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5.0 Conclusions

The main objective of this study has been to determine what sensor technologies could potentially replace or supplement trained data collectors, in an automated system to calculate (or help calculate) truck travel times at border crossing sites. To perform that role, a selected technology will have to (1) identify specific trucks, (2) timestamp them as they pass a matched pair of predetermined upstream and downstream point in a direction of flow, (3) collect and process the resultant travel time information, and (4) archive it in a format available for an end-user – i.e., the FHWA, other federal, state, and local agencies, and perhaps supporting organizations.

Appendix A summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of the border application candidate technologies that have been discussed in sections 2.6.1 through 2.6.8. All of the technologies except one share a significant disadvantage: they require infrastructure to be installed on both sides of the border. Installation entails cross-border agreements as well as expense. With some of the candidate technologies, operational cooperation may also be required, such as agreement with trucking firms and unions to use a certain kind of tag. The only technology type that doesn't require cross-border infrastructure has its own unique set of disadvantages. Most of the technologies would have to be configured to perform in a manner that is not what they are developed for, but the similarity is close enough that risk should be controllable.

A modest follow-on study to determine the most appropriate sensor technologies for the FHWA's needs could produce benefits. In particular, there are currently serious considerations being given to various technologies for personnel identification and tracking under the aegis of Homeland Defense. A marriage, between some of those proposed security-based technologies with technologies that could help FHWA leverage its desire to automate travel time calculation, is perhaps a rare window of opportunity that is presenting itself.

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