Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study - Modal Shift Comparative Analysis Technical Report

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Contact Information: FreightFeedback@dot.gov

June 2015

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Table of Contents

• Executive Summary
• Chapter 1. Introduction
  • 1.1 Background
  • 1.2 Purpose and Scope
• Chapter 2. Scenario Definitions
• Chapter 3. Modal Shift Analysis and Results
  • 3.1 Freight Flow Data by Commodity, Origin-Destination, and Mode
  • 3.2 Estimation of Shipment Size for Each Shipping Alternative
  • 3.3 Freight Assignment to Highway Equipment, Including: Body Type, Configuration and Payload
  • 3.4 Calculation of Total Highway Travel by Configuration, Highway Network and Vehicle Operating Weight
  • 3.5 Calculation of Base Case Transportation Costs from Origin to Destination for Each Shipping Alternative
  • 3.6 Calculation of Base Case and Scenario Non-Transport Logistics Costs for Each Shipping Alternative
  • 3.7 Estimation of Total Logistics Costs and Scenario Impacts
  • 3.8 Cost Responsibility
• Chapter 4. Scenario Impacts on Transportation and Logistics Costs and Rail Contribution
  • 4.1 Rail Contribution and Revenue
  • 4.2 The Effect on Short Line Railroads
  • 4.3 Results
• Chapter 5. Scenario Impacts on Energy and Emissions
  • 5.1 Scope
  • 5.2 Methodology
  • 5.3 Results
• Chapter 6. Scenario Impacts on Traffic Operations
  • 6.1 Task Scope
  • 6.2 Basic Principles
  • 6.3 Methodology
  • 6.4 Results
• Appendix A. Modal Shift Desk Scan
• Appendix B. Modal Shift Project Plan/Schedule
• Appendix C. Intermodal Transportation and Inventory Cost Model
• Appendix D. Energy and the Environment Methodology
• Appendix E. Traffic Operations Impact Analysis Approach
• Appendix F. Rail Financial Model
• Appendix G. VMT and Weight Distribution Estimates Methodology
• Appendix H. Rail Contribution and Revenue Analysis

List of Tables

• Table ES-1. Vehicle Miles of Travel by Vehicle Configuration and Highway System
• Table ES-2. Truck Configuration and Weight Scenarios Analyzed in the 2014 CTSW Study
• Table ES-3. Scenario Impacts on VMT, Total Logistics Costs, and Railroad Revenue
• Table ES-4. Scenario Impacts on Energy Consumption, Emissions, and Traffic Operations (millions)
• Table 1. Truck Configuration and Weight Scenarios Analyzed in the 2014 CTSW Study
• Table 2. Estimated 2011 Ton-Miles Hauled by 5-Axle Tractor-Semitrailers by Standard Classification of Transported Goods (SCTG) Code
• Table 3. Distribution of Lengths of Haul for Highway Shipments
• Table 4. Assumed Tare Weights of Control and Scenario Vehicles (pounds)
• Table 5. Maximum Assumed Payloads of Control and Scenario Vehicles (pounds)
• Table 6. Base Case Distribution of VMT by Vehicle Configuration and Operating Weight 2011
• Table 7. 2011 Base Case VMT by Vehicle Class and Highway Functional Class 2011
• Table 8. Scenario 1 VMT for 5-axle Tractor-Semitrailers (millions)
• Table 9. Changes in Total VMT under Scenario 2 (millions)
• Table 10. VMT Change by Operating Weight Distributions for Key Vehicle Configurations under Scenario 2 (Millions)
• Table 11. Changes in Total VMT under Scenario 3 (Millions)
• Table 12. VMT Change by Operating Weight Distributions for Key Vehicle Configurations in Scenario 3 (Millions)
• Table 13. Comparison of VMT for Key Vehicle Configurations under the Base Case and Scenario 4
• Table 14. Scenario 4 Shifts in Traffic by Vehicle Class and Weight Group (millions of VMT)
• Table 15. Comparison of VMT for Key Vehicle Configurations under the Base Case and Scenario 5
• Table 16. Scenario 5 Shifts in Traffic by Vehicle Class and Weight Group (millions of VMT)
• Table 17. Comparison of VMT for Key Vehicle Configurations under the Base Case and Scenario 6
• Table 18. Scenario 6 Shifts in Traffic by Vehicle Class and Weight Group (millions of VMT)
• Table 19. Percent of Loads Shifting from Base Case Vehicles to Scenario Vehicles for Scenarios 4, 5, and 6
• Table 20. Annual Transportation and Logistics Cost Savings for Truck Shipments ($, millions)
• Table 21. Change in Rail Contribution Associated with Truck Size and Weight Scenarios 1-6
• Table 22. Losses in Short Line Revenues Associated With Truck Size and Weight Scenarios 1-3
• Table 23. Drive Cycles Used for Simulated Vehicle Operations
• Table 24. Mix of Drive Cycles for Four Operational Modes
• Table 25. Tractor-Trailer Vehicle Scenarios Evaluated
• Table 26. Scenario Payloads, Engine Ratings, and Drive Cycles Evaluated
• Table 27. Truck Fleet Annual Fuel Consumption (millions of gallons)
• Table 28. Truck Fleet Annual CO₂ Emissions (millions of kilograms)
• Table 29. Truck Fleet Annual NOx Emissions (millions of grams)
• Table 30. Vehicle Passenger Car Equivalents on Rural Highways
• Table 31. Vehicle Passenger Car Equivalents on Urban Highways
• Table 32. Distribution of Grade on Different Highway Functional Classes
• Table 33. Traffic Operations Impacts of Truck Size and Weight Limits
• Table 34. Scenario 1-6 Traffic Impacts

