Knowledge Resources

This report summarizes the findings of a series of interviews with commercial vehicle operators across the United States. Drivers of trucks and motorcoaches were asked about the utility of various ITS applications in commercial vehicles. These applications included commercial fleet management (CFM), commercial vehicle electronic clearance (CVEC), commercial vehicle administrative processes (CVAP), automated roadside safety inspection (ARSI), hazardous material incident response service (HMIR), and on-board safety monitoring (OBSM). The report contains detailed analysis of the driver responses, which ranged broadly between strong agreement in favor of some ITS implementations, to mixed opinions of other services. Highlights of the results obtained include:

• Truck and motorcoach drivers where in greatest agreement about the usefulness of CFM systems.
• Truck drivers held much less favorable opinions of ARSI than motorcoach drivers.
• Truck drivers who carried hazardous materials were very much in favor of HMIR programs.
• OBSM systems were unpopular with both truck and motorcoach drivers, many felt that the technology was too invasive and relied too much on computers.
• Both motorcoach and truck drivers held favorable opinions of CVEC. The survey found a 2:1 ratio of truckers strongly favored this service to those strongly opposing it. The similar ratio for motorcoach drivers was 3:1 in favor of the service.
• CVAP were not favored by truck drivers, with most feeling the service was an invasion of privacy by the government, and some held concerns that the system relied too heavily on computers. Motorcoach operators were very much in favor of these systems, however, feeling that the automated systems could reduce paperwork, make it easier to comply with regulations, be useful and give them an advantage over other drivers.
  
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