FHWA’s Nationwide Study Estimated $0.8 to $1.5 Million Cost To Develop Emergency Routing Web Tool for Truck Convoys Traveling to and from Declared Emergencies, Considering Labor and Software Licensing Costs.
Feasibility Study Evaluated Four Alternatives to Improve Real-Time Routing and Permitting for Emergency Response Convoys.
Nationwide, United States
Web tools could help provide routing information needed for emergency vehicle drivers traveling to and from declared emergencies. This study offered a high-level feasibility assessment of several alternatives for developing a web-based tool aimed at improving how information is shared with drivers of emergency response convoys passing through specific regions. Four alternatives were evaluated:
- Alternative 1 – A searchable database that allows drivers to look up information by State, including relevant links and resources.
- Alternative 2 – An interactive map built on the static data from Alternative 1.
- Alternative 3 – An interactive map enhanced with available real-time information and route planning capabilities.
- Alternative 4 – A comprehensive, all-in-one interactive web-based tool that handles all permitting from both the State and driver perspective, along with an interactive map and routing capabilities.
Alternative 3 included a truck-routing Application Programming Interface (API) that would need to be custom developed with the parameters necessary to guide truck drivers through legally permissible routes. Within the proposed custom truck-routing API, truckers would be able to define truck characteristics such as dimensions, weight, hazardous materials. Once a route has been successfully queried, corresponding links to State emergency information would appear in the web tool. For Alternative 4, instead of filling out a permit application for each State on a truck’s route, the user would fill out one form that applies to all States on the route. This would help expedite the permitting process for emergency response vehicles as well.
The following table presents the estimated development costs and labor hours for four alternatives. These estimates include software licensing and subscription costs.
Table 1. Estimated Development Costs and Labor Hours for Alternatives.
|
Development Option |
Estimated Development Cost | Estimated Labor Hours Required |
| Alternative 1 | $120k to $160k | 900 hours |
| Alternative 2 | $180k to $240k | 1,100 hours |
| Alternative 3 | $800k to $1.5M | 7,000 hours |
| Alternative 4 | $2M to $2.5M | 10,000 (planning alone) |
For Alternative 3:
- Operations and maintenance cost is estimated to range from $100-150k annually, depending on the frequency of web refreshes as well as the level of troubleshooting provided to States and users.
For Alternative 4:
- A minimum of 10,000 hours of labor was estimated for planning phase only. The total effort could be over 30,000 hours over multiple years.
Operations and maintenance cost is estimated to be upward of $250k annually, again depending on the frequency of web refreshes as well as the level of troubleshooting provided.
