Waiting Time Estimation at Ferry Terminals Based on License Plate Recognition
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 148, Issue 9
Abstract
The ferry transit system provides a critical transportation link in coastal areas for both residents and tourists. Like signals in a road network, queuing and waiting are unavoidable at ferry terminals. However, a reliable technology does not exist to measure and communicate waiting times. This research tested the feasibility of applying license plate recognition (LPR) technology to track vehicles and estimate waiting times at ferry terminals. The LPR camera sampling rate, capture rate, read rate, and match rate were adopted as measurements of effectiveness. Based on field data collected over a week at one of the busiest ferry terminals in North Carolina, this research revealed that the tested LPR camera had a sampling rate of 84.2%; the average capture rate and read rate were 84.3% and 87%, respectively. The match rate was found to be 79.4%, which is significantly higher than other commonly used data collection technologies such as Bluetooth devices. For the waiting time distribution, this research found that travelers tended to experience long waiting times during midweek days, particularly during the midday period. Additionally, the demand was found to be the primary factor for wait times during the midday peak period, and travelers’ arrival time in terms of proximity to the scheduled ferry departure time was recognized as the key factor for waiting time during early morning and later evening nonpeak periods.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful for the support from the NCDOT under Award No. RP2020-34. The authors thank Ms. Kendra Klemann of NC State University for her help with extracting the number of onboard vehicles from the video camera, and Mr. Ty Smith of NC State University for his help with programming the license plate matching program. The contents of this paper reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of either the NCDOT or the Federal Highway Administration at the time of publication. This paper does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering, Part A: Systems
Volume 148 • Issue 9 • September 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 23, 2021
Accepted: May 10, 2022
Published online: Jul 12, 2022
Published in print: Sep 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Dec 12, 2022
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