Maintenance Decision Support System : Pilot Study and Cost-Benefit Analysis (Phase 2)

Wang, Eric; LaCombe, Jeffrey · 2014 · ROSA P / Nevada. Dept. of Transportation

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Summary

This report details Phase 2 of a project sponsored by the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) to develop and evaluate a Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS). The primary objective was to create hardware and software solutions for collecting road and weather data, conduct a cost-benefit analysis, and perform a pilot-scale implementation. The research was motivated by the need to optimize winter maintenance resources, aiming to either increase service levels with existing resources or maintain current service levels while reducing costs. With an annual salt and sand budget of approximately $2.6 million, the study projected potential annual savings of $520,000 to $1 million if NDOT implemented an MDSS to maintain baseline service levels. To address Nevada’s unique geographic challenges, specifically the lack of cellular coverage in rural areas, the researchers developed two distinct Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems. The NIMO-1 system, designed for rural environments, utilized a rugged PC-104 single-board computer and transmitted data via the statewide Enhanced Digital Access Communications Systems (EDACS) radio network. Due to bandwidth limitations, this system transmitted a subset of high-priority data every five minutes, while storing the full dataset onboard for later retrieval. The NIMO-2 system, intended for urban areas with cellular coverage, employed a Motorola Droid smartphone and a custom Arduino-based multiplexer to collect sensor data, including temperature, humidity, and vehicle metrics, transmitting this information every ten seconds via cellular data. Both systems required no driver interaction to prevent distracted driving. A total of 37 NDOT vehicles were instrumented with these systems (21 with NIMO-1 and 16 with NIMO-2), all communicating with a central server at the University of Nevada, Reno. The study also included a survey of MDSS experiences in other states, such as Colorado, Indiana, and Kansas, to identify best practices and potential impediments. Findings indicated that while many states view MDSS as a valuable guidance tool rather than a directive, trust in the system’s treatment recommendations varies significantly. The report identified several barriers to full implementation in Nevada. The most pressing technical issue is the need for a seamless switching mechanism between radio-based and cellular-based data transmission. Operational challenges include difficulties in accurately reporting material usage within Nevada’s existing Material Management System, which complicates the verification of MDSS benefits. Furthermore, building trust among NDOT personnel is hindered by the state’s complex microclimates, which can lead to inaccurate weather forecasts and subsequent distrust in treatment recommendations. Finally, the report highlights intellectual property concerns, noting that while NDOT does not infringe on reviewed patents, existing patents held by Concaten and Iwapi pose a significant legal hurdle for any DOT implementing an MDSS. The developed pilot systems serve as templates for future vendor requests for proposals.

Key finding

NDOT can expect to save between $520,000 and $1 million annually by implementing a Maintenance Decision Support System that maintains the same level of service using fewer resources.

Methodology

field_study

Sample size: 37

Provenance

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

Topics

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• dms validation