Alternative Truck and Bus Inspection Strategies (2006)

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6CHAPTER 3 LITERATURE REVIEW METHOD The research team reviewed a variety of literature as part of this effort. Sources included the following: • State commercial vehicle safety plans; • State commercial vehicle operations business plans; • State Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) program plans; • Conference proceedings (e.g., ITS/CVO Deployment Showcase); • CVISN Program Review Summary Report; and • U.S. DOT, FMCSA, and state program evaluations/ assessments. The research team also reviewed preliminary results from a variety of related FMCSA initiatives, including the Wireless Bus and Truck Inspection study (2005), the expanded CVISN initiative, and the Comprehensive Safety Analysis for 2010. The research team conducted an Internet search for rele- vant materials. While hundreds of potentially relevant papers were found, the number was distilled based on the following criteria: • Papers that discussed the current and future issues asso- ciated with commercial motor vehicle safety, which were used to establish a baseline for current strategies and to evaluate the trends that are likely to occur in the future; • Papers that discussed the current and future issues associ- ated with the technology used to ensure CMV safety; and • Research into mathematical models that can serve as predictors of the effectiveness of inspection strategies. DATA SOURCES A complete bibliography of the final papers that were included in this study can be found in Appendix A. Key sources used in this analysis include the following: • Baron, William, Roadside Vehicle Identification Tech- nologies—Final Report, U.S. DOT Research & Special Program Administration, Cambridge, MA, June 20, 2001. • Hughes, Dr. Ronald; Keppler, Steve; Yeakel, Skip; Deedy, Conal; and Moses, Tom. The Context for Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Activity in 2020: Forecast of Future Directions in Truck Safety and Security, Future Truck and Bus Safety Research Directions Conference, Arlington, VA, March 23–24, 2005. • FMCSA Safety Program Performance Measures— Intervention Model: Roadside Inspection and Traffic Enforcement Effectiveness Assessment, John A. Volpe National Transportation System Center Motor Carrier Safety Assessment Division, Cambridge, MA, Septem- ber 2002. • Freight Analysis Framework, Federal Highway Administration. Freight Analysis Framework, available at: http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_news/FAF/ talkingfreight_faf.htm. • Integrating Freight in the Transportation Planning Process, Federal Highway Administration training course. • North American Free Trade Agreement: Coordinated Operational Plan Needed to Ensure Mexican Trucks Compliance with U.S. Standards, United States General Accounting Office, Washington, D.C., December 2001. • ISS-2: The Integration of the Motor Carrier Safety Sta- tus Measurement System (SAFESTAT) into the Roadside Inspection Selection System (ISS) Final Report, The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, Fargo, North Dakota, January 2000. DISCUSSION The results from the literature survey confirmed many of the results from the enforcement survey and supporting inter- views. The literature review identified the key themes: • Enforcement personnel are being asked to “do more” with limited resources; • Alternative enforcement strategies are needed to accom- modate an increase in commercial motor vehicle traffic and a reduction in enforcement personnel; • Alternative enforcement strategies (e.g., use of ASPEN inspection software) already are widely used by juris- dictions and in some cases have been mainstreamed into standard practice through federal incentives and/ or programmatic requirements (e.g., CVISN program requirements);

• New alternative enforcement strategies (e.g., wireless inspections, new technologies to identify commercial vehicles at highway speeds) are being considered and actively developed by FMCSA, state agencies, and private-sector vendors; • While qualitative information is limited, existing data do support the use of alternative technologies; and 7 • Data currently used in the calculation of safety ratings and selection algorithms need to be improved, in order to provide the intended benefits and results. Specific data collected through the literature review are included in the analysis presented in later sections of the document.