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1. Introduction

In 1998, ITS America (ITSA) established a Blue Ribbon Panel (BRP) on electronic commerce (e-commerce) to study the convergence of transportation and electronic payment systems.8 Members of the panel included senior managers from government, toll agencies, motor carrier industry, and service providers. The goal of this panel was to achieve national interoperability of Electronic Toll Collection (ETC), electronic screening (E-screening), and other dedicated short-range communication standards (DSRC) applications. The panel was successful in providing a forum for this diverse group to discuss issues and ideas, while moving toward a solution to the national interoperability problem.9

In an effort to develop interoperability between ETC and E-screening, the I-95 Corridor Coalition (Coalition), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and ITSA in March 2001 funded a Pilot Project that would link these applications using a single DSRC transponder. The I-95 Electronic Toll Collection/Electronic Screening Interoperability Pilot Project was designed to build upon the work of the ITSA E-Commerce BRP. Current e-commerce BRP efforts are directed toward establishing the framework and business case for national interoperability of ETC systems for commercial vehicles. Since regional ETC interoperability already exists through the E-ZPass program, this project is focused on linking regional E-screening programs to E-ZPass.

To assist in this project, a Project Team was comprised of various stakeholder representatives from Connecticut, Maryland, and New York, to oversee various aspects as needed.

Many I-95 Corridor Coalition agencies have already deployed ETC through the E-ZPass program. Maryland, Connecticut, and Virginia are currently deploying, and other member states have plans to deploy E-screening using a different DSRC transponder. Interoperability between these applications would reduce costs and increase marketability of these programs. The Fusion transponder, a dual-protocol device manufactured by Mark IV Industries, is capable of supporting both ETC Inter-Agency Group (IAG) and E-screening (ASTM v6) functions.

Although E-screening is already being used by a number of states and has been in operation for over 10 years, the program has not obtained a high degree of market penetration among motor carriers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2002, there were approximately 4.7 million power units greater than 10,000 lbs gross vehicle weight operating in the United States, which represents the total approximate available market for transponders.10 Currently, there are approximately 340,000 commercial vehicles enrolled in E-screening programs throughout the United States. Thus, even after a decade of operation, the E-screening market penetration is only about 7percent of the total potential population.

Establishing interoperability between ETC and E-screening offers a major opportunity to increase the number of motor carriers using transponders for both applications. Although motor carriers desire a single dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) transponder with multiple applications, interoperability of transponder applications has not yet been achieved.

Under the direction and partial funding of the United States Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Joint Program Office (JPO), Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) evaluations are being conducted on a national basis to accelerate the integration and interoperability of ITS in selected metropolitan and rural areas. The purpose of these evaluations is to:

It is important to emphasize that any and all results from these evaluations are beneficial, and that the evaluations do not represent a "grading" of how well a project did or did not succeed. Rather, the intent is to provide an objective assessment of ITS deployments and document what did or did not work so that other agencies and jurisdictions can use this information to help ensure success in future deployments.

The ETC/E-Screening Interoperability Pilot Project is highly representative of the type of project that is of interest to the ITS community: a project involving multiple agencies and states cooperating on a multi-state deployment; integration of ITS technologies and systems; and the testing of interoperability.

Based on an expression of interest from the State of Maryland, with support from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an evaluation of the Pilot Project was approved in 2002.11 This synthesis document presents the Evaluation Team's findings in response to both the original Statement of Work (SOW) and the July 2004 modification.

This Final Report Synthesis is supplemented by the Attachment I: Appendices Electronic Toll Collection/ Electronic Screening Interoperability Pilot Project Supplement to the Final Report, under separate cover. The Attachment I Appendices document contains the detailed methodologies, test approaches, and findings from the Pilot Project. The remainder of this Final Report Synthesis document is organized as follows:

1.1 Background

1.1.1 The I-95 Corridor

As shown in Figure 1-1, Interstate-95 12 (I-95) connects the entire Eastern Seaboard of the United States. The I-95 corridor includes some 16 states and the District of Columbia with a combined population of about 103 million people - approximately 37 percent of the total U.S. population.13 One of the most urbanized regions in the United States, this corridor includes such areas as Miami to Fort Lauderdale, Washington, D.C. to Baltimore, New York City, and Boston.

Map of the US with a line depicting the I-95 running north-south along the east coast from Maine through Florida.

Figure 1-1. I-95 Corridor States14

All available statistics show that the corridor is one of the more heavily traveled corridors in the United States and that congestion is a major issue for corridor states. According to FHWA highway statistics for between 1998 and 2004, a total of 1,064,335 million commercial motor vehicle miles were traveled in the United States.15 During the same time period, the commercial motor vehicle miles traveled in the Coalition states totaled 309,427million - 29 percent of total commercial motor vehicle miles traveled.

