New project aims to help truck drivers find available rest areas in the United States.
Federal funds will be put to work in the US to make it easier for truck drivers to find available spots at rest areas.
The US Department of Transportation has pledged $25 million to a regional trucking parking project in the midwestern states of Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
The money will be spent on installing technology to allow information about rest areas along major freight routes to be sent to drivers’ smartphones and displayed on dynamic road signage, websites and at parking facilities.
“The project will help improve trucker safety and help make the US transportation system the safest in the world,” federal highway administrator Gregory Nadeau says.
“Through innovative technology, this multi-state project will help truckers find up-to-date information on available parking so they can rest safely.”
The initiative uses intelligent transport systems (ITS) technology, which is also being used in Australia to improve the country’s transport network.
ITS and cooperative ITS allows vehicles and surrounding infrastructure to send and receive information.
The technology is used for traffic management and features heavily in modern heavy vehicles through applications such as stability control, lane detection and collision avoidance.