AUTOMATED INTERMODAL SYSTEM MAXIMISING EFFICIENCY IN INTERMODAL FREIGHT OPERATIONS

Most intermodal container facilities throughout the world suffer from the problem of vehicle congestion, especially at the in/out gates where trucks must enter and/or exit to pick-up and/or drop-off containers, chassis, or trailers. In many terminals, the queue of trucks attempting to access the terminal can stretch for long distances and spill over onto city streets. The result: Thoroughly clogged in/out gates at intermodal facilities, Congested local public streets, Substantial loss of productivity for the truckers (wait times of 2 to 3 hours are not unusual), Negative environmental impacts due to the idling diesel engines of hundreds of trucks, Loss of revenues due to reduced throughput of containers and trailers. Additional problems result from the fact that most of the data entry and record keeping operations of the intermodal yards are manual and therefore slow and error-prone. For example, it is not unusual for a clerk to enter the wrong container number on a shipping document, or for a drayman to load the wrong container on a chassis or for an inspector to overlook damage to a container. These processes are labor-intensive and therefore costly; these additional costs are multiplied further when errors are made. SAIC has developed a highly automated intermodal in/out gate system (Automated Intermodal System - AIS) that allows trucks bringing containers to or from a port or terminal to be processed significantly faster, cheaper, and more accurately than current systems. The technological key to this system is a high-speed video line-scan camera system coupled to optical character recognition software. The resulting AIS system is able to electronically read the identification numbers and letters on the container and automatically process the information in seconds. The SAIC system also performs a high-resolution, electronic damage inspection of the exterior of the container and stores the digitized images as evidence to be used in the event of possible future damage claims. The AIS allows trucks to enter (and exit) a yard and be accurately processed at the gate immediately vs. the many minutes or hours associated with most existing facilities. Simulation analyses indicate that peak truck/container throughput levels can be increased by a factor of five for typical intermodal facilities. Furthermore labor requirements at the terminals are dramatically reduced, which results in substantial additional cost savings. One customer has estimated that the SAIC system will save his company over $8 million per year, every year, at its intermodal facilities in terms of higher throughput, reduced labor costs, fewer errors, and reduced damage claims.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication Date: 1997 Published By: ITS Australia, Canberra, A.C.T.
• Corporate Authors:

  Philips Traffic and Engineering Systems

  ,    

  Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Org

  314 Albert Street
  East Melbourne, Victoria,   Australia 

  Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales

  ,    

  VIC ROADS

  KEW, VIC,    

  MFS Network Technologies

  ,    

  Japan. Keisatsucho

  ,    

  Transit New Zealand. ATMS Project

  ,    

  Philips Traffic and Engineering Systems

  ,    

  TeCoMa Telematik Consulting und Management GmbH

  ,    

  Monash University

  Institute of Transport Studies
  Department of Civil Engineering
  Melbourne, Victoria  Australia  3800

  Science Applications International Corporation

  Moffett Field, CA  United States 

  UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, TRANSPORT OPERATIONS RESEARCH GROUP

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Cummings, Craig R
• Publication Date: 1997

Language

• English

Media Info

• Serial:
  • ITS Australia. International Conference (3rd : 1997 : Brisbane, Qld.). ITSA 97 : the third International Conference of ITS Australia
  • Publisher: Philips Traffic and Engineering Systems

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automatic equipment identification; Scanners; Trucking
• Uncontrolled Terms: Scanning systems
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Motor Carriers;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00777070
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: UC Berkeley Transportation Library
• Files: PATH, ATRI
• Created Date: Nov 17 1999 12:00AM