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Assessment of Innovative and Automated Freight Systems and Development of Evaluation Tools

Project Summary

Many innovative and automated freight delivery strategies and technologies have been proposed to address the future freight needs of Texas’ growing population. TxDOT and local transportation planners need to evaluate operational changes or technology applications to ensure continued, timely flow of commercial freight through the Texas transportation system. Emerging freight delivery technologies, such as automated freight vehicles or airborne small package delivery, and innovative operational freight strategies, such as nighttime off-peak hour deliveries or conversion of managed lanes to truck-only use during high port traffic periods. Are potential ways to better use existing infrastructure. Changes in buying habits of consumer goods toward direct home package delivery also could dramatically shift distribution patterns and increase the number of intercity and local delivery trucks on TxDOT roadways.

The primary objective of this project is to establish a process to evaluate freight Operational changes or technology applications in order to ensure continued timely flow of commercial freight through the Texas transportation system. This project will develop and adapt the necessary evaluation metrics for future use. This project will also access several currently proposed freight strategies and technologies to determine which of these should be further evaluated for implementation on the Texas transportation system in future project phases.

Project Number

0-6837

Status

Completed

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