Trucks on Motorways in the Netherlands

A survey of the role oftrucks in traffic flow

AVV Transport Research Centre

Ministry of TransportOnno Tool

14-06-2006

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Content

• Introduction• The prohibition to overtake by trucks• Future scenario’s and the expected growth

of freight traffic • Further investigations on the impact of

trucks on the traffic flow• Discussion

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Introduction

• No distinction between passenger cars and trucks

– Of course In motorway design (width of lanes)– In the models a truck is 1.9 passenger car

• No specific separate infrastructure– On two motorways a specific truck lane (but only a few

kilometers, in total < 15 km)

• Important rule on the NL motorways: Keep right• Only a few measures specific for trucks

– Restrictions on axle loads (a few spots with weigh in motion)

– Prohibition to overtake

• Notice: different maximum speed limits 80km/h vs. 120 km/h

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Why a prohibtion to overtake?

• Better use of the lanes, a little higher capacity (max 3%)

• Higher speed at the left lane• Increase of the traffic safety

– No changing lanes by heavy vehicles– More stable/homogeneous traffic flow

• 80-90% support among passenger car drivers

• Of course less support among truck drivers

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History

• Start in June 1997– 185 km 2-lane motorway– fixed time periods of 07:00-09:00 and 16:00-18:00

• Extension in October 1999– 750 km 2-lane motorway– Fixed time periods of 06:00-10:00 and 15:00-19:00

• Extension in February 2002– Introduction of the daytime period 06:00-19:00

• Last extension in June 2003

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Survey current situation

• Only on 2-lane motorways• In total 1100 km

– 06:00-10:00 and 15:00-19:00 (700 km)– 06:00-19:00 (400 km)

• 50% of all motorways in NL• 60% of all the 2-lane motorways in NL

• The measure also obligatory when using the shoulder lane (peak lanes)

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Inhaalverbod inclusief voorgestelde uitbreidingmet prognosecijfers 2003, I/C criterium 0,56

Bron: Adviesdienst Verkeer en Vervoer

Inhaalverbod

spitsvensters(06:00-10:00 en 15:00-19:00)

dagvenster(06:00-19:00)24-uurs venster(0:00-24:00)

, per 1 juni 2003

Current situation

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How?

• Signs beside the roadF03 F04

• Extra sign with the specific time period

• Every 2 km and always after every acceleration lane (on-ramp)

ma t/m vr6 - 10 h

15 - 19 h

ma t/m vr6 - 19 h

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• A• B• C

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Dynamic wish

• June 2003: no more static extensions, the current situation is the maximum

• Transport organisations: wish dynamic system• Why: measure is only operative when

necessary• Higher acceptance among truck drivers, less

offences of the measure

• Ministry of Transport: Effects on 3-lane motorways?

• Resulting in two test sides

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Inhaalverbod inclusief voorgestelde uitbreidingmet prognosecijfers 2003, I/C criterium 0,56

Bron: Adviesdienst Verkeer en Vervoer

Inhaalverbod

spitsvensters(06:00-10:00 en 15:00-19:00)

dagvenster(06:00-19:00)24-uurs venster(0:00-24:00)

, per 1 juni 2003Situatie 1 juni 2003 inclusief uitbreidingen in spits- en dagvensters

Test roads with a dynamic prohibition

A2, 3-lane motorway

Abcoude-Maarssen

A2, A76 2-lane motorways

Grathem-Kerensheide-

Ten Esschen

Utrecht

Geldrop

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How?

• Extra Variable Message Sign– 2-lanes: on gantry in the middle between the

standard VMS– 3-lanes: on gantry between the standard middle and

right lane VMS

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• Not on every gantry• Same restrictions as ‘static’

> 2 km

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Algorithm

• All extra VMS controlled by server with algorithm

• Uses status of the MTM system• Uses total intensity, truck intensity and

speed• On line data• Moving averages

• Clock• Manpower

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Evaluation

• Operation time I.r.t. the fixed time periods• Driver experiences / interviews (both

passenger car drivers as truck drivers• Traffic Flow (esp. 3-lane prohibition)• Platoon forming of trucks• Following distances/times • Number of offences

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Some preliminary results

• System switches on/off 3-4 times a day• Different patterns in operation per day of the week• System works less hours than static design fixed

time periods• 80%- 90% of the drivers: dynamic is better than

static• 2-lane: offence rate doesn’t change significantly

(1,5%)• 3-lane: offence rate is 2% (was 9%)• 3-lane: No significant effect on the capacity and

travel times• 3-lane: Obviously less lane changes by trucks• High acceptance among drivers

– 80% among passenger car drivers– 70% among truck drivers– Permanent Dynamic: 90% of all drivers

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Future

• Freight traffic grows faster (40%-80% towards 2020)

• Increasing interaction between these two users of our motorways

• Differences between passenger cars en trucks– Length: 5 vs 18 meters (notice study LZV length < 25

meters)– Weight– Height– Maximum speed limit: 80 km/h versus 120 km/h

• Prohibition to overtake by trucks?• The main rule: Keep right• Most of the on/off ramps are on the right side• No separate infrastructure at this moment

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• Trucks are the fastest growing group of users of our motorways

• Trucks may have a significant influence in traffic flow and maintenance of road surface and bridges/viaducts

• Within Rijkswaterstaat there is little attention for this specific user

• Need for more detailed information

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• Two studies

• The impact of trucks in the present situation

• Study on the possible effects with the present behavior projected to the future

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The impact of trucks in the present

• Following distances, platoon forming• Speed distributions• Capacity of 1 lane full with trucks• When do passenger car drivers avoid the right

lane• Trucks and incident management• Larger study on the underlying causes of

incidents with trucks (Pieter van Vliet)• Peak lanes, smaller lanes• Road maintenance, construction sides• Traffic signs earlier?• International scan• Experiments in the driving simulator

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Future study

• What role do trucks have in the damage in road surface and bridges/viaducts

• Intensities of trucks in the future• Possibilities to separate these two users

and bring back the interaction to an acceptable level?

• Effects at the on and off ramps?• One homogenous traffic flow or two

separated flows or a dynamic mix of these two variants?

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Vrachtverkeer 2020 etmaal

Vrachtvoertuigen per etmaal0 - 30003001 - 60006001 - 90009001 - 1200012001 - 1500015001 - 1800018001 - 2100021001 - 2400024001 - 2700027001 - 30000

Bron: LMS run 2020rf5

Vrachtverkeer 2020 etmaal

Vrachtvoertuigen per etmaal0 - 30003001 - 60006001 - 90009001 - 1200012001 - 1500015001 - 1800018001 - 2100021001 - 2400024001 - 2700027001 - 30000

Bron: LMS run 2020rf5

Vrachtverkeer 2020 etmaal

Vrachtvoertuigen per etmaal0 - 30003001 - 60006001 - 90009001 - 1200012001 - 1500015001 - 1800018001 - 2100021001 - 2400024001 - 2700027001 - 30000

Bron: LMS run 2020rf5

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Questions / Discussion