Expanded Use of AVL/GPS Technology: Final Report

Lee, Ming-Shiun; Nelson, Dan; Crow, Mallory · 2022 · ROSA P / Minnesota. Department of Transportation. Clear Roads Pooled Fund

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Summary

This report addresses the challenge of optimizing the return on investment for Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technologies in highway maintenance. While these systems are traditionally deployed for winter snow and ice control, the research aims to demonstrate how expanding their use to summer and year-round maintenance activities—such as roadside mowing, street sweeping, and road stripe painting—can improve asset tracking, automate reporting, and reduce paperwork. The study was motivated by the need to justify the significant hardware, software, and training costs associated with AVL/GPS acquisition by utilizing the technology across a broader range of applications. The methodology employed by the research team, led by AECOM for the Clear Roads Pooled Fund, included a comprehensive literature review, surveys of state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and vendors, and detailed case studies. Surveys conducted in fall 2021 gathered high-level data on current system usage and vendor perspectives. Based on these responses, five agencies were selected for in-depth virtual interviews and case study development: Alabama DOT, Illinois DOT, Missouri DOT, the City of Farmington Hills, and the City of West Des Moines. Additionally, abbreviated interviews were conducted with Colorado DOT, Massachusetts DOT, and New Hampshire DOT to gain specific insights into equipment transferability between winter and non-winter fleets. The findings highlight that AVL/GPS systems provide significant operational benefits beyond simple location tracking. When integrated with in-vehicle equipment, these systems can automatically record specific maintenance metrics, such as miles of road painted, acres mowed, and quantities of materials used. The case studies revealed that successful implementation requires careful planning, including defining system requirements upfront and collaborating with vendors to customize reporting. Key lessons learned emphasize the importance of staff education to mitigate privacy concerns ("big brother" syndrome) and the value of starting with small pilot projects before expanding deployment. The report also notes that integrating AVL data with Connected Vehicle technologies can enhance traveler safety by communicating work zone restrictions via dynamic message signs or vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. The significance of this research lies in its provision of a practical framework for highway maintenance agencies to maximize the utility of their AVL/GPS investments. The report offers specific recommendations for procurement, implementation, and management, such as appointing a knowledgeable program champion and encouraging staff to propose new use cases. By documenting the experiences of diverse agencies, the study provides a template for others to transition from winter-only to year-round AVL/GPS usage, ultimately improving efficiency, reducing administrative burdens, and enhancing the safety of both maintenance workers and the traveling public.

Key finding

Deploying AVL/GPS systems for year-round maintenance operations justifies acquisition costs and improves asset tracking, process automation, and safety compared to limiting usage to winter maintenance alone.

Methodology

mixed_methods

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• nav systems