Estimated Annual Benefits of Implementing the Drayage, Freight, and Logistics Exchange (DrayFLEX) Application, Designed to Optimize Truck Dispatch and Routing, in Los Angeles Ports are $1.1 Million.
A Simulation-Based Evaluation Estimated Vehicle Operating Cost and Fuel Savings Using Advanced Truck Applications.
Los Angeles, California, United States
Long Beach, California
Freight Advanced Traveler Information System (FRATIS) Modernization
Summary Information
Growing freight volumes at the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach (collectively known as the Port Complex) have contributed to congestion on port-area roadways, highways, and arterials. To improve freight operations, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) led the Freight Advanced Traveler Information System (FRATIS) modernization project, partially funded by the U.S.DOT’s Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD) program. Following earlier prototype, the project was rebranded as the Drayage, Freight, and Logistics Exchange (DrayFLEX). DrayFLEX was designed to help trucking companies plan container pick-ups and drop-offs at the Port Complex more efficiently and in real time by considering traffic conditions, incidents, terminal wait times, truck and driver locations, appointment information, and other operational factors. DrayFLEX included two related applications:
- DrayFLEX Core: A cloud-based dispatch optimization tool integrated with truck management systems to match drivers with container moves based on availability, location, travel time, gate queue conditions, chassis availability, and dual-transaction opportunities.
- DrayFLEX-Trip: A mobile application for truck drivers that provided truck-specific routing with fastest or more fuel-efficient route options, turn-by-turn navigation, real-time traffic and incident alerts, and terminal wait-time information.
METHODOLOGY
Despite being fully developed, the applications saw limited pilot utilization, so benefit estimates were based on simulations, dashboard data, trucking company feedback, and limited survey responses.
- For DrayFLEX Core, vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) per move, fuel use, vehicle operating costs, and perceived operational benefits such as reductions in bobtails, terminal gate idling and wait times, dispatching time savings, missed or canceled appointments, and customer satisfaction were measured. These measures were evaluated through quantitative comparisons between actual completed moves and simulated optimized moves and questionnaire feedback from a representative of the participating trucking company.
- For DrayFLEX-Trip, the evaluation measured travel time, fuel use, perceived safety, perceived congestion and trip-time improvement, system effectiveness, and user satisfaction via quantitative data comparison, quantitative data analysis, and limited survey feedback from participating drivers.
FINDINGS
For the participating trucking company, the simulated evaluation of DrayFLEX Core and DrayFLEX-Trip estimated combined benefits of approximately $92,900 per month, or more than $1.1 million annually.
- Mobility: DrayFLEX Core was estimated to reduce the average monthly VMT by 4.6 miles per move through simulated dispatch optimization.
- Operational efficiency: The participating trucking company reported that DrayFLEX Core could reduce bobtail trips, decrease dispatcher time, improve on-time appointments, and reduce terminal gate idling and wait times. The company also noted that the system was technically reliable and user-friendly, although it did not fully meet all complex and evolving dispatch requirements.
- Economic benefit/cost savings: DrayFLEX Core was estimated to save $55,000 per month in vehicle operating costs based on an average VMT reduction of 4.6 miles per move and 9,050 average monthly moves. DrayFLEX-Trip fuel savings were estimated at $2,640 per month.
