologies by carriers will in the long term reduce their operating costs of compliant carriers. Budgetary Many states have been confronted with declining revenues and budget shortfalls. These shortfalls, in many cases, have resulted in reduced commercial vehicle enforcement activi- ties. Accordingly, 57% of survey respondents cited the lack of enforcement resources as a concern. This combined with the projected increases in commercial vehicle traffic and the increased responsibility of roadside enforcement personnel are primary reasons why jurisdictions are interested in adopt- ing alternative technologies that improve the effectiveness of their resources by targeting them at “high-risk” vehicles. Budgetary challenges also impact a jurisdiction’s ability to deploy some alternative strategies. The strategies that have been most widely deployed are those that have been funded by FMCSA (e.g., ASPEN, screening algorithms) or involve a private-sector partner (e.g., PrePass). The recent passage of the highway reauthorization bill (SAFTEA-LU) will make additional funds available to jurisdictions for the implemen- tation of inspection technologies (e.g., electronic screening systems, virtual inspection sites). Under this new law, each state is eligible to receive federal deployment grants up to $2.5 million (minus the total federal funds received previ- ously) to deploy the core CVISN capabilities and an addi- tional $1 million to deploy expanded CVISN functionality.

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TRB's Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program (CTBSSP) Synthesis 10: Alternative Truck and Bus Inspection Strategies explores the characteristics of the various types of alternative commercial truck and bus inspection strategies currently being used by law enforcement agencies. The synthesis examines how vehicles are selected for inspection; how, when, and where vehicles are inspected; and the consequences of violations. The synthesis also provides information on the effectiveness of the inspection strategies, documenting benefits such as reduced costs and improved resource allocation.

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