In Bordeaux 20 truck drivers are more relaxed on the road. They know in advance when the next light turns green and can react accordingly. Made possible by a telematics system developed in the pilot project Compass4D. It works with real-time data.
Being able to plan with real-time data is the dream of many transport companies. Arrivals could be calculated better and further disposition of the vehicles would be based much more on other facts. A large element of uncertainty would continue to dwindle. Because so far the estimated time of arrival for the most part can only be predicted based on past experience. With the real-time information, the result becomes a lot more realistic.
Green phases in real time
In some European cities with the European project Compass4D that has become partly a reality. For example, in Bordeaux. Several transport companies are testing a telematics system here, which is fed with information via the two traffic management centers Gertrude and Alienor. This benefits several logistics service providers at a time such as LaPoste, Geodis or refrigerated transport specialist STEF. The latter company had three Volvos equipped with a solution that has a direct line to the traffic centers of the city. This has several advantages. On the one hand benefits for the dispatchers. They know immediately when one of the vehicles is or threatens to fall into a traffic jam. Secondly, there are the drivers who can drive more relaxed, because in the system, the traffic light is deposited as well. When the truck approaches the next traffic light, the driver receives information in advance about how long it will take until the next green circuit. This offers the additional advantage that the transport company can operate ecological. If the driver knows in advance when the next green phase comes, he can go off the gas in time.
From project to reality
So far the project is in the testing phase. But this phase runs out in November. However, the system is planned to continue running without financial help from Brussels. For telematics providers there may be a business model opening up here. Because if this information is collected and provided by the traffic control centers, it can also be integrated into other systems. “We give a year’s time in order to establish system on the market,” said Giacomo Somma, coordinator at the pilot project Compass4D. The question remains, how much will such a service cost. That could not be answered accurately by the coordinator. For the company in Bordeaux it should be worthwhile, because they want to stick to it.
Image source: Canstockphoto
