Compliance, Safety and <2% leakage: a DFW Case Study
April 19, 2022
A continuation from IBTTA SmartBrief:
HOV violation rates are as high as 30-50% percent due to antiquated enforcement methods dependent upon officers to catch violators in real time, penalizing only a small portion of those cheating. Learn how Dallas - Fort Worth achieves <2% leakage on their managed lanes with Automatic Vehicle Occupancy Verification.
BACKGROUND
Every year, road operators invest substantial resources to manage toll roads with high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. Most current systems rely on enforcing proper use of these roads through antiquated and inefficient ways, leaving drivers frustrated by the lose-lose process and law officials concerned for their physical safety.
This “enforcement dilemma” is the idea of trying to catch solo drivers cheating in HOV lanes even as the volume of vehicles on the road dramatically increases. The false math of enforcement is that the volume of HOV traffic during peak hours, multiplied by the total violation rate, is much greater than the number of citations a pair of officers can issue per hour.
Enforcement of HOV and managed lane facilities places lives at risk, wastes valuable resources, contributes to network degradation and erodes public trust in lanes designed to serve as a faster alternative than the general purpose lanes. There’s also the issue of imperfect accountability potentially resulting in lost revenue. On average, more than 30% of U.S. vehicles violate HOV rules. Less than 4% of those violators will be cited by law enforcement.
About ten years ago, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (DFW) moved to a pre-declaration solution where users stated their HOV status before their trip. Unfortunately this led to an increase in intentional violations and customer service calls requesting credits when people forgot to pre-declare. The Regional Transportation Council asked staff to find a completely automated solution that would address the violations rates of >30%. Carma was awarded a statewide contract after winning a public RFP.
CHALLENGE
Senior Program Manager, Dan Lamers, of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), explained several major concerns regarding DFW. Those included the safety of enforcement officers patrolling managed lanes, particularly when officers pulled people over to the side of the road on high speed highways.
DFW officials were concerned with the inefficiency and limitations of the existing HOV management system and tasked NCTCOG with heading the search for a technologically advanced update.
After several failed procurement processes, NCTCOG sought out an effective and efficient technology-based solution to managing HOV lane tolls.
Lamers explained their needs, process, and results. NCTCOG’s top requirements included maintaining the safety of enforcement officers in the field, enforcement of violations and creating or expanding incentives.
SOLUTION
In January 2020, GoCarma was commercially deployed in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex (DFW), with 50,000 daily commuters using the app today. Previously, GoCarma successfully completed three federally-funded pilots, over the course of four years, with independent verification by Texas A&M Transportation Institute and UC Transportation Sustainability Research Center as proof that automated, reliable HOV benefits can apply to road users without the need to invest in heavy roadside infrastructure.
Lamers cited some of the app highlights that helped cement NCTCOG in choosing GoCarma including:
A customized dashboard to monitor system operation.
Proprietary algorithms monitor the people using the system.
A progressive enforcement process.
An incentive program based on monitoring time of day and location of system users under different circumstances.
Ability to grow the system based on future needs.
POSITIVE OUTCOMES
The DFW program is a global industry case study. The metroplex has reduced violation rates to less than 2% leakage after implementing GoCarma’s verification technology throughout their managed lanes. Violators are not referred to the legal system, but rather through the progressive enforcement process. Escalating warnings regarding the proper use of the system go from simple education up to, and including, suspension of ability to receive the HOV discount.
Lamers also shared the benefits gained by implementing GoCarma.
Traffic flows smoother during peak periods due to fewer police officers in the corridor.
No user interaction with the app while driving means less distracted driving.
DFW is now the largest managed lane system in the country. It is over 120 miles and close to 300 lane miles of interconnected managed lane facilities allowing people to move from one end of the region to the other in a very reliable system.
Users can take advantage of discounts when they carpool.
A progressive verification process means less cheating and fewer drivers suspended.
Additional benefits include:
DFW achieved its goal of reducing vehicle miles traveled by 20% with the help of Carma’s technology.
Significant reduction in HOV calls into the North Texas Tollway Authority.
A reduction of traffic, local air pollution, emissions, and more.
State-of-the-art security measures, both technical and organizational, ensure all personal data is protected from unauthorized use and disclosure.
Carpool rates in DFW have increased 15%.
CONCLUSIONS
By implementing GoCarma, a highly customized and cutting-edge application, DFW has cut costs, increased safety, and traffic flow. As a result, NCTCOG and the Texas Department of Transportation have partnered with Carma to expand the usage of GoCarma to include congestion pricing and road user charging expected to begin in Summer 2022.
Carma Technology Corporation won the IBTTA 2021 Technology Excellence Award for the Private Sector for the DFW project. "Automating the process of verifying occupancy on these roadways also eliminates the need for roadside enforcement, which makes the road safer and less congested. All in all, this is an innovative solution that we're sure will catch on among tolling operators across the country" said Mark Compton, CEO of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and past IBTTA president.
DFW is the current global leader in Smart City solutions designed to maximize network efficiency while improving both leakage and customer satisfaction.