Congestion costs in the corridor are also among the highest in the country, with six of the 16 most congested urban areas located in the corridor.16 The corridor is also home to six urban regions that rank among the top 15 urban regions nationally for annual person hours for traffic delay per capita.17 The corridor is also a major corridor for freight movement. Corridor states are home to 14 of the United States' top 50 water ports, ranked by total tons of cargo.18

A presentation by the I-95 Corridor Coalition at the ITS America CVFM Forum's 2004 meeting in Oakland, California, documented expected trends in vehicle miles traveled and freight movement in the I-95 Corridor over the next 20 years. Freight movement is expected to increase by 60 percent by 2020 to approximately 25 billion tons. During the same time period, commercial motor vehicle (CMV) vehicle miles traveled (VMT) are expected to double to approximately 400 million.

The current levels of congestion, coupled with the project increases in CMV VMT and freight, indicate the importance of identifying ITS/CVO solutions that will enable I-95 Corridor states to ensure that future mobility is not adversely compromised.

1.1.2 The I-95 Corridor Coalition

The Coalition began in the early 1990s as an informal group of transportation professionals working together to reduce the operational and institutional barriers to coordinated incident management.19 Limits on the region's capacity to expand transportation infrastructure made the region an excellent candidate for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). However, the geographical boundaries of 16 states (from Maine to Florida) and the District of Columbia (District) made implementation of ITS difficult without a coordinating body.

Realizing the need to move forward in the region with seamless systems operation and service delivery, the USDOT named the region a Priority Corridor in 1991 in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). Federal funds were provided to support the Coalition's activities through ISTEA and again in 1996 through the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). This led to the mandate for a partnership of agencies throughout the region to move toward the ideal of having a seamless transportation system. As a result, the Coalition was established in 1993 as a virtual organization to enhance mobility, safety, and efficiency across all modes and transportation facilities that serve the region.

The Coalition's initial membership included the Departments of Transportation (DOTs) from member States and the District. The Coalition has since expanded to include agencies involved with regional passenger and freight movement analyses, long-distance trip planning on public transportation modes, port access, and international border crossing security.

Member agencies now include State and Local DOTs; Transportation Authorities; Transit and Rail Agencies; Port Authorities; Motor Vehicle Agencies; and State Police/Law Enforcement. In addition, the USDOT, and industry and trade associations, such as the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), AMTRAK, American Bus Association (ABA), American Association of Railroads (AAR); state trucking associations; the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI); and groups such as ITS America, AAA (Automobile Club), and United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) are also represented in the membership.

The original Coalition member states included Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, and the District of Columbia. In recent years, DOTs representing New York City; the States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida; and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec also have joined the Coalition.

During the 1990s, the focus of the Coalition's program evolved from studying and testing ITS technologies to a broader perspective that embraced integrated deployments and coordinated operations. The Coalition's perspective evolved from a concentration on highways to one that encompasses all modes of travel and focuses on the efficient transfer of people and goods between modes. A key part of the Coalition's focus is aimed at facilitating regional incident management in areas such as preplanning, coordination, and communication among transportation and public safety agencies within the corridor. Today, the Coalition emphasizes information management as the underpinning of seamless operations across jurisdictions and modes.

1.2 Program Components

1.2.1 What is CVISN?

In TEA-21, Congress established a goal to complete Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) deployment in a majority of states by September 30, 2003. Through the CVISN Deployment Program, Federal and State government agencies work together with the motor carrier industry to develop and deploy cost- effective information systems and communication networks. These information systems and communications networks provide electronic access to timely and accurate motor carrier safety history and rating, credentials, and other information. CVISN is not a new information system, but rather a collection of information systems and communication networks that together provide a framework for states, the Federal Government, and private stakeholders to electronically collect, process, and exchange motor carrier safety information and commercial vehicle and eventually driver data. To date, over 40 states have completed CVISN top-level designs and project plans.

The CVISN Architecture establishes standards and a technical framework for the deployment and integration of CVISN systems and technologies. The Architecture is based on open standards and interoperability within and between state and Federal legacy systems. Through CVISN, states will deploy new capabilities in three areas:

1.2.2 What is Electronic Screening?

E-screening is the application of technology to the CMV screening process that takes place at weigh and inspection stations. With E-screening, a computer automatically makes an informed decision about whether or not further examination of a CMV is required. Properly implemented, E-screening has the potential to result in improved weigh station traffic flow; CMV inspections that better target non-compliant and potentially unsafe CMV; increased compliance; and ultimately achieves the goals of increased safety and reduced operating costs.20

In E-screening system applications:

Figure 1-2 shows one example of a weigh station equipped with electronic screening infrastructure and the electronic screening process flow.21

Sketch of weigh station configuration with electronic screening infrastructure in place.

