RFID Applications for Tolling and Congestion Management Dr. John Walewski Center for Transportation Research, University of Texas at Austin
efficiency and interoperability
Traffic Congestion $200 Billion per year Decreased fuel efficiency & air quality Increased costs of consumer goods Time, time, precious time Supply chain impacts: Diminishes productivity Increases transportation costs Source: USDOT Congestion Initiative, Federal Highway Administration, 07/2007
Congestion Sources Bad Weather 15% Special Events 5% Poor Signal Timing 5% Capacity Constrained 40% Work Zones 10% Traffic Incidents 25% USDOT Congestion Initiative, Federal Highway Administration, 07/2007
TxDOT Mission, Vision, and, Policy: safe, effective, and efficient movement of people and freight.
Dallas Toll Roads
Houston Toll Roads
Central Texas Toll Roads
Trans-Texas Corridor ORT Concept
Candidate Toll Projects by District/TTC TxDOT District Total Number of Projects Project Total Cost ($ est.) Atlanta 1 340,460,000 Austin 8 2,046,000,000 Beaumont 1 173,570,000 Bryan 2 549,912,000 Corpus Christi 7 2,027,000,000 Dallas 16 18,723,878,000 El Paso 12 2,184,024,771 Fort Worth 10 3,924,527,000 Houston 4 8,013,000,000 Laredo 3 564,600,000 Pharr 9 2,024,000,000 San Antonio 7 5,760,000,000 Tyler 2 288,496,520 Yoakum 1 324,000,000 TTC 4 9,010,000,000 Total 87 $ 55,953,468,291 Source: Initiating the Toll Partnering Process, SB792, 06/2007
Initiating the Toll Partnering Process, SB792, 06/2007 Candidate Toll Projects
Electronic Tolling Systems Purpose: Drive through without stopping or scrambling for cash System Components: 1. Transponder Programmable Power source 2. Lane antenna 3. Lane controller 4. Host computer system
Transponder Types Type I: No processing capabilities information is read only hard-wired id number Type II: Updateable area to encode information time and point of entry Type III: Microprocessor enabled - smart tags Communicate to roadside or overhead sensors account balance driver and vehicle information location
Transponder Types (cont) Passive: No internal power supply Incoming radio frequency signals detected by antennae Signal powers up tag Limited data storage Semi-Passive: Battery power Respond faster Stronger signal More data storage Active: Connected to vehicle power source Store more information Receive and store information sent by roadside units Much greater range
Electronic Toll Collection Other Benefits: Eliminates costs Limits revenue leakage Reduces safety concerns Interoperability
Issues Supply chain and freight impacts Big Brother and privacy concerns Infrastructure capacity Interoperability Technology
Supply Chain Impacts Freight Growth Freight shaped by globalization of production and logistics System performance challenges tougher as capacity lags demand Public sector infrastructure challenges impact the economy
Truck Transportation Supply Chain Changes with RFID Applications New mileage-based or ton-mileage fees More toll roads / truck-only lanes Tighter emissions limits New (e.g. carbon) taxes, and user fees Further workforce regulations Higher productivity equipment
Proposed Privacy Legislation Notice and consent to collect personal information Information relevant to services provided Protect individuals' rights to move without being tracked Security of electronic transactions Protect personal information
Future Applications and Research
Cordon Pricing
Additional Future Applications Automated crash notification system Enterprise call box OnStar on steroids Electronic vehicle registration Vehicle-to-vehicle communication Vehicle to roadside communication Odometer tolling Vehicle positioning systems Satellite tolling Cell phone tolling More in-vehicle features RFID GPS
Automated Crash Notification Systems 433 MHz RFID tag with vibration sensor Attached to guardrails, signs, etc. Detects crashes into tagged roadside objects vibration sensor activates the tag Proprietary protocol transmits ID
Vehicle Infrastructure Initiative (VII) Public/Private partnership vehicle-vehicle and vehicle-infrastructure communications wireless network Dedicated Short Range Communication coordinated deployments of communication technologies On all major U.S. roadways
Vehicle Infrastructure Initiative (VII) Warning drivers of unsafe conditions, imminent collisions, weather, congestion Proof-of-concept Detroit 2006 and 2007 Privacy issues On-board computers and data
Source: OnStar Corp.
Oregon pilot program Odometer Tolling Distance based charge 1.2 a mile RFID equipped pump subtract gas tax adds mileage charge Track rush hour driving in congestion zone GIS monitors out of state travel
John Walewski, Ph.D. Austin IAC Program Manager Center for Transportation Research University of Texas at Austin 512-786-9345 walewski@mail.utexas.edu