Truck Parking Information Management System project underway

Truck Parking Information Management Systems help inform truck drivers about parking availability in rest areas. 

The Kansas Department of Transportation has joined together with seven other states in the Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials (MAASTO) to develop a multi-state Truck Parking Information Management System.  This TPIMS project will improve the safety and efficiency of America’s freight network by providing real-time parking availability information to truck drivers through dynamic message signs, smart phone applications, traveler information websites, and other communication methods.  With implementation of the regional TPIMS project, commercial truck drivers will be able to find available parking more easily and efficiently route themselves to those locations, increasing their productivity and lowering their costs.

In 2013 a national survey revealed that 83 percent of drivers routinely took longer than 30 minutes to find parking.  Drivers who have not located parking before reaching their hours of service limits are often forced to park illegally or unsafely, often on the shoulders of highways, on off ramps, or at abandoned facilities.  This loss of productivity adds six percent or more to labor costs associated with moving goods through the national freight network.

KDOT began installation of TPIMS on Monday, December 11.  These signs will provide the number of available truck parking spaces at 18 rest areas along I-70.  Each sign shows parking spaces available for two to three rest areas to give trucks an idea how full parking areas are five, 30, 60 miles ahead, as an example.  We are using a “computer vision” 

system that uses cameras to build a 3D image of the parking area so available spaces can be automatically detected.  Most rest areas will have two camera poles installed near the truck parking area and each pole will have three cameras mounted on it to produce the 3D image.

Deployment of this innovative system is scheduled for the Fall of 2018.

MAASTO Truck Parking Innovation takes center stage at ITS World Congress

The Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials (MAASTO), including representatives from the Kansas Department of Transportation, recently showcased truck parking innovation technology at the Intelligent Transportation Systems World Congress.

The Regional Truck Parking Information System (TPIMS), the largest project of its kind to ever be funded by a U.S. TIGER grant, was presented at the ITS World Congress in Montreal, Canada. The U.S. TIGER grant made it possible for MAASTO members to attend and present the innovative technology to the world.

“It is fitting that the Kansas Department of Transportation and our closest peers and partners are honored for developing trucking-related technology,” said Secretary of Transportation Richard Carlson. “Kansas’ top-ranked highway system and road miles, as well as our geographic and logistical advantages create an excellent opportunity for transportation innovation and synergy to unite.”

The presentation highlighted how member-states of the MAASTO joined together in creating an eight-state regional technology program for providing commercial freight truck drivers with real-time information that helps them more easily find safe, nearby parking as they reach the end of their regulated hours of service. The presentation will outline how the TPIMS technology will work and be used, along with how the project is progressing towards its early 2019 full deployment.

Presenters of the project included Project Manager Davonna Moore who serves as the Assistant Bureau Chief of Transportation for the Kansas Department of Transportation and Matt Junak of the HNTB consultant team supporting the project.  

Real time truck parking availability signs along I-70 on list of approved September lettings

An example of the Truck Parking Information Management Systems (TPIMS)

A project that will provide real time information regarding truck parking availability at rest areas along I-70 through the use of roadside signs and an electronic data feed was one of the projects included in the Sept. 20 KDOT construction letting.

KDOT is participating in the Regional Truck Parking Information Management Systems (TPIMS) along with seven other states in the Mid America Association of State Transportation Official (MAASTO) region. Custom Lighting Services LLC DBA Black and McDonald of Kansas City, Mo., is the prime contractor on the $3,083,462 project.

To see all of the projects in the Sept. 20 letting, click here.

Transload Talk: Facilities receive first wind turbine blades

The Garden City transload facility was completed Jan. 4, and received its first shipment of wind turbine blades on Jan. 25. This transload facility received a $3 million grant from the State Rail Service Improvement Fund. 

Transload facilities that were first discussed by the Kansas Freight Advisory Committee in 2015 have received their first deliveries of wind energy components at Great Bend and Garden City.

Transportation Partners and Logistics (TPL) at Garden City, which was completed Jan. 4, received its first wind blades Jan. 25. BNSF Railway is the serving railroad for the facility, which received a $3 million grant from the State Rail Service Improvement Fund managed by KDOT. TPL has expanded from 50 acres in 2011 to more than 200 acres. TPL serves clients in the wind energy, solar component and other related industries.

Wind Turbine Components began arriving at the Great Bend transload facility in January. The recently-operational facility also received a $3 million grant from the State Rail Service Improvement Fund. 

The Great Bend facility, which is operated by Sherwood Companies and served by the Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad, also began receiving wind blades and tower sections in January. This month, shipments of nacelles (another wind energy component) began arriving. The facility will also be receiving aggregates soon. Phase 1 of the site development comprises 18 acres. Dirt work is underway for new rail construction and rehabilitation of the existing industrial rail will be completed this month. Materials are on site and construction of the new rail yard should be completed in April.

Great Bend and Garden City emerged from 111 sites that were submitted to the Transload Facility Site Analysis team in 2015 as locations for transload facilities.

Construction of Great Bend's transload center kicks off

This afternoon in Great Bend there will be a kick-off celebration for the state's first ever transload facility. Transload, means to move good from one mode of transportation to another, from rail to truck or truck to rail in this case. Great Bend was chosen out of more than 100 applicants for this site.

Five for Friday on the Freight Advisory Committee

On Tuesday, KDOT Secretary Mike King announced the members of the newly-formed Kansas Freight Advisory Committee. During the Kansas Transportation Summit last fall, citizens said that our agency needed to have a better understanding of the demands of expanding freight within Kansas.  This committee was assembled to help provide input on these issues.  We caught up with John Maddox, KDOT's freight and rail program manager, to learn more about this committee and freight issues in Kansas.

1. What will be the committee's areas of focus? 

The Kansas Freight Advisory Committee Mission is to Advise, Assist and Advocate:

• Freight Transportation Trends, Issues and Needs
• Priority Freight Corridor Base Criteria
• Multimodal/Intermodal Freight Infrastructure Improvement Needs
• The need for, and the benefit of, a seamless, multimodal freight transportation system for the movement of Kansas products throughout the state, region, nation and around the globe.

2. What do you consider to be some of the greatest challenges/issues with regards to freight?  
The efficient movement of freight from origin to destination whether it be via motor carrier, rail, waterway, pipeline, air cargo or any combination of those modes. 

3. About how much freight is transported in Kansas each year?  Is that increasing/decreasing? 
Across all freight transportation modes hundreds of millions of tons of freight are hauled from, to, through and within Kansas annually.  Overall freight transportation growth is anticipated to be approximately two percent per year. 

4.  What was the selection criteria for committee members? 
The members of the Freight Advisory Committee were selected based on their experience and knowledge pertaining to freight transportation logistics.  The committee is composed of a diverse group of individuals representing transportation companies, shippers, industry organizations, state governmental agencies, local planning organizations and industry/manufacturing.

 5. When is the first meeting?
April 2^nd in Topeka.

 Below is a list of the Freight Advisory Committee members.