Methodology to Estimate the Distance Traveled by Trucks on Rural Highway Systems
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 4
Abstract
Truck travel, normally expressed in terms of truck vehicle-distance travel (VDT), is a critical data requirement for the design, construction, operation, and management of rural highway systems. The need to estimate and characterize truck travel on a system-wide basis, yet retain a compatible, site-specific mining capability, challenges the traditional approach of traffic monitoring programs. This paper develops and applies a two-phase methodology to estimate truck VDT on rural highway systems. The first phase, which leverages the approach recommended for developing truck traffic data inputs for mechanistic-empirical pavement design, processes vehicle classification data obtained from continuous, sample, and manual counts into annual average daily truck traffic (AADTT) estimates by vehicle class. The second phase attributes these site-specific AADTT estimates to highway segments comprising a rural highway network. The methodology, which is transferrable across jurisdictions, integrates standard statistical procedures with engineering judgment and trucking industry intelligence by establishing transparent decision algorithms and criteria. Application of the methodology using real data reveals relevant limitations and illustrative results that have application to a wide range of transportation engineering decisions.
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Acknowledgments
Funding for aspects of this research was provided by Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the University of Manitoba Transport Information Group.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 4 • April 2013
Pages: 390 - 398
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 8, 2011
Accepted: Sep 27, 2012
Published online: Sep 29, 2012
Published in print: Apr 1, 2013
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