Data-Driven Decisions in Transportation – An Assessment of Louisiana's Freight Mobility Goals

Kwabena Abedi; Thapa Raju; Julius Codjoe; Vijaya Gopu

doi:10.13021/jmms.2022.3497

Authors

Kwabena Abedi University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Thapa Raju
Julius Codjoe, Ph.D., P.E. University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Vijaya K.A. Gopu, Ph.D., P.E. University of Louisiana at Lafayettte

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13021/jmms.2022.3497

Keywords:

Freight; Operations; Performance Measures; TTTR Index; Data-Driven

Abstract

This study evaluated how Louisiana has met its commercial vehicle operations (CVO) goals to increase freight mobility and facilitate freight and economic growth on significant freight routes in Louisiana. The performance measures used for this assessment were the Truck Travel Time Reliability (TTTR) Index and vehicle user delay cost for periods between 2016-2020, which were sourced from the National Performance Management Research Data Set (NPMRDS). Louisiana's interstate highway remained reliable with TTTR Index scores of less than 1.50, but some Traffic Messaging Channels (TMC) segments experienced maximum TTTR scores greater than 1.50, which were altogether 15.47% of the interstate highway system, as of 2020. The 15.47% of the interstate highway contributed, on average, 72.34 % of the annual user delay cost between 2016 and 2019 and 62.49% in 2020, which are extremely high considering the length of the interstate system. This paper demonstrates how data can be used to set transportation mobility priorities and also demonstrates how data can be used to identify areas with the greatest need for improvement in a transportation system.

Author Biographies

Julius Codjoe, Ph.D., P.E., University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Vijaya K.A. Gopu, Ph.D., P.E. , University of Louisiana at Lafayettte

References

CDM Smith Inc. Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. "2015 Statewide Transportation Plan." Statewide Transportation Plan, November 18, 2016, http://www.dotd.la.gov/Inside_LaDOTD/Divisions/Multimodal/Transportation_Plan/Pages/default.aspx. Accessed: March 05, 2022.

Thapa R., J. Codjoe and K. Abedi. Develop and Evaluate Performance Measures for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in Louisiana. SIO Number: DOTLT1000379. Louisiana Transportation Research Center, Louisiana State University, 2022. https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/65779. Accessed: March 05, 2022

Federal Register. National Performance Management Measures; Assessing Performance of the National Highway System, Freight Movement on the Interstate System, and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/18/2017-00681/national-performance-management-measures-assessing-performance-of-the-national-highway-system. Accessed: March 05, 2022.

Code of Federal Regulations. Subpart F - National Performance Management Measures to Assess Freight Movement on the Interstate System. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-23/part-490/subpart-F. Accessed: March 05, 2022.

Regional Integrated Transportation Information System. NPMRDS Frequently Answered Questions. https://npmrds.ritis.org/analytics/help/. Accessed: March 05, 2022.

Federal Highway Administration, "Distribution of Annual Vehicle Distance Traveled – 2010". https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2010/pdf/vm4.pdf. Accessed: March 02, 2022.

Codjoe, Julius; Thapa, Raju; and Osafo, Yaa Amanua. Louisiana Transportation Research Center. 'Evaluation of DOTD's Existing Queue Estimation Procedures,' Published Date: 2021-01-01, Report Number: FHWA/LA.17/642, https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/58390. Accessed: February 02, 2022.