Geotab ITS – The Ray, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing net-zero transportation and energy infrastructure, has partnered with Geotab Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to demonstrate how aggregate data analysis can successfully position zero-carbon fueling stations for medium and heavy-duty trucks across the country. Building on the success of the 2022 data-driven analysis of truck movement patterns trial, The Ray and Geotab ITS have launched a series of freight electrification workshops designed specifically for transportation agencies. These clinics provide vital aggregate data, allowing authorities to decide the best sites and designs for high-powered EV charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure.
“In an era where the demand for sustainable progress is escalating, the necessity to strategically allocate EV infrastructure — which can be a considerable expense — is critically important.” Nate Veeh, Senior Business Development Manager Geotab ITS, elaborated. “By collaborating with The Ray and leveraging best-in-class aggregate data from Geotab ITS, our goal is to support transportation agencies across the country to help ensure that infrastructure materializes at locations where its impact will resonate the most, facilitating a more meaningful, sustainable and efficient movement of goods.”
To be executed quickly as a permanent, dependable transition, the bulk electrification of America’s commercial fleet and freight trucks would necessitate enormous planning and investment in infrastructure upgrades and development. The National Grid’s Electric Highway Study, conducted by Geotab ITS and other partners, outlines how the charging infrastructure should be built. With certain examples of this infrastructure demanding similar power demands as a small town, grid installation requires optimal placement and design.
Geotab ITS
Through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, state DOTs around the US are now working to deploy charging infrastructure centered on passenger vehicles. These clinics will provide insights to state agencies to assist them plan for medium and heavy-duty charging infrastructure alongside current NEVI deployments, allowing them to make data-driven decisions for a multi-modal electrified future.
“The Ray and Geotab ITS are meeting the moment by collaborating closely with transportation agencies across the country to analyze truck travel trends within their jurisdictions,” said Laura Rogers, The Ray’s deputy director. “The clinics and resulting analysis informs investments in zero-carbon fueling stations, ensuring the highest utilization rates possible.”
Transportation agencies will have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to participate in these clinics and gain access to a wealth of aggregated data insights from over 3.8 million connected commercial vehicles and trucks made available through the Geotab ITS Altitude platform. The Ray can provide agencies with perception on ideal locations for right-of-way (ROW) solar installations and opportunities for ROW transmission, the energy infrastructure that is urgently needed in parallel with increasing supply and demand. The ability to provide ecosystem studies is critical as the United States proceeds toward large-scale deployment of electrified truck fleets, ensuring that the increased energy generation needs are met with renewable resources, as well as the transmission infrastructure to transport that energy to where it is needed.
Geotab ITS’s Altitude aggregate transportation analytics platform provides contextualized insights on fleet and freight vehicle activity. It provides a micro and macro image of truck journeys to assist in determining where vehicles are coming from and going to, the purpose of their trips, and their pauses along the way. The aggregate insights gained from Altitude can be used to better understand how fleets and goods move across the country in order to identify the most optimal medium and heavy-duty EV charging infrastructure and better understand the energy demand these vehicles will require in order to operate as efficiently as possible,” Veeh added.
