The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) has announced a V2X and ‘green wave’ signal optimization system to help trucks move more efficiently by giving them priority at intersections through some of the region’s key freight corridors.
The cities of Arlington, Carrollton, Fort Worth, Garland, Grand Prairie and McKinney, as well as Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, are helping deploy a Freight Signal Optimization Program across more than 500 traffic signals in their jurisdictions.
In North Texas, trucks are involved in the shipment of approximately 77% of goods. The freight optimization program will improve traffic flow through signalized intersections by helping freight vehicles stop at fewer red lights.
The cloud-computing technology is designed to save money, time and fuel while reducing emissions. Passenger vehicles driving alongside the heavy trucks will benefit from the same extended green time.
Funded through a US Department of Transportation grant, participation is at no additional cost to freight operators. The technology being deployed has been used in transit and emergency response applications across the United States, including Austin and San Antonio.
“The benefits to our community, which include enhanced road safety, improved quality of life and environmental consciousness, are significant,” says Natalie Bettger, NCTCOG senior program manager, congestion management and system operation. “The technology works with traffic management systems to provide a few more seconds of green time to allow the heavy vehicle to pass through the intersection without stopping. It requires no additional hardware in the truck or in the traffic signal cabinet.”
The technology deployment also includes information announcing to the truck driver the recommended travel speed to arrive at a traffic light on green that is currently red. This technology is available today in production vehicles including several Audi and Volkswagen models.
Data will be fully anonymized in program operations, which means participant information will not be collected or used for any other purpose.
