United States Department of Transportation
i
Use of Wireless Technology for Field Applications
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2006-07-31
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[PDF-580.13 KB]
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Edition:Final Report May 15, 2005 – June 30, 2006
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Abstract:The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) has many field applications that require data transfer with the state’s computer network. These field applications include Road Weather Information Systems, the Maintenance Decision Support System, Automated Traffic Recorders, Weigh-in-Motion, Construction Management, Right-of-way Acquisition, Megatraks Fuel Consumption Reporting System, and Pavement Distress Identification. Phone lines are used for the vast majority of these applications. Monthly phone bills are high and so is the cost of upgrading phone lines. Furthermore, the time required to transfer data is often slow. If data resides on a laptop, rather than transfer data by phone, staff will often carry the laptop into an area or maintenance office for uploading, or they may use broadband services at home or, if traveling, in motels. This study examined the wireless communication and related requirements of the field applications listed above. Then a detailed examination of wireless technology was conducted. Wireless technology included personal, local, metropolitan and wide area networks (WPAN, WLAN, WMAN, and WWAN) and different generations of U.S. and overseas technology. Many other technologies were examined including Dedicated Short Range Communications, satellite communications; meteor burst communications, and extended range RF. A determination was made regarding whether each wireless technology was available in South Dakota, whether the data rates were sufficient, and if other characteristics could meet needs. Then for each set of requirements for each field application, alternative wireless solutions were identified and four recommendations were made to conduct pilot demonstrations. The project panel decided not to proceed with the recommended pilots for a variety of reasons. Instead SDDOT sought to identify additional field applications that might benefit from wireless communications and selected a traffic signal maintenance management application. Changes in the wireless market in South Dakota precluded carrying out this application in a timely fashion. Among the findings of the study were that many applications require a range of 20 to 40 miles -- possibly more with coverage expressed in square miles ranging from 400 to 1600 and under some circumstances 5625. Among the recommendations was a suggestion that the State upgrade the bandwidth of the wireline connections between the offices and headquarters to take advantage of high Wi-Fi data rates. Another recommendation was to implement a test bed for wireless communications.
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