Anyone else think that this is an extension of the O'Hare project to the port authorities? Securcom is mentioned...
Goal: To conduct operational tests and evaluations to
demonstrate how shared transportation information can lead to
improvements in intermodal freight operations.
Objectives: To test and evaluate intermodal operational
linkings of information technologies that will take the ITS
intermodal freight program from the library and laboratory to
the operating environment of our national transportation
system.
FHWA Announces New Technology Tests Designed to Facilitate
Transportation Operations, Oct. 22, 2001
Two ITS Intermodal Freight projects have been selected for award
by the Office of Freight Management and Operations. The COTR
for both projects is Chip Wood in the Office of Intermodalism.
These projects are designed to leverage ITS technology to
benefit freight mobility by providing the foundation to link traffic
management information with the freight industry. Both project are
two year projects and are scheduled to complete by the end of
FY2001.
The first project is a public/private partnership headed by
Washington State DOT. This project will test electronic cargo
seals along the I-5 corridor to Canada and will use information
from the tracking of these seals to improve freight mobility along
I-5 through better freight planning.
The second project selected is a partnership with the State of
Illinois and the ATA Foundation. This project will test an electronic
cargo manifest for the automated transfer and clearance of cargo
data and will use smart card and biometric identifier technology.
These projects are designed to leverage ITS technology to
benefit freight mobility by providing the foundation to link traffic
management information with the freight industry.
ops.fhwa.dot.gov
November 20, 2001
MEDIA ADVISORY
FHWA Announces New Technology Tests Designed to Facilitate Transportation
Operations
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded contracts for two operational tests
that are designed to facilitate freight transportation and information processing. One test is
focusing on the transmission of information and the movement of container chassis in and out
of a port terminal. The other test focuses on transmission of data and information during
drayage operations in and out of a port, as well as during transportation. Both tests seek to
improve the processing of container chassis in a port, as well as sending improved information
to state and local agencies to help improve their efforts to manage congestion.
The tests are a result of cooperative partnerships that have been formed between the public
and private sectors through the Intermodal Freight Technology Working Group (IFTWG).
Based on a recommendation from the first Intermodal Freight Technology workshop that was
held in Reston, Virginia in 1998, the IFTWG was formed to examine how the application of
technology could achieve increased efficiency and interoperability in transportation operations.
The newly awarded operational tests are the result of the IFTWG examining tracking and
location technology requirements, testing emerging technology and attempting to establish the
business case for the application of technology to improve transportation operations.
"We are excited about these tests, the strong public/private cooperative partnerships which
have been formed and the opportunity these tests provide in improving transportation
operations across America," said Christine Johnson, director of the FHWA's Office of
Operations. "We are hopeful that the results of these tests will provide us with informative and
persuasive information we can use to improve the Nation's global competitiveness with our
international trading partners."
The Asset and Cargo Visibility Test. The objective of this test is to improve the productivity
of container and chassis usage by monitoring their movement between freight terminals and
customers, to improve the staging of both to have them available when needed, and to provide
immediate maintenance information to motor carriers so as to reduce movements of unsafe
chassis. Another important aspect of this test is to demonstrate the "freight information
highway" by providing freight and cargo information in a standard format and linking to a
backbone information system for monitoring chassis movements and facilitating the pick-up and
drop-off of containers in terminal yards. The American President's Line (APL) is the lead for
this test and APL's partners include the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, PAR
Government Systems Corporation, Trac Lease and Transcentric, a subsidiary of Union Pacific
Corporation.
The Terminal Dray Operations Test. The objective of this test is to improve the cross-town
movement of freight within the Chicago terminal area that can take from 3 to 5 days. Data
about the container will be forwarded from a West coast marine terminal to a rail terminal in
Chicago. As trains are loaded at the Port of Tacoma, the information will be shared with
Chicago terminal as well as with drayage operations. Trucks will be staged to pick up
containers as soon as they are available for movement to another rail line or to an end
destination customer. For this test, the ATA Foundation is the lead for conducting Phase I of
this test and participating stakeholders include SecurCom, Inc., Precient Development and the
Port of Tacoma.
For further information on these tests, contact either Mike Onder or Lee Jackson of FHWA's
Office of Freight Management & Operations or visit
ops.fhwa.dot.gov on the Web.
fhwa.dot.gov
steve |
