Experiences with On-Board Mass Monitoring in Australia Gavin Hill General Manager, Strategic Development Transport Certification Australia
Overview
Overview • The Australian context • Australia’s experiences and learnings • Current status • What it means for policy makers
The Australian context A large land mass A small, dispersed population Highly differentiated road infrastructure ‘quality’ Over 75% of non-bulk domestic freight is carried on roads Truck traffic is predicted to increase by around 50% by 2030 Australia's economic output is highly influenced by freight transport performance
National Key Freight Networks http://maps.infrastructure.gov.au/KeyFreightRoute/
Australia’s challenges Australia’s total road freight is expected to grow from 191.5 billion tkm in 2008 to 342.0 billion tkm in 2030.
Building Network Demand roads performance management road utilisation road capacity years
Australia’s experience and learnings
Operational learnings Commercially available OBM Systems have been utilised in Australia since 2011 for road access and compliance management purposes OBM Systems collect and transmit data through the Intelligent Access Program (IAP) There are now 300 vehicles participating in this arrangement These vehicles collect and transmit data to TCA for analysis
Operational learnings We’ve learnt a lot since 2011! Key learnings relate to: • Accuracy • Calibration • Malfunctions and tampering • Roles and responsibilities
Operational learnings Learning #1 – Accuracy • Claims made by OBM suppliers about the accuracy of systems are not always realised in an operational setting • Accuracy can be influenced by a number of operational factors (including the need to be on a level surface) • The level of accuracy can also vary, depending on the weight of the vehicle (ie high accuracy may be achieved at certain weights, but lower levels of accuracy at other weights)
Operational learnings Learning #2 – Calibration • Periodic calibration is essential to ensure accuracy • Claims by some OBM suppliers that systems are ‘self- calibrating’ don’t stand-up to scrutiny • Determining the period between calibrations is subject to a number of factors, including: o The technology used, and its installation on a vehicle o Environmental factors o Malfunctions and tampers (see Learning #3 and #4)
Operational learnings Learning #3 – Malfunctions and tampering • The accuracy (and calibration) of OBM Systems is highly dependent upon the ability to detect: o Malfunctions o Tampering • Commercially available OBM systems do not have capabilities to detect malfunctions and tampering in service • It is difficult to determine whether accuracy issues stem from a lack of calibration, or malfunctions or tampering
Operational learnings Learning #4 – Roles and responsibilities • The relationships between technology providers in a vehicle-based environment can be complex • For example, the suppliers of OBM Systems are different from those which provide telematics services • ‘Boundary and interface’ issues impact on the resolution of malfunctions and tampering (it can be difficult to determine if the problem is with the OBM System, or the telematics service)
Operational learnings Each of these learnings have fed into the development of: • OBM System Functional and Technical Specification (completed) • Type-approval of OBM Systems (underway) • Implementation of a certified OBM monitoring and reporting program (underway)
Current status
OBM System Specification On-Board Mass (OBM) System Functional and Technical Specification “determination of axle group mass, and the subsequent gross vehicle mass of a vehicle, addresses numerous public and private policy and operational needs”
OBM System Specification • Physical Characteristics • Environmental Characteristics • Data Collection • Record Generation • Functionality • Data Storage • Data Security and Transfer • Interconnection to a Telematics In-Vehicle Unit • Installation, Calibration, Operation and Maintenance
OBM System Specification Our philosophy… • Performance-based focus on required outcomes • Innovation is encouraged! • Performance outcomes can be achieved with: o OEM-fitted or an after-market products o ‘Shared components’ providing comparable functionality o Quality management system approach to calibration to maintain accuracy
OBM System Specification A key requirement of the Specification is accuracy The axle group mass measured by the MSU shall not deviate from the absolute axle group mass by more than 2% of the maximum permissible mass (ie the legal mass limit for an axle group) of the axle group for 98% of observations
Type-approval In May 2017 TCA began accepting applications for OBM Systems for type-approval. 1. A probity and financial assessment of OBM System suppliers A critical indicator of business continuity and support expected by stakeholders 2. A functional and technical assessment of OBM system ‘types ’ To determine whether all performance requirements for a type-approved OBM System can be satisfied
Type-approval The first type-approved OBM Systems will be announced in the coming weeks Watch this space!
Certified OBM Program TCA is currently implementing a certified OBM Program to meet the emerging needs of policy makers and industry The certified OBM Program builds upon type-approval, and will provide the highest level of assurance A critical component of the OBM Program is that there will be ongoing service monitoring of OBM Systems to ensure: • Accuracy • Malfunctions • Tampering
What it means for policy makers
OBM – an enabler for reform Infrastructure managers and regulators are looking at ways to re-engineer the road network This is not about physical engineering… …but the way we engineer the most effective use of road infrastructure Significant productivity gains can be derived without major investments in new infrastructure
OBM – an enabler for reform “In the absence of further heavy vehicle productivity enhancing regulatory reform, fleet-wide heavy vehicle average loads are likely to increase by less than 5 per cent between 2010 and 2030 (which contrasts sharply with the 40 per cent growth in average loads over the past two decades)” Australia to 2030 – Trends in Infrastructure and Transport, Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) (2014)
OBM – an enabler for reform Heavy vehicle access is based upon a number of assumptions made by infrastructure managers Decisions about access often come down to a conservative set of assumptions… …especially when it comes to mass loadings Loading assessments of bridges are typically based on ‘peak loads’, which leads to access constraints
OBM – an enabler for reform The Australian Standard for bridge assessment (AS 5100.7:2017) was updated in 2017 The updated Standard incorporates reduced traffic load factors for vehicles monitored through the IAP and OBM Systems Bridge load factors reduced from 2.0 to 1.6 for monitored vehicles
OBM – an enabler for reform What’s sought (by industry) What’s possible (by road managers) Road & bridge access/ vehicle size, What’s currently provided type & mass (by road managers)
OBM – an enabler for reform What’s sought (by industry) What’s possible (by road managers) Road & bridge access/ vehicle size, What’s currently provided type & mass (by road managers) OBM taps into what’s possible
Thank you! gavinh@tca.gov.au
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