Alejandro Berlanga
For many border communities, crossing on foot is part of daily life. Commuters, students and shoppers move through pedestrian facilities at land ports of entry every day, often navigating long and unpredictable wait times along the way.
Yet compared to vehicle crossings, pedestrian movement remains far less understood.
[Read more…] about Rethinking How Pedestrian Border Wait Times Are Measured
Okan Gurbuz
by Okan Gurbuz
For many travelers, a delay at the border is measured in minutes. For others — including manufacturers waiting on parts, commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) moving time-sensitive goods or communities dependent on cross-border trade — those same delays carry a much higher cost.
[Read more…] about Simplifying the Financial Impact of Border Crossing Delays
Rafael Aldrete
Swapnil Samant
Erik Vargas
by Erik Vargas, Swapnil Samant and Rafael Aldrete
For anyone who regularly crosses the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, “wait time” is not a single experience. A trusted traveler using a dedicated lane may be through the port in minutes, while a driver in a standard lane could be waiting an hour or more, especially during peak periods.
[Read more…] about Seeing the Line Clearly: Measuring Border Wait Times by Lane
Valeria Martinez
Swapnil Samant
Rafael Aldrete
by Valeria Martinez, Swapnil Samant and Rafael Aldrete
High-speed vehicle pursuits are among the most dangerous situations faced by law enforcement and the public. Each year, these chases result in crashes, injuries and, in too many cases, fatalities. In regions like El Paso, Texas, the frequency of such pursuits has increased sharply, raising concerns among policymakers and communities about how to respond more safely and effectively. [Read more…] about Rethinking the Chase: How UAVs Could Make High-Speed Pursuits Safer
by Erik Vargas and Okan Gurbuz
In its 2020 Texas Statewide Truck Parking Study, the Texas Department of Transportation noted that trucks carrying 1.2 billion tons of freight worth $1.7 trillion each year in the Lone Star State. That means 140,000 trucks must park somewhere in the state every day for drivers to rest and sleep. Noted in the study, truck volume is expected to grow by some 80 percent by 2040, making today’s shortage of truck parking facilities a crisis down the road.
[Read more…] about It’s About Using Space Wisely: Cross-Border Trucks Face Different Challenges When It Comes to Parking
by Jeff Shelton
When extreme events occur, the transportation network is vital to relief and recovery. For example, when a hurricane makes landfall, getting citizens to safety—particularly from low-lying areas at risk for flooding—is top priority. But once the heavy rain is falling, what routes should they take? Which roads are most likely to flood? After how many inches of rainfall do we begin diverting traffic from Main Road A because it’s likely to flood in the next hour?
[Read more…] about The Right Tools for the Job: Predictive Planning for Transportation Infrastructure Can Save Lives
by Rafael Aldrete and Swapnil Samant
Transportation agencies are charged with the formidable task of keeping people and goods moving efficiently, reliably and safely. Sometimes, that’s not easy. When bad weather hits, for example, a transportation management agency’s limited resources and personnel are stretched thin by mass movements of cars and trucks stressing the local network.
Transit agencies across the nation reference the Transit Capacity and Quality-of-Service Manual (TCQSM). Now in its third edition, the TCQSM gives guidance on transit capacity and quality-of-service (QoS) issues, as well as techniques for measuring operational characteristics.
[Read more…] about Inviting Border Transit Agencies into the Capacity, QoS Conversation
by Jason Wu
The El Paso/Ciudad Juárez region is one of the world’s largest binational border metropolises. Multiple border crossings with heavy traffic (like this region has) can cause logistical challenges for transportation agencies. Secure, efficient technology solutions — including those that leverage the benefits of intelligent transportation systems — can help agencies while helping to guide traffic safely through the border.
[Read more…] about Piloting LiDAR Sensors to Enhance Border Traffic Information
by Alejandro Berlanga Alzaga and Valeria Martinez
When you think of drones, you may think of a package getting delivered to your doorstep. Many companies conduct flight missions of drones for delivering goods, but other applications for drones can benefit the public (and commercial vehicle drivers) in another way — travel across the border.
[Read more…] about Applying AI, Drones and Satellites to Improve Border Transportation
