WTI

State Truck Activities Reporting System (STARS)

Primary Investigator Contact Information

External Project Contact(s)

Report(s)

1. An Evaluation of Montana's State Truck Activities Reporting System Final Report
   1. Jerry Stephens and Jodi Carson
   2. 428387_STARS_Final_Report.pdf
2. An Evaluation of Montana's State Truck Activities Reporting System Final Report Executive Summary
   1. Jerry Stephens and Jodi Carson
   2. 428387_STARS_Final_Report_ES.pdf

Project Objective

The objective of this project is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness, existing pavement performance, and planning and design activities by the widespread implementation and use of weigh-in-motion equipment – permanent and portable.

Project Abstract

Through the Statewide Truck Activity Reporting System (STARS), the Montana Department of Transportation is proposing the implementation of 90 truck weight and classification data reporting sites, of which 26 will be permanent and will be operated on a continuous basis. The remaining 64 will be operated intermittently on a three year cycle using fully portable weigh-in-motion (WIM) equipment.The intent of this statewide implementation is threefold: (1) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of truck weight enforcement activities (i.e. information generated by stars will be used to monitor overweight commercial vehicle activity; identify vehicle combinations that are chronically weight non-compliant and establish geographic and temporal patterns for non-compliant carrier operation) (2) to improve the accuracy and geographic diversity of truck weight and classification data used for pavement design, engineering and planning applications and (3) collect more data from a wider variety of sites in conjunction with the Traffic Monitoring Guide requirementsImplementations of the STARS Project will allow truck weight enforcement resources to be focused geographically and temporally (i.e., by time of day) on the commercial vehicle classifications most likely to be non-compliant. Further, STARS will expand and improve the quality of truck weight and classification data collected by the Montana Department of Transportation. Randomly selected sites will now include a cross-section of rural interstate, non-interstate where prevailing truck enforcement activities range from constant to intermittent. Pavement design, engineering and planning efforts all serve to benefit from this improvement in truck-related data.

Task Descriptions

1. Examine Performance and Conditions After Implementation
   1. Examine or measure performance and conditions following full implementation to determine improvement for Truck Enforcement Effects, Pavement Performance and Design Effects, and Planning and Engineering Effects.
2. Documentation
   1. Document the change prior to and following the implementation of STARS with respect to (1) truck enforcement, (2) pavement performance and design and (3) planning and engineering attributable to STARS.
3. Examine Performance and Conditions
   1. Examine or measure existing (i.e., prior to full implementation and operation of STARS) performance and conditions to establish a baseline for Truck Enforcement Effects, Pavement Performance and Design Effects, and Planning and Engineering Effects.
4. Identify Elements and Data
   1. Identify required data elements and data sources to support performance measures of interest: Truck Enforcement Effects, Pavement Performance and Design Effects, and Planning and Engineering Effects
5. Analyze Data
   1. Analyze and interpret the before/after data to determine the change in (1) truck enforcement, (2) pavement performance and design and (3) planning and engineering attributable to STARS.

Milestones, Dates, Schedule

Student Involvement

True

Relationship to Other Research Projects

True

Technology Transfer Activities

False

Transportation Research Board Keywords

Partners

Montana Department of Transportation