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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
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    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Routing Autonomous Trucks on Dedicated Lanes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2676007</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Trucks are known to have a significant impact on congestion during traffic peak hours due to their size and slower dynamics. Human operated trucks for freight transport are faced with two constraints: those imposed by the service demand and those imposed by the human driver. For long haul operations, for example, truck drivers must meet the constraints of hours of service. For short haul they have to meet family and personal constraints which often do not allow them to operate during odd hours. With automation the human constraints are removed which opens the way to view truck routing and scheduling under different and more flexible constraints. The major problem faced by automated trucks operating with the rest of traffic, however, is safety as due to the different sizes involved the sensing problem is more challenging and potential accidents can be catastrophic.


Under this project the research team plans to analyze and evaluate the use of automated trucks that will operate on the surface network at times that the traffic demand is very low, so that lanes can be switched dynamically to dedicated automated truck lanes without affecting traffic. By doing so we can keep the automated trucks separated from manually driven vehicles which may be using the network, thereby addressing the issue of safety. This project will address the potential benefits of automated trucks on dedicated lanes operating at low volume traffic hours. In addition, it will extend the approach to automated truck platoons where automation will also lead to significant fuel savings (up to 20%) due to reduction in aerodynamic drag, bringing the potential to lower costs. Moving trucks from times of high congestion to times of no congestion will bring considerable benefits to trucking companies as well as to all other users of the road network, as fewer trucks will be operating during peak traffic hours. In addition, trucking companies that are short of truck drivers will be able to operate without disruptions and without human imposed constraints, saving on labor costs. The team plans to use as an example a network that includes Interstate 710 (I-710) and the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, a route that generates considerable truck traffic. The team will identify the lanes that can be dynamically dedicated to automated trucks at certain hours and estimate the impact on congestion and fuel savings. The team will use real truck and traffic data to validate their traffic simulators which they will then use to run different scenarios.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:31:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2676007</guid>
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      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Practices. Topic SA-62. Planning and Operations Initatives to Support Nighttime Off-Peak Transit Ridership</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2190456</link>
      <description><![CDATA[COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home orders and social distancing protocols, followed by relaxed in-office policies, caused a decline in transit ridership across the United States. The pandemic-induced shift toward remote and hybrid work arrangements significantly impacted peak hour ridership; however, off-peak ridership exhibited greater resilience. As a result, many transit agencies began re-evaluating their service strategies, placing greater emphasis on nighttime service enhancements to better serve emerging travel patterns and support those who rely on transit outside conventional work hours. Access to reliable nighttime service remains a critical need, particularly for shift and service workers (often categorized as essential workers), who frequently face limited transportation options during late-night hours.

This synthesis documents current practices undertaken by transit agencies to support nighttime transit ridership and focuses on how transit agencies prioritize service improvements to support nighttime transit demand and address the needs of essential workers. This publication begins with a literature review synthesizing existing research and contextualizing the challenges and opportunities associated with nighttime transit service. To complement the literature review, a survey of 25 transit agencies offers a snapshot of current practices and experiences from agencies operating nighttime services. Then, five case examples examine strategies related to safety, operations, resource allocation, ridership trends, and partnerships. This publication concludes with synthesizing key findings, identifies barriers and challenges, highlights notable best practices, and suggests areas for further research.

