Unlocking Road Construction Gridlock with the Power of Data: Insights from Mike Branch

Summer is often called the “construction season” for the extensive number of projects that take place on roadways across many cities and towns.  In fact, the construction market in North America is seeing a substantial 11.1% increase in infrastructure projects​ (World Construction Network)​. With construction comes congestion and an increased potential for collisions.  

Geotab has extensive research and data analytics capabilities that provide both fleet operators and city planners data driven insights on how road construction impacts safety, sustainability, cost and productivity. 

Driver Distraction and Frustration: Road delays and detours can lead to frustration, aggressive driving patterns, and distraction for drivers, which are all significant contributors to collisions. In analyzing National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data sets, the National Safety Council reported 842 fatalities and 39,100 injuries in highway construction work zone crashes in 2019.

Traffic Congestion Costs Time. Data shows that fleets waste countless hours stuck in construction-related traffic, which could otherwise be spent on productive activities. As a case example, a  Geotab ITS study revealed that commercial drivers are spending 80% more time driving per day on the Gardiner Expressway, Toronto’s busiest transportation route, currently undergoing a 3-year-long road reconstruction.

Increased Emissions. Increased idling time and stop-and-go traffic conditions, common in road construction zones, contribute significantly to increased fuel consumption and emissions. An idling diesel truck emits 18 pounds of CO2 per hour, along with pollutants that also contribute to ground level ozone, smog, and climate change. These emissions can be reduced by preventing unnecessary idling.

Lost Productivity. Geotab’s recent State of Commercial Transportation examined overall productivity and looked at both the average number of trips per day, average driving duration per day and trip to hours ratio as proxies for gained (or lost) productivity by fleets. In the context of the Gardiner study above, we see that commercial fleets have experienced decreased productivity due to the Gardiner closure.This loss of productivity directly translates into economic losses for fleet operators and the businesses they serve.

Geotab and Geotab ITS Data Insights

Geotab, the global leader in connected vehicle and asset solutions, leverages advanced data analytics and AI to enhance fleet performance, safety, and sustainability while optimizing costs and Geotab ITS, a provider of reliable and contextualized mobility insights for public agencies and commercial sector organizations, helps decision-makers gain a complete understanding of movements across road networks enabling customers to achieve improved planning capabilities as well as better financial outcomes.

How fleets can manage roadway construction challenges - solutions for today

We need to do better when it comes to navigating road construction to minimize collisions, optimize driver safety and reduce the environmental impact on local communities. There is a breadth of data available to give us insight in driver behavior, accident hotspots as well as stress testing on infrastructure so that we can make better decisions that lead to better outcomes. Data can bring together those who plan road work with fleet operators to work collaboratively and find efficient, safe and sustainable ways to reduce collisions.

Advanced tracking and Monitoring. Logistics is a game of minutes. Advanced tracking and monitoring systems enable last mile delivery companies to optimize routes, streamline operations, and minimize delays. With improved efficiency, businesses can meet customer demands promptly while reducing fuel and labor costs.

Monitor driver behavior. Tracking driving habits such as speeding, harsh braking, and rapid acceleration gives fleets data that can significantly impact fuel efficiency and safety. According to data insights from Geotab, fleets that monitor and coach drivers on poor driving habits saw improved fuel efficiency by up to 25%. The same study indicates that reducing harsh braking incidents by 79% through driver coaching can lead to lower vehicle maintenance costs and fewer accidents.

Identify High-RiskHotspots. Geotab ITS aggregate data analytics, including harsh events data, is utilized by government agencies to identify hotspots showing where collisions are more likely to occur in and around road construction zones, helping the agencies implement targeted safety measures.

Stress Test Infrastructure. Geotab ITS insights provide aggregated views that enable a better understanding of how prolonged roadway construction impacts both infrastructure and vehicle performance, providing foundational data for planning future projects with minimal disruption.

Leveraging data insights and AI predictability, from Geotab and Geotab ITS provides government agencies, fleet operators and drivers with effective strategies to reduce collisions, improve fuel and emissions performance and sustainability objectives.  Through the power of data intelligence, it is possible to anticipate and meet the challenges of roadway construction projects improving outcomes for businesses and citizens.