In various applications particularly within the tolling area weigh inmotion (WIM) has long proved itself to be a valuable option for roads managers. Today, sophisticated systems are on offer that will evolve to form the WIM technology of the future. The wear and tear on pavements, bridge structures, and other components of the transportation infrastructure caused by an individual vehicle is directly proportional to the weight of that vehicle or axle. In fact, as gross vehicle weights and axle weights increase, the damage to the highway and bridge infrastructure increases exponentially, as was concluded by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO) Highway Study. Where WIM is applied, both axle and GVW weights are monitored. A truck may be GVW compliant and still have individual overweight axles causing significant and costly damage to infrastructure. Traditional methods of recouping the costs, in the form of either fuel taxes or tolls based on vehicle type can only factor in weight on a cost averaged basis, spreading the charge across all vehicles in a class. This process thus overcharges under-loaded vehicles and undercharges over-loaded vehicles, relative to the actual cost of their consumption of the transportation infrastructure. This in turn promotes overloading, as the cost per mile decreases with each extra pound carried.
Abstract