Reinaldo Germano with Foursquare Integrated Transportation Planning, Inc., was the principal investigator for this study and was supported by Drefnie Limprevil, Aileen Daney, and Andrew Zalewski. The members of the topic panel are acknowledged on page iv. This synthesis is an immediately useful document that records the practices that were acceptable within the limitations of the knowledge available at the time of its preparation. As progress in research and practice continues, new knowledge will be added to that now at hand.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 06 Jun 2023 17:12:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2190456</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Pilot Off Hour Urban Freight Delivery- Contracts
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1371142</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Additional contract support for handbook development, technical assistance and evaluation.  
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 06 Oct 2015 09:10:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1371142</guid>
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      <title>Investigating Temporal Effects on Truck Accident Occurrence and Severity Level in New York City</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1363282</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As one of the major causes of fatalities and injuries in the U.S., motor vehicle crashes and their influential factors have been analyzed extensively in the last few decades. However, most existing studies on crashes primarily focus on passenger vehicles and highway segments. The studies on truck related safety issues in metropolitan areas are largely underexplored. Meanwhile, as part of the effort to relieve congestion in New York City, an Off-Hour Delivery program (OHD) is being implemented. The purpose of the program is to shift the delivery time of commercial vehicles to the off-hours (7:00 PM-6:00 AM). Intuitively, by shifting truck volume into night hours, the conflicts between trucks, pedestrians, bicycles and other vehicles are reduced, which is expected to improve the safety situation. However, there is also concern that lighting condition and driver fatigue during night hours could worsen the situation. In response to these concerns, this study will examine whether shifting truck deliveries to night hours has an impact on crash occurrence and severity level of crashes based on observed data over the last several years in the New York City. In pursuit of this goal, this study will achieve the following objectives: (1) Compile and process empirical datasets from multiple sources to develop a comprehensive truck accident dataset. The dataset should contain most variables that are likely to contribute to the "temporal effect", such as lighting condition, driver fatigue, and traffic volumes of all road users; (2) Develop rigorous statistical models that can jointly analyze crash occurrence and severity, quantifying influence of temporal effect and other potentially influential factors; and (3) Based on the findings, assess the impacts of the OHD program on the safety condition in New York City, and propose strategies to maximize its positive influence while mitigating the negative influence. This research is highly relevant to the region and the nation. The data, the model and the insights to be gained from the research will contribute to the understanding of how Off-Hour Delivery may influence the truck related safety condition. This will help transportation agencies develop more efficient strategies to manage truck traffic. By doing so, this study will benefit Focus Area 3: "Promoting freight productivity, efficiency, and sustainability through multi-modal policy, planning, and logistics." It will also contribute to the Focus Area 5: "Planning, monitoring, and implementation of communications and other technologies to understand and improve multi-modal transportation safety."]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2015 01:00:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1363282</guid>
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      <title>Sustainable and Livable Transportation Systems for Smart Growth: Linking Electric Vehicles to Adoption of Off-Peak Electricity Rates</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1250660</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project looks to evaluate the economic and environment benefits that would accrue to Connecticut if utilization of all-electricity vehicles is linked to charging them during off-peak periods. Currently Connecticut consumers have a choice in electricity rate, either retaining a uniform rate of converting to peak and off peak electricity. This project proceeds on the basis of a proof of thesis that early adaptors of electric will, unlike other Connecticut households, have vested interests in switching to peak and off-peak rates; this switch will contribute to cleaner generation of electricity while curbing automotive emissions. The economic research involves sourcing data specific to Connecticut, understanding the main determinants and the extent of the incentives to switch to peak and off-peak pricing, assessing fueling options during peak demand for electricity, and establishing likely dynamic adjustments in electricity generation with commensurate impacts on improved air quality.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 17 May 2013 01:00:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1250660</guid>
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      <title>Greening Freight Transportation: An Analysis of Some Social Benefits from Shifting Freight Traffic to Off-Peak Hours</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1231947</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Freight movement is essential to our prosperity, but it also generates large external costs in the form of additional congestion, air pollution, and truck-related accidents that further compound congestion and air pollution. Unfortunately, these external costs are not yet fully understood. The idea of shifting freight delivery off-peak was proposed a long time ago but it is still controversial. The purpose of this project is to better assess some of the social benefits of shifting freight operations off peak with an emphasis on congestion, sir pollution (CO2, NOx, and PM), its health impacts, and accidents related to freight trucks, using an innovative approach and state-of-the-art tools. Our focus will be on the San Pedro Bay Ports (SPBP) of Los Angeles and Long Beach in Southern California, which is one of the largest container port complexes in the world; it contributes significantly to both California's and the nation's economies but its growth is threatened by its environmental performance. We will build on our previous University of California Transportation Center (UCTC) research in order to provide new insights into the impacts of off-peak SPBP freight corridor operations.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:29:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1231947</guid>
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