Dynamic Mobility Applications Policy Analysis:Policy and Institutional Issues for Freight Advanced Traveler Information Systems (FRATIS)

This report documents policy considerations for the Freight Advanced Traveler Information System, or FRATIS. FRATIS applications provide freight-specific route guidance and optimize drayage operations so that load movements are coordinated between freight facilities to reduce empty-load trips. The analysis identified the following potential policy issues: 1) Data Privacy. There may be inherent trade-offs for users between the desired functionality of FRATIS and the need to protect confidential information, such as location data, company proprietary information (e.g., pricing, customer lists), and financial transaction data. A privacy impact assessment using the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-53 Rev 4 is underway to identify the minimal amounts of data necessary for FRATIS functionality, and to assess any data sensitivities. 2) Data Security. Given the multiple existing systems involved in generating FRATIS data (including the vehicle themselves), FRATIS faces the threat of spoofing or hacking that is intended to corrupt, falsify, disrupt, disable, or end-run the system. Examination as to whether existing freight logistics security offers enough protection against these common security threats is underway. 3) Data Quality and Compatibility. As use of FRATIS expands to involve more carriers and larger geographic regions, the system may find it beneficial to integrate both proprietary and public data from varying sources and formats to have a common set of protocols for data exchange. This raises three potential concerns. First, some needed data elements may be unavailable, reducing the overall quality and usefulness of the data. Second, in cases where data are available, they may exist in incompatible formats. Finally, certain limitations may exist on the collection and use of data. 4) Oversize/Overweight (OSOW) Permitting and Routing. The FRATIS ConOps identified OSOW permitting as a possible capability. However, this capability is not being tested as part of the FRATIS demonstrations. Based on stakeholder outreach, there is some industry interest in exploring use of OSOW for route planning in FRATIS. This capability could be demonstrated with states that already have OSOW routing maps that could be incorporated into FRATIS. This would likely be a technical issue moving forward and would not have any policy implications, but would require institutional coordination to enable any demonstration. 5) Assigning Loads to Unsafe Drivers or Carriers. In theory, the container-load matching capabilities of FRATIS could result in loads being assigned to carriers, drivers, or vehicles that have safety violations or poor overall safety records. Existing FMCSA safety regulations are effectively used by enforcement personnel to identify unsafe drivers, vehicles, and carriers. 6) Conflicts with Existing Intermodal Terminal Policies. Initially, there were concerns that the variable gate capacity needed at intermodal terminals to enable FRATIS drayage optimization would conflict with union shift-work rules. This issue has been resolved by the development team by modifying the FRATIS drayage optimization algorithms to ensure that they do not result in schedules that conflict with established terminal work rules. Based on the results of this analysis, the policy team does not foresee a need for any new policies to be enacted or any major issues that will stand in the way of successful market adoption and use by industry. Ultimately, guidance on installation, integration, operations, and maintenance will be produced by the technical teams when completing their technology transfer to the marketplace.