University of California Institute of Transportation Studies

This research estimates the costs and benefits of implementing connected eco-driving technology for freight trucks on signalized freight corridors as a strategy to mitigate the impacts of truck traffic. The costs associated with enabling the technology include capital investment for infrastructure upgrades such as upgrading traffic controllers and installing communication modems. The costs also include operating costs for wireless data plans and computing servers. Over a period of 20 years, the total cost for one intersection is estimated to be $18,200. The benefits of the technology include reductions in energy consumption and emissions from a connected truck traveling on connected corridors. Under cold start conditions, the technology could help reduce overall fuel consumption by 20%, and emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter by 22%, 20%, and 15%, respectively. Under hot running conditions, the technology could help reduce overall fuel consumption by 10% and emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter by 10%, 0%, and 41%, respectively. Based on these estimates, connected eco-driving technology can play an important role in addressing greenhouse gas emissions from freight trucks, as well as mitigating the air quality and health impacts associated with truck emissions in communities that are heavily impacted by truck traffic.