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Untethered Trailer Tracking and Control System

Final Project Report
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
December 2005

U.S. Department of Transportation logo superimposed on the U.S. flag


Table of Contents
Foreword
Notice
Acknowledgments
Technical Report Documentation Page
SI (Modern Metric) Conversion Factors
List of Figures
List of Tables
Executive Summary

1. Introduction
1.1. Background
1.2. The Untethered Trailer Tracking System Pilot Test Purpose
1.3. The Untethered Trailer Tracking Concept
1.4. Untethered Trailer Tracking System Overview
2. Technologies
2.1. Terrestrial Untethered Trailer Tracking System Terminal and Antennae
2.1.1. Ultrasonic Cargo Sensor
2.1.2. Door Sensor
2.2. Tractor Power and Satellite Tracking System Interface
2.2.1. Tractor Mobile Communications Terminal
2.3. Network Communications
2.3.1. Untethered Trailer Tracking Wireless Terrestrial Communications
2.3.2. Tractor-Based Wireless Satellite Communications
2.3.3. Network Operations Centers
2.4. Customer Site Applications and/or Untethered Trailer Tracking System-Provided Hosted Web Applications
2.5. Untethered Trailer Tracking System Field Service Tool
2.6. Untethered Trailer Tracking System Costs
3. System Design
4. Scenarios
4.1. Operational Environment
4.1.1. Scenario 1: Truckload/Dry Van
4.1.2. Scenario 2: Truckload/High Value
4.1.3. Scenario 3: Explosives/Hazardous Materials
4.2. Architecture by Scenario for the Pilot Test
4.3. Scenario 1: Truckload/Dry Van
4.3.1. Technologies Tested
4.3.2. Functionality Tested
4.3.3. Configuration
4.3.4. Logical Architecture and Operational Flow
4.3.5. Daily Operations
4.3.6. Alerts
4.3.7. Physical Architecture
4.4. Scenario 2: High Value
4.4.1. Technologies Tested
4.4.2. Functionality Tested
4.4.3. Configuration
4.4.4. Logical Architecture and Operational Flow
4.4.5. Daily Operations
4.4.6. Alerts
4.4.7. Physical Architecture
4.5. Scenario 3: Explosives/Hazardous Materials
4.5.1. Technologies Tested
4.5.2. Functionality Tested
4.5.3. Configuration
4.5.4. Logical Architecture and Operational Flow
4.5.5. Daily Operations
4.5.6. Alerts
4.5.7. Physical Architecture
5. Pilot Test Information
5.1. Overview
5.2. General Test Procedures
5.3. Data Collection Methods
5.4. System-Generated Status and Location Reports during Daily Operations
5.4.1. Cargo and Door Sensors
5.4.2. Location and Mapping of Trailers Functionality
5.4.3. Risk Area Geo-fencing
5.4.4. Battery Life Performance
5.5. On-Site Staged Tests
5.5.1. On-Site Staged Testing Process
5.5.2. Staged Testing Results
5.5.3. Manual Logs
6. Improvements to Security, Safety, and Efficiency
6.1. Security
6.1.1. Ensure Cargo Integrity
6.1.2. Reduce Cargo Pilferage
6.1.3. Reduce Trailer Theft and Detect Unauthorized Trailer Movement/Usage
6.2. Public Safety
6.2.1. Reduce the Rate of Crash Exposure
6.3. Efficiency
6.3.1. Improve Trailer Utilization
6.3.2. Connect Trailer to Assigned Tractor
6.3.3. Improve Visibility in Trailer Detention
6.3.4. Improve Route Visibility by Motor Carrier
6.3.5. Improve Driver Workload and Time Locating Trailers
7. Acceptance of the Untethered Trailer Tracking System and Deployment Issues
7.1. Test Participant Interview Results
7.2. Deployment Issues and Technical Performance
7.3. Participant Recommendations for Improvements
8. Conclusion

Appendix A. List of Acronyms and Definitions
Appendix B. References
Appendix C. Untethered Trailer Tracking System Pilot Prototype Test Checklist
Appendix D. Untethered Trailer Tracking System Pilot Automated Data Capture Format
Appendix E. Untethered Trailer Tracking System Pilot Sample Manual Log Data
Appendix F. Untethered Trailer Tracking System Pilot On-Site Test Participant Interview Guide

List of Figures
Figure 1 Trailer-Tracking System Chain of Events
Figure 2 UTT System Concept
Figure 3 TrailerTRACS UTT System Terminal
Figure 4 UTT System Antenna
Figure 5 Ultrasonic Cargo Sensor
Figure 6 Door Sensor
Figure 7 Tractor Mobile Communications Terminal
Figure 8 TrailerTRACS UTT System Wireless Terrestrial Communications
Figure 9 Wireless Satellite Communications
Figure 10 Network Operations Center
Figure 11 Web Host Interface
Figure 12 UTT System Design Summary
Figure 13 Scenario 1 – Logical Architecture and Operational Flow
Figure 14 Scenario 1 – Physical Architecture
Figure 15 Scenario 2 – Logical Architecture and Operational Flow
Figure 16 Scenario 2 – Physical Architecture
Figure 17 Scenario 3 – Logical Architecture and Operational Flow
Figure 18 Scenario 3 – Physical Architecture
Figure 19 Trailer Positions for Scenario 1
Figure 20 Trailer Positions for Scenario 2
Figure 21 Trailer Positions for Scenario 3
Figure 22 TrailerTRACS User Alert Screen
Figure 23 Example UTT Manual Participant Log

List of Tables
Table 1 Mapping of Requirements to Technologies/Processes
Table 2 UTT System Costs per Trailer
Table 3 Scenario Development
Table 4 Scenario 1 – Trailer Terminal Configuration
Table 5 Scenario 2 – Trailer Terminal Configuration Settings
Table 6 Scenario 3 – Operational Settings
Table 7 Number of Door and Cargo Status Events from Automated Data Logs
Table 8 Summary of the Door and Cargo Sensors Status Events from Automated Data Logs
Table 9 Number of Trailer Location Reports (Tethered and Untethered)
Table 10 Summary of Tethered and Untethered Trailer Location Reporting within 24 Hours and 30 Minutes or Less where a Location Report was Configured to be Sent Every 24 Hours
Table 11 Summary of Untethered-Only Trailer Location Reporting within 24 Hours and 30 Minutes or Less where a Location Report was Configured to be Sent Every 24 Hours
Table 12 Number of Trailer Position Reports in Mexico and Canada by Scenario
Table 13 Participant Opinions About the UTT System
Table 14 Applicable Technical Standards Documents

Report No. FMCSA-MCRRT-06-002
 
 
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