VIRTUAL TRUCKING TO REALITY: CVISN'S INFORMATION SHARING FOR FREEFLOWING FREIGHT

In 1996, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) requested the streamlining and integration of the technologies and regulations of the US trucking industry. As a result, Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) emerged as a collection of Federal, State, and private sector information systems and communications networks that support Commercial Vehicle Operations (CVO). Two key elements of the CVISN, open standards for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC), enable communication between lorries and operators, together with radio data communication and transfer of vehicle credentials between computers. They lead to the automation of fuel taxation, vehicle safety checks, and vehicle registration. A big political debate is in progress in the USA about highway legislation, including possible new authorisation of CVISN and a larger US road construction and maintenance programme. CVISN system prototypes are being developed in the States of Maryland and Virginia, and eight more States may soon participate in this pilot programme. This article discusses the benefits of CVISN and its future impact on the North American trucking industry and includes an outline of the CVISN Guiding Principles.