Trucking news and briefs for Monday, May 24, 2021:
North Carolina piloting in-cab traffic alerts for truckers
The North Carolina Department of Transportation is partnering with a technology firm to provide in-cab communications to truck drivers in an effort to reduce the risk of commercial truck crashes.
NCDOT is partnering with Drivewyze parent company Intelligent Imaging Systems, a Canada-based company that provides innovative connected-truck technology.
The in-truck messaging provides real-time alerts of urgent road conditions. NCDOT says the alerts will help truck drivers react more quickly before encountering stopped traffic or major slowdowns.
“We strive to let people know of unexpected traffic conditions," said Kevin Lacy, the State Traffic Engineer at NCDOT. “We're excited to be working with an industry partner that is using new technology. Truck drivers will be able to get advance warning of a major roadway incident before they see it on one of our dynamic message signs."
The department is contracting with Intelligent Imaging Systems to provide this service to truck drivers traveling through North Carolina. The first-in-the nation pilot will cover all 182 miles of Interstate 95 and the rural portions of Interstate 40 outside the Triangle, the Triad and Asheville.
The new alerts will have messages such as “Sudden Slowdown Ahead" and “Congestion Ahead" about 2 or 3 miles before commercial truck drivers encounter the slowed traffic or incident. Information will be in real time via INRIX, a leader in transportation analytics and connected vehicle services. These alerts will complement other notifications subscribed trucks already receive through the Drivewyze notification service.
