StreetLight Data has announced new capabilities for its cloud-based analytics platform, StreetLight InSight, which now comes equipped with truck traffic counts segmented by vehicle weight class.
StreetLight’s Truck Volume Metrics can be combined with other congestion Metrics within the platform to create safe corridors for personal and commercial vehicles alike. Transportation professionals can use the platform for automated and validated historical truck counts for 2019 – 2021 data periods on all rural, urban, and regional roadway networks across the U.S.
Precise data on truck activity is necessary for many road planning and engineering decisions, such as freight route planning, reducing emissions, understanding freight reliability performance measures, or even pavement maintenance. However, this data has traditionally been challenging to collect and develop into actionable metrics because of limited vehicle classification counters and data-deficient travel model estimates.
To demonstrate the utility of the new metrics, StreetLight’s team utilized the new Truck Volume Metrics to study a few popular retail distribution centers scattered around the U.S. for companies like Walmart The Truck Volume trends, observed from 2019-2021 near warehouse entrances in Arizona, New Jersey and Tennessee, suggest an increase in overall truck activity. Roadway freight movements show a 7% increase in retail distribution activity from 2019 to 2020 and a 2% increase from 2020 to 2021.
The slower growth in 2021 is likely a reflection of the truck driver shortage. As warehouse activity increases, especially near residential areas, jurisdictions can utilize Truck Metrics to understand how truck movements affect local conditions and emissions in their regions.
StreetLight’s Truck Volume Metrics have undergone robust data validation against temporary and permanent counters and other industry standards. The platform’s vehicle classifications by weight comply with FHWA and HCM (Highway Capacity Manual) vehicle classification categories.
“With StreetLight’s Truck Volume Metrics, transportation professionals are no longer hamstrung by assumptions based on old or unreliable data, or cumbersome manual data collection,” said StreetLight CEO Laura Schewel. “Our validated and timely Truck Metrics, which now includes volume by vehicle classification, empowers government agencies and trucking professionals with critical new insights to help address economic, environment, and community concerns. The result is more impactful insights that also save customers time and money.”
