BENEFIT-COST ASSESSMENT OF AUTOMATIC VEHICLE LOCATION (AVL) IN HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE

This paper reports on a Kansas study of the use of automatic vehicle location (AVL) for highway maintenance activities, especially snow removal. State departments of transportation and other transportation agencies were surveyed with respect to their use or potential use of AVL. Findings from the survey showed that only eight states had deployed AVL, in addition to several municipalities and one Canadian province. None of the surveyed agencies had conducted quantitative assessments of the benefits of system deployment. Qualitative and perceived benefits taken from the aggregated survey data were used to develop estimates of benefits likely to be realized from an AVL deployment. Savings from improved fleet management, paperwork reduction, and reductions in snow-related crashes were compared with the system investment and maintenance costs. Costs for statewide deployment were estimated to be about $9 million, with about $800,000 needed annually for maintenance. Benefit-cost ratios were calculated for three deployment schedules based on conservative and moderate assumptions. The analysis estimated benefit-cost ratios would be at least 2.6 and probably closer to 25. The annual efficiency savings for the Kansas Department of Transportation are estimated to be nearly twice the annual maintenance cost of the system. These results suggest that AVL offers substantial potential in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of highway maintenance operations.

• Record URL:
  http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/pubs/midcon2003/MeyerAutomatic.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0965231062
• Corporate Authors:

  Iowa State University, Ames

  Center for Transportation Research and Education, 2711 South Loop Drive
  Ames, IA  United States  50011-8664
• Authors:
  • Meyer, E
  • Ahmed, I
• Conference:
  • Mid-Continent Transportation Research Symposium
  • Location: Ames, Iowa
  • Date: 2003-8-21 to 2003-8-22
• Publication Date: 2003

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 14p
• Monograph Title: MID-CONTINENT TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM (AMES, IOWA, AUGUST 21-22, 2003). PROCEEDINGS

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automatic vehicle location; Benefit cost analysis; Fleet management; Highway maintenance; Maintenance management; Return on investment; Snow removal; State departments of transportation; Surveys
• Geographic Terms: Kansas
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00964699
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0965231062
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 14 2003 12:00AM