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Remote Control Weigh Station Implementation

Abstract

Intelligent Transportation Systems are utilized worldwide to monitor vehicles, collect data, and enforce regulations. The Remote Control Weigh Station (RCWS) allows the implementation of these same techniques in locations where full time monitoring by on site personnel is not practical. Remote Control Weigh Stations are used to monitor and manage vehicles at a remote location through an Internet connection to a centralized office. A specific example of a global RCWS that will be examined in this article is the Thompson Remote Control Weigh Station. This system monitors commercial vehicle traffic on three roads that converge on a static scale site. Each monitoring site collects and displays information on each vehicle that passes by. These sites are each equipped with a Side Fire Camera and a License Plate Reader camera to capture both an overview and license plate image of each vehicle. Sensors at each monitoring site determine vehicle length and speed; vehicles are classified as commercial or non-commercial based on size. The system produces a vehicle record with the images and data for each commercial vehicle. When a vehicle is signaled to report to the inspection station, the central station operator can view and direct the vehicle through the weigh station and have the capability to view any documents or speak to the driver. When a transportation agency has a shortage of resources, a Remote Control Weigh Station can be implemented so that commercial traffic can still be monitored with less staffing in place. Having the ability to monitor vehicles from a remote location makes the enforcement of overweight vehicles possible, which in turn reduces pavement damage on low volume roads. Like other ITS implementations, the Remote Control Weigh Station helps alleviate the amount of emissions that are produced by commercial vehicles. With a Remote Control Weigh Station in place, vehicles are not required to cue up at the weigh station, but rather are able to bypass if appropriate weight and credentials are recorded at the Weigh-in-Motion locations near the weigh station. The Remote Control Weigh Station is a viable solution for low traffic volume roadways in remote locations where there are limited resources to enforce non-compliant vehicles. 

Conference Paper Details

Session title:
SUCCESSES IN THE PAVEMENT INDUSTRY
Author(s):
Randy Hanson
Ann Reinhart
Selma Yousif
Scott McGibney
Topics:
Pavements
Year:
2011