Commercial Vehicle Fleet Management And Information Systems, Technical Memorandum 1, Classification Of Fleet Operations, And Selection Of Candidate Case-Study Fleets

NHTSA · 1994 · ROSA P / United States. Joint Program Office for Intelligent Transportation Systems

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Summary

This technical memorandum, prepared for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 1994, addresses the need to align Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) development with the specific operational requirements of commercial vehicle fleets. The study was motivated by the observation that while ITS technologies like automated tracking and routing could significantly enhance fleet management, adoption was uneven and often driven by technology availability rather than user needs. The primary objective was to determine if public sector involvement could help meet these needs by first classifying fleet operations and identifying candidate fleets for detailed case studies. The authors analyzed market forces driving changes in fleet management, including increasing customer service demands, competitive pressures from deregulation, traffic congestion, regulatory compliance burdens, labor shortages, and the rise of intermodal freight. To categorize the industry, the study developed a new typology for motor carriers based on components such as the industry/commodity served, operating patterns, corporate structure, and reporting requirements. This framework replaced traditional market segmentation methods to better reflect fleet management needs. The methodology involved reviewing industry data and applying classification criteria to identify distinct segments within the trucking and bus industries. Specific segments analyzed included liquid petroleum, processed foods, building materials, retail trade, wholesale trade, manufacturing, construction, utilities, and household goods. Based on this typology, the memorandum recommends specific candidate fleets for subsequent case studies. The selection process focused on identifying fleets that represented diverse operational characteristics and were likely to benefit from ITS applications. The document details the characteristics of these recommended candidates, ensuring they cover a broad spectrum of the motor carrier industry. The analysis highlights that different fleet types face unique challenges; for instance, less-than-truckload carriers have less flexibility to avoid congestion than truckload carriers, and private fleets serving retail customers have different scheduling constraints than those serving industrial plants. The significance of this work lies in its shift from a technology-push to a needs-pull approach for ITS development. By establishing a clear classification of fleet operations, the study provides a foundation for targeted research and development that addresses the specific logistical, safety, and regulatory challenges of different carrier types. The findings suggest that effective ITS solutions must account for the diverse nature of the commercial vehicle industry, including variations in cargo type, route structure, and corporate scale. This memorandum serves as a critical preliminary step in a larger project aimed at evaluating the potential for federal support in developing ITS systems that improve the efficiency, safety, and competitiveness of U.S. freight transportation.

Key finding

The document establishes a framework for classifying motor carrier operations and selecting candidate fleets for case studies to evaluate the potential for public sector involvement in developing ITS commercial vehicle applications.

Methodology

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Provenance

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Topics

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• truck driver fatigue
• fleet safety