ADVANTAGE I-75 MAINLINE AUTOMATED CLEARANCE SYSTEM. DETAILED EVALUATION PLAN PART TWO: MOTOR CARRIER FUEL CONSUMPTION INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION TEST PLAN

The purpose of this test is to evaluate the effect that the Advantage I-75 Mainline Clearance System (MACS) has on the fuel consumption of participant motor carriers. Using the results of previous MACS project evaluation planning activities termed Pilot Study One, this test was designed to determine the potential fuel savings attributable to bypassing weigh stations at selected sites along the Advantage I-75 corridor. This test is based on applying accepted fuel consumption test procedures to determine differences in fuel consumption between two nearly identical trucks operating under defined scenarios (scripts) in the vicinity of selected I-75 corridor weigh stations. The scripts have been designed such that one of the trucks simulates electronic clearance by driving past the weigh station at mainline speeds while the other truck simulates routine weigh station processing by driving through and stopping or slowing (as the weigh station design dictates) at the weigh station. At the selected test sites, two trucks will be equipped with special 15-gallon fuel tanks and given specific instructions concerning speed and route for a loop of interstate highway containing two weigh stations (one each direction). The trucks will have identical loads and the same drivers, be nearly identical in specifications, and begin their test runs within one-minute of each other to control as much variability in fuel consumption as possible. The fuel consumption will be measured according to the procedures defined in the SAE Type II Fuel Consumption Test (SAE J1321). The tests will be conducted at closed weigh stations to control the variability in fuel consumption associated with queues. The effect of weigh station queues on fuel consumption will be determined by conducting additional tests, termed weigh station queue fuel consumption tests.