RSF 135: Enhancement of Kentucky's Truck Parking Information Management Systems (TPIMS) - Scope

Abstract RSF 135, Enhancement of Kentucky’s Truck Parking Information Management Systems (TPIMS) 4/01/23 – 12/31/2025 Kentucky is finalizing a truck parking study that seeks to identify the truck parking supply and demand in Kentucky, leverage state right-of-way to increase capacity, and reduce unauthorized truck parking on interstate shoulders and ramps1. In conjunction with this, Kentucky would like to improve its current TPIMS. KYTC’s ITS vendor is under contract to monitor TPIMS and update the parking information. The current system requires significant intervention to keep the data accurate. This project would allow Kentucky to analyze the current system and look for ways to enhance/improve it so that the information provided is more accurate. In 2019, Kentucky partnered with seven other states to launch a real-time parking information system for commercial motor vehicle drivers. The multi-state project was financed by a $25 million federal grant and $3.6 million in collective state funds2. TPIMS uses technologies (i.e., cameras and/or radar sensors) to count the available parking spaces at various weigh stations, rest areas, and in one private location. This information is then disseminated via dynamic message signs and the website: https://trucksparkhere.com. These are standalone systems consisting of cameras, radar sensors, and dynamic message signs. The objective of this project is to enhance TPIMS in Kentucky to make the systems more accurate in terms of counting the available trucking parking spaces. Kentucky seeks to reduce the intervention required by ITS maintenance personnel with these systems by incorporating technology that provides a more accurate count of parking space availability. Kentucky will establish a baseline for current accuracy rates at the start of the project and compare those to updated accuracy rates after the preferred technology has been deployed to demonstrate the improvements in counting accuracy. The project’s expected outcome is to reduce the need for CMV drivers to park on the shoulders of interstates or ramps. Additionally, the anticipated benefit of this project would be crash reduction and improved safety for not only truck drivers, but also all other types of motorists. The project should also result in more efficient and effective usage of the designated CMV parking facilities. It is also anticipated that the upgraded system will improve efficiencies for motor carriers by reducing the amount of time required to find a parking space, which would result in much safer and more secure parking for CMV drivers. With that said, the objectives of this project are three- fold: • Establish a baseline for current accuracy rates for counting truck parking spaces. • Implement the new technology to evaluate their performance in truck parking spaces counting accuracy. 1 http://kytruckparking.com/ 2 https://drive.ky.gov/motor-carriers/Pages/TPIMS.aspx