List of Figures

• Figure ES-1. Mode Shift Methodology
• Figure 1. National Network Map
• Figure 2. Analytical Network for Triples Operation
• Figure 3. Mode Shift Methodology
• Figure 4. Current Distribution of Shipments by Body Type  for Five- and Six-axle Tractor Semitrailers
• Figure 5. 2011 Base Case Operating Weight Distributions for Loaded Five and Six-axle Tractor-Semitrailers
• Figure 6. VMT 2011 Operating Weight Distribution for Loaded Twin 28-Foot Trailer and Triple Trailer Combinations
• Figure 7. Share of Loaded VMT by 3-S2 that is Potentially Subject to Diversion
• Figure 8. Scenario 1 Shift in Weight Distribution for 5-axle Tractor Semitrailers
• Figure 9. Scenario 2 Changes in 3-S2 Traffic by Operating Weight
• Figure 10. Scenario 2 Changes in 3-S3 Traffic by Operating Weight
• Figure 11. Scenario 3 Change in 3-S2 Traffic by Operating Weight
• Figure 12. Scenario 3 Change in 3-S3 Traffic by Operating Weight
• Figure 13. Changes in 3-S2 Shipments for Top 10 Commodities under Scenarios 1, 2, 3
• Figure 14. Comparison of Traffic Shifts to 7 and 9-axle Triples by Operating Weight
• Figure 15. Range of Estimated Losses in Short Line Revenues Associated With Truck Size and Weight Scenarios 1-3 Short Line Combined Data Set

List of Acronyms

Acronym	Definition
AASHO	American Association of State Highway Officials
AASHTO	Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
ABrR	AASHTOWare Bridge Rating®
ABS	anti-lock braking system
AC	asphalt concrete
ADT	average daily traffic
AADTT	annual average daily truck traffic
ADTT	average daily truck traffic
AF	axle factors
AGM	average gross mass
ALF	axle load factors
ARA	Applied Research Associates
ASLRRA	American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association
ASR	allowable stress rating
BTS	Bureau of Transportation Statistics
CAFT	constant-amplitude fatigue threshold
CARB	California Air Resources Board
CBO	Congressional Budget Office
CMV	commercial motor vehicle
CRCP	Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement
CRF	Code of Federal Regulations
CTSLW	Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study
CTSW	Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits
CVSA	Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance
DA	data agreement
DOT	Department of Transportation
EDFs	equivalent damage factors
ESALs	equivalent single axle loads
ESAR	equivalent single-axle radius
ESWL	equivalent single-wheel load
FAF	Freight Analysis Framework
FEA	finite element analysis
FHWA	Federal Highway Administration
FMIS	Financial Management Information System
FMVSS	Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
FRA	Federal Railroad Administration
GCW	gross combined weight
GEF	Group Equivalency Factor
GVW	gross vehicle weight
HCA	highway cost allocation
HCAS	Federal Highway Cost Allocation Study
HERS	Highway Economic Requirements Systems
HMA	hot mix asphalt
HPMS	Highway Performance Monitoring System
HV	High-volume
HIS	Interstate Highway System
ITIC	Intermodal Transportation and Inventory Cost Model
IRI	International Roughness Index
IS	Interstate System
ISTEA	Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act
JPCP	jointed plain concrete pavement
LCC	life cycle cost
LCV	longer combination vehicles
LEF	load equivalence factors
LFR	load factor rating
LRFD	load and resistance factor design
LRFR	load resistance factor rating
LTBP	Long-Term Bridge Performance Program
LTL	less than truckload
LTPP	Long-Term Pavement Performance
LV	Low-volume
MARAD	Maritime Administration
MATLAB	Matrix Laboratory
MCMIS	Motor Carrier Management Information System
MDDs	multidepth deflectometers
MEPDG	Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide
MV	Medium-volume
NAPCOM	National Pavement Cost Model
NAS	National Academy of Sciences
NATS	National Truck Stop Survey
NBI	National Bridge Inventory
NBMD	National Bridge Management Database
NCHRP	National Cooperative Highway Research Program
NDA	non-disclosure agreement
NESCCAF	Northeast States Center for a Clean Air Future
NHS	National Highway System
NHTSA	National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
NN	National Network
NREL	National Renewable Energy Lab
NSIs	normalized sensitivity indices
OMB	Office of Management and Budget
OGW	operating gross weight
ORNL	Oak Ridge National Laboratories
OOS	out-of-service
OS/OW	oversize/overweight
PBBT	Performance Based Brake Tests
PAS	Pavement Analysis Software
PBS	Performance-based standards
PCC	Portland Cement Concrete
PCE	passenger car equivalents
PCU	passenger car units
POG	Policy Oversight Group
PSI	Pounds per square inch
RC	reinforced concrete
RF	rating factor
SISSI	Superpave Instrumented Stress-Strain Investigation
SPS	Special Pavement Sections
STAA	Surface Transportation Authorization Act
STB	Surface Transportation Board
STCC	Standard Transportation Commodity Code
SwRI	Southwest Research Institute
TF	truck factor
TMG	Traffic Monitoring Guidelines
TOC	Technical Oversight Committee
TRB	Transportation Research Board
TSW	truck size and weight
TTCGS	truck traffic classification groups
USC	United States Code
USDOT	US Department of Transportation
VMT	vehicle miles traveled
VIUS	Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey
VSC	vehicle stability and control
WHVC	World Harmonized Vehicle Cycle
WIM	weigh-in-motion
WIMPI	Weigh-in-Motion Pavement Investigation

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