Once a State is certified as having deployed all of the Core ITD functionality, it is deemed Core ITD Compliant and it must maintain these capabilities. Once Core ITD Compliant, a State may use its Federal ITD Grant funding to deploy Expanded ITD functionality. The Expanded portion of the ITD program is designed to be more flexible than the Core component of the program.
States are not required to deploy a set of fixed capabilities or to enable certain technologies as part of Expanded ITD, but rather are able to choose the capabilities that they wish to deploy. This “cafeteria approach” allows States to customize their Expanded ITD programs and focus their technology resources on the projects that are most important to their needs.
While States can deploy a variety of capabilities as part of their Expanded ITD programs, FMCSA supports a specific set of key capabilities. FMCSA, in conjunction with public and private stakeholders, initially identified 40 capabilities that could be integrated into the ITD program. These capabilities were segmented into four Expanded ITD program areas:
- Driver Information Sharing.
- Enhanced Safety Information Sharing.
- Smart Roadside.
- Expanded Electronic Credentialing.
Expanded ITD Funding
A State that has achieved Core compliance status is eligible for ITD Grant Program funding for Expanded activities. All projects in which Federal funding is requested must be outlined in an approved Program Plan as outlined in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, 2015 (FAST Act). To fulfill the requirement of an approved ITD Program Plan and Top-level Design (PP/TLD), each State must submit their plan for approval by FMCSA. The PP/TLD must include:
- Background information concerning a State’s ITD program.
- The State’s ITD program goals and objectives.
- The State’s ITD accomplishments to date.
- Date on which the State was certified Core ITD Compliant.
- The State’s business case for Expanded ITD services.
- Description of the State’s Expanded ITD project(s), including costs, management approach, deployment schedule, and conformance with appropriate architecture(s).
- Funding plan, including plan to secure necessary matching funds.
- Review of outstanding issues.
Examples
Examples of Expanded ITD projects include:
Virtual Weigh Stations
A virtual weigh station is a roadside enforcement facility that does not require continuous staffing and is monitored from another location. Virtual weigh stations are established for a variety of purposes, depending on the priorities and needs of each jurisdiction. Typical purposes include safety enforcement, data collection, security (e.g., homeland security, theft deterrence), and size and weight enforcement. These stations may use a variety of sensor components to collect data, such as a weigh-in-motion (WIM) installation, a camera system, and wireless communications.
License Plate Readers
LPR (License Plate Recognition) is an image-processing technology used to identify vehicles by their license plates. Some States have implemented this technology to augment e-screening capabilities.
Oversize/Overweight Permitting
While International Registration Plan (IRP) and International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) e-credentialing were requirements of Core ITD, industry and State personnel are interested in electronic support for permitting. Oversize and overweight (OS/OW) loads are special case shipments that exceed the operational parameters defined by the State. The correct routing of these shipments makes sure that mobility, safety, and security concerns are addressed. A number of States are actively involved in projects involving OS/OW electronic permitting and route planning, and some are incorporating bridge analysis into their OS/OW systems.
One-Stop Shops and Electronic Portals
A Web portal or one-stop shop can provide a way for a State to give a consistent look and feel across multiple applications for back-office users, enforcement, and motor carriers. A State may provide an electronic one-stop shop through which motor carriers can access the State's IRP, IFTA, and OS/OW permitting systems. Such a portal may provide single-sign-on access to all users, which would allow a user to log in to the portal using a username and password and then be directed to specific credentialing applications without logging in again.
Driver Information Sharing
Given that high-risk drivers are involved in a disproportionate number of crashes, the driver information sharing area of Expanded ITD is likely to have a large impact on safety. A State's Commercial Vehicle Information Exchange Window (CVIEW) could be enhanced to include driver information, which would improve an enforcement officer's ability to check driver credentials for safety problems. Card-swiping devices and biometrics may be included in the system for linking the driver in the vehicle to his or her commercial driver’s license (CDL).