HeavyRoute

Supporting quicker and safer freight transport

The volume of freight transport on European roads has increased over the years and is expected to grow significantly in the next decade. Combined with the augmenting gross weights and changing load configurations of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), the result has been damaged bridges and roads, as well as major traffic management problems.

Truck operators face the combined challenges of reducing ever-increasing fuel costs and maximising efficiency and profitability whilst maintaining safety. Truck drivers have the additional tasks of complying with the defined working hours and regulations, as well as finding appropriate, safe and secure rest areas.

Aiming to address the need of all stakeholders, the HeavyRoute project will develop an advanced route guidance system making it possible to derive the safest and most cost effective routes for road freight transport throughout Europe. The system will take full account of road user needs, vehicle operating and environmental costs, as well as maintenance costs for the road owner/manager.

The guidance system will be built on available and implemented technologies such as fleet management and logistics systems, guidance/rerouting systems, traffic monitoring and management systems, dynamic map updating and a number of other existing ITS solutions.

Objectives

• Identify user requirements and develop a system architecture concept based on the needs identified.
• Develop databases of static, periodic and dynamic road, bridge and traffic data as well as vehicle/infrastructure interaction models that can derive “optimum” routes.
• Design and develop innovative route guidance and driver support applications for HGVs based on database contents and effect models.
• Carry out traffic simulations and assess the effects of different management strategies.
• Communicate the objectives and results of the project to road authorities and fleet operators, convincing them of providing the data needed for the mapping functions.
  

Duration and Funding

September 2006 - March 2009, funding through the EC Directorate General Research

Consortium

Coordinator: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)

Partners: Arsenal research, ERTICO, Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories, Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussées, Navteq, PTV Planung Transport Verkehr AG, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, Volvo Technology AB

Contact

Vincent Blervaque
+32 (0)2 400 07 24

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