Figure 1-2. Example of Weigh Station Configuration with Electronic Screening

A CMV equipped with an in-cab mounted transponder approaches a weigh station. Signs located prior to the weigh station direct the CMV into the right lane of the road.

The CMV passes over a mainline WIM and, in some instances, passes an automated vehicle classification (AVC) system that collects height and/or width data. A DSRC Advance Reader reads the transponder identification (ID) number and transmits this data to a computer located in the weigh station.

The computer compares the transponder ID number, and also verifies size and weight information. If the transponder ID number matches a carrier that meets bypass criteria, and size and weight data is within legal tolerances, a bypass message is sent to the CMV via a DSRC Clearance Reader. Weigh station personnel have the option of randomly selecting a certain number of CMV that is eligible for bypass to pull into the weigh station for random checks.

An AVC checks for CMV bypassing the weigh station, and a DSRC Compliance Reader checks if the CMV has a transponder. If a transponder is detected, a message is sent to the ROC.

If a CMV does not receive a bypass message, and instead, receives a "red light" that signals the driver to enter the weigh station, the CMV enters the weigh station and passes over a second WIM that is more accurate than the mainline WIM. A DSRC Ramp Reader will check the transponder ID number again, and the electronic check process through the electronic screening computer is repeated.

Overhead signals instruct the CMV driver to either pass over the static scale or return to the highway. When a CMV returns to the highway from the static scale, the message directing the CMV is displayed on the ROC.

1.2.3 What is Electronic Toll Collection?

ETC is the use of various technologies which, when combined, automate the manual in-lane toll collection process so that customers do not have to stop and pay cash at toll booths. For ETC to be effective, reliable, and achieve maximum throughput and customer satisfaction, three major in-lane/roadway components are required:

Interoperability for ETC has been established in the Northeast through the IAG and the E-ZPass system. Currently, E-ZPass or E-ZPass interoperable systems are used by the following states that are members both of the I-95 Corridor Coalition and the IAG: Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

As previously described, each transponder contains a unique identifier built in by the transponder manufacturer. ETC programs permit account holders to move transponders between CMVs, as the unique transponder identifier still enables an ETC program to link the CMV with the appropriate account. This is a significant difference from E-screening programs, which do not permit transponders to be moved between CMVs for E-screening. The unique transponder identifier is used to link a particular CMV to its safety history, and moving transponders between CMVs results in a situation where a CMV would be linked to the wrong safety history.

Following are some of the many benefits associated with ETC:

Overall, commercial vehicle drivers will see increased efficiencies as the improvement in less congestion and swifter movement of commercial goods throughout the region, which can enhance the economy and help advance business and industry growth.



8ITS America online newsletter published May 19, 2005. Accessed from: http://www.itsa.org/ITSNEWS.NSF/0/9fa7d2b984e1bd1a852567760049af0b?OpenDocument 9 CVO Committee Meeting Minutes, San Antonio, Texas, March 2 - 3, 2000. Accessed from: http://www.itsa.org/committe.nsf/0/91ec1f28b28ceba2852568cc0051d8ec?OpenDocument 10U.S. Census Bureau Website, 2002 Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS) data releases accessed from: http://www.census.gov/svsd/www/02vehinv.html. 11ETC/E-Screening Interoperability Pilot Project Final Evaluation Plan, SAIC, for the USDOT, April 25, 2002. ITS-JPO Electronic Documents Library (EDL) reference: http://www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/. 122002 VIUS data releases accessed from: http://www.census.gov/svsd/www/02vehinv.html. 13U.S. Census Bureau Website accessed from: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12000.html. 14I-95 Corridor map accessed from: http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/unitedstates.html. 15USDOT/FHWA, Highway Statistics (annual series), Tables VM-1 and PS-1. 16Bureau of Transportation Statistics Web page, accessed from: http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_transportation_statistics/2003/html/table_01_66.html. 17Bureau of Transportation Statistics Web page, accessed from: http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_transportation_statistics/2003/html/table_01_63.html. 18Ibid. 19Information on the I-95 Corridor Coalition was obtained from the Coalition's Website: http://www.i95coalition.com/index.html. 20Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) - Electronic Screening Functional Specification and Conceptual Design, I-70 Westbound West Friendship, Maryland, POR-01-7327 V1.0, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, July 2001. 21Graphic representation of a weigh station configuration with electronic screening. Source: http://cvisn.fmcsa.dot.gov/Documents/Document_Nav_Frame_Page_documents.shtml.

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