1. Welcome

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) works with its partners to evaluate potential technology solutions to improve the reliability, efficiency, and security of the freight transportation system. Technology evaluation is a complex process requiring analysis of many factors, including freight transportation needs, supply chain performance, costs, and benefits. Not surprisingly, the complexity increases as the number of criteria and parties involved rises.

Recognizing the need for evaluation tools to sift through technology options, FHWA developed the Freight Technology Assessment Tool (FTAT). The tool is aimed at giving decisionmakers the information and tools needed to invest wisely and prioritize future projects. Making good investment choices for the transportation system is critical to enhancing America's economic productivity and global connectivity.

1.1 What Is FTAT Software?

Freight Technology Assessment Tool (FTAT) software enables transportation planners and decisionmakers in both the public and private sectors to bring the power of qualitative as well as quantitative analysis to their technology assessment and selection. FTAT is a decision support system that helps decisionmakers evaluate potential technologies and their effect on the performance of the end-to-end business process. The business process is evaluated before and after the technology is deployed against an array of performance metrics to select the technology that will yield the best financial and non-financial performance. Through the combination of a qualitative and quantitative analysis, FTAT enables the prioritization of a group of technologies for deployment.

1.2 Who Is FTAT's Intended User?

FTAT software is designed to be used by public or private organizations or any group or person who would like to evaluate a technology's effect on an end-to-end business process.

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