DelDOT launches Smart Roadways traffic alert system for trucks
The Delaware Department of Transportation recently announced the launch of traffic safety notifications for commercial truck drivers, a program delivered in partnership with Drivewyze and its Smart Roadways services. All freeways in the state will be covered by the alerts.
Smart Roadways is an agency-sponsored notification service that extends public highway safety programs into the cabs of commercial trucks. In Delaware, the new traffic and congestion alerts service allows commercial drivers to get real-time notifications of upcoming traffic congestion and sudden slowdowns. The new traffic alerts supplement the Drivewyze safety notifications that truck drivers already receive in Delaware, including high rollover areas, low bridges and railroad crossings.
The DelDOT alerts program notifies truck drivers about hazardous locations, such as areas where there are drastic speed changes or heavier-than-normal congestion, using visual messages such as “sudden slowdown ahead” along with an audible chime. The alerts are configured to allow ample time for trucks to slow down or stop, as they require more deceleration time than passenger vehicles do.
“We are continually working to improve safety on our roads, and Smart Roadways will benefit commercial drivers across the state by providing critical in-cab traveler information where and when drivers need it most,” said Nicole Majeski, DelDOT secretary. “Studies have shown nearly 30% of collisions occur on interstates, and many are secondary incidents, where a vehicle is rear-ended when in a queue from an initial crash. This program will help reduce those numbers.”
The traffic and congestion alerts service was developed through an exclusive partnership between Drivewyze and INRIX. Leveraging INRIX traffic data, this service allows DelDOT to send real-time alerts to truck drivers through the Drivewyze software application, which is embedded in existing compliance equipment like electronic logging devices and runs on mounted mobile devices. DelDOT notifications are also available for free on any Android smartphone (and soon iOS phones) for all truck drivers who download the Drivewyze app; no subscription to Drivewyze PreClear weigh station bypass or Safety+ is required.
Delaware is the seventh state to implement Smart Roadways in partnership with Drivewyze, which operates the largest connected truck network in North America. DelDOT will monitor the program’s performance using anonymized truck data to determine its connected truck reach and impact on driver behavior, such as reductions in speed and hard braking. This connected truck network offers DelDOT an opportunity to extend highway safety programs and traveler information systems directly into motoring vehicles, increasing the safety and productivity of the trucking industry while improving highway safety for all motorists.
