This Is a Plug: TAC's Electric Vehicle Sign Package

Due to the promotion of sustainable transportation by various government agencies and the private sector, many electric vehicle (EV) signage initiatives were taken in the last few years. One unintended consequence of these good intentions is the design of traffic control devices aimed at EV drivers, but executed without proper consideration to the best practices that govern the field of traffic engineering. As an example, green surfaces, actually reserved for cycling facilities, are frequently used for EV reserved parking. It was in this context that the Transportation Association of Canada’s (TAC) Traffic Operations and Management Standing Committee (TOMSC) undertook the development of traffic control devices aimed at EV drivers. Prior to that, the TAC document Handbook of Recommended Information Sign Symbols for Canada (January 2008) already had a provision for an EV charging station directional sign, but that was an early effort from TOMSC at a time when no major manufacturer even offered an EV for sale in Canada. The design was basically that of the standard gas pump directional sign, but with the letters “EVC” added (for Electric Vehicle Charging). That sign saw little application as the EV community took offense to the fossil fuel analogy. With the new reality of electric mobility front and center, TOMSC set its sights on designing an Electric Vehicle Charging Sign that meets standards as well as the ever changing technological context in which it will be used. To that end, supplementary tab sign options were also developed to stay current with charging technology. Parking regulations at charging facilities must also facilitate rotation and partial charging to offer renewed mobility to EV drivers, and not just privileged parking. Depending on services offered at the facility and the technical aspects of the plug-in vehicle, a full charge can take as little as 30 minutes or as much as 24 hours. Having the option to regulate maximum charging time is thus desirable from an operations standpoint. With this objective in mind, TOMSC also developed an EV Parking Sign to make sure charging facilities are effectively used to charge up EVs, and not just provide a parking place for electric vehicles. This paper and presentation will present in detail TAC’s Electric Vehicle Sign Package, while demonstrating to delegates the process that leads to the inclusion of a traffic control device in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Canada (MUTCDC).

• Record URL:
  http://www.tac-atc.ca/sites/default/files/conf_papers/beaulieud_-_this_is_a_plug-tacs_electric_vehicle_sign_pkg.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)

  401-1111 Prince of Wales Drive
  Ottawa, Ontario  Canada 
• Authors:
  • Beaulieu, D
• Conference:
  • TAC 2017: Investing in Transportation: Building Canada's Economy - - 2017 Conference and Exhibition of the Transportation Association of Canada
• Publication Date: 2017

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Pagination: 1 PDF file, 2.4 MB, 20p.
• Monograph Title: TAC 2017: Investing in Transportation: Building Canada's Economy - - 2017 Conference and Exhibition of the Transportation Association of Canada

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conferences; Electric vehicle charging; Electric vehicles; Parking; Service stations; Traffic control; Traffic regulations; Traffic signs
• Geographic Terms: Canada
• ITRD Terms: 8018: Canada; 984: Charging (electric vehicle); 8525: Conference; 1282: Electric vehicle; 955: Parking; 983: Service station; 654: Traffic control; 1544: Traffic regulations; 553: Traffic sign
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01668477
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)
• Files: ITRD, TAC
• Created Date: May 3 2018 3:16PM