The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has partnered with Intelligent Imaging Systems (IIS), the parent company of Drivewyze, on a one-year contract to pilot its in-truck messaging system that alerts drivers of real-time, urgent road conditions.
The contract, which began on May 17, states that IIS will provide Drivewyze notification services to commercial truck drivers traveling through North Carolina and will cover all 182 miles of Interstate 95 and the rural portions of Interstate 40 outside the Triangle, the Triad and Asheville. According to IIS, the alerts will help commercial drivers react more quickly before encountering stopped traffic or major slowdowns.
“We strive to let people know of unexpected traffic conditions," Kevin Lacy, the state traffic engineer at NCDOT, said. “We're excited to be working with an industry partner that is using new technology. Truck drivers will be able to get advance warning of a major roadway incident before they see it on one of our dynamic message signs."
The new alerts will have messages such as “Sudden Slowdown Ahead" and “Congestion Ahead" about two or three miles before truck drivers encounter the slowed traffic or incident. Information will be in real time via INRIX, a provider of transportation analytics and connected vehicle services. These alerts will complement other notifications subscribed trucks already receive through Drivewyze.
According to NCDOT, the department maintains more than 300 digital message signs that provide important traffic updates across 2,500 miles of highway. The safety alerts under the pilot, however, can reach commercial drivers even where there is not a digital sign. Once the one-year contract is complete, NCDOT will evaluate the safety benefits of the pilot.
“We're pleased to partner with the North Carolina Department of Transportation in providing a 'connected truck' solution that gives truckers a heads-up on unforeseen slowdowns," Brian Heath, president and CEO of IIS, said. “These alerts will no doubt help with traffic safety along interstates in North Carolina. We're a company committed to highway safety, and we applaud how NCDOT is the first agency to add these important safety alerts to truckers."
