Start-up costs for electronic screening ranged from $1 million to $2.8 million per state; average O&M costs were about $160,000 per year.

Evaluation of CVISN technologies in the United States

Made Public Date
01/02/2013
Identifier
2011-SC00231
TwitterLinkedInFacebook

Summary Information

This source report evaluated the deployment Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Networks (CVISN) used to support commercial vehicle operations. A motor carrier survey, cost analysis, safety analysis, and benefit-to-cost analysis were conducted to evaluate the safety, efficiency, and economic impacts of core CVISN technologies. At the time of the evaluation (October 2008) core CVISN technologies including electronic credentialing (EC), safety information exchange (SIE), and electronic screening (e-screening) were operational or being implemented in 45 states.
Data for the cost analysis portion of the report were collected primarily from two sources:

  • Self-evaluation templates completed by state officials in 28 states (as of April 2006).
  • Site visits and interviews with state officials in four states (Montana, New Jersey, New York, South Dakota).

SYSTEM COSTS

Electronic Screening (ES)

The system costs for ES included the state funding required to implement and operate programs and activities needed to maintain safety data, and enable trucks to bypass roadside inspection and weigh stations legally.

Implementation Costs (One-time Start-up Costs)

The average per state start-up cost for electronic screening ranged from $1 million to $2.8 million and included the following:

  • Network servers, desktop personal computers, laptops, WIM scales, in-vehicle transponders purchased by states for distribution, in-vehicle transponders purchased by states for resale to motor carriers, AVI equipment and systems, telecommunication equipment between upstream sites and weigh stations, electronic signs for weigh stations, loop detectors, mainline compliance tracking systems, over-height detectors, and remote cameras with video transceivers.
  • Consumable supplies and materials for outreach, and internal and external publicity and training.
  • Upgrades to existing systems and fees paid to third-party vendors.

The system configuration in each state varied depending on the business model selected and and partnerships developed. The following data excerpted from the source report (Table 6-11) detailed a distribution of start-up costs across participating states (2006 dollars).
 

Anonymous
State ID
Deployment
Stratum
Program
Number of
Screening Sites
Total Start-Up
Non-Labor Costs
Total Start-Up
Labor Costs
Total Start-Up
Costs
1
HI
HELP Inc./PrePass
5-10
-
$13,617
$13,617
2
HI
HELP Inc./PrePass
>15
$7,749,457
-
$7,749,457
9
MED
HELP Inc./PrePass
-
$43,134
 
$43,134
10
MED
Norpass
<5
$444,819
$1,078
$445,897
11
MED
HELP Inc./PrePass
11-15
$16,175
$270,665
$286,840
12
MED
Norpass
<5
$755,383
$1,002,864
$1,758,247
16
MED
HELP Inc./PrePass
<5
$1,020,118
-
$1,020,118
17
MED
-
-
$113,766
$339,680
$453,445
20
MED
HELP Inc./PrePass
<5
$1,181,731
$31,855
$1,213,586
21
MED
HELP Inc./PrePass
5-10
$9,507,043
-
$9,507,043
22
MED
HELP Inc./PrePass
>15
$501,547
-
$501,547
24
MED
Norpass
5-10
$5,647,569
$4,376,335
$10,023,904
27
LO
Norpass
5-10
$57,152
$37,742
$94,895
28
LO
HELP Inc./PrePass
<5
$1,107,065
-
$1,107,065
30
LO
Norpass
<5
$895,800
$775,400
$1,671,200
32
LO
-
>15
$4,547,381
-
$4,547,381
34
LO
Norpass
11-15
$756,126
$6,188,737
$6,944,863
Statistical Summary
State Mean
-
-
16
$2,146,517
$1,303,797
$2,787,190
State Median
-
-
8
$825,963
$305,173
$1,107,065
Maximum
-
-
144
$9,507,043
$6,188,737
$10,023,904
Minimum
-
-
2
$16,175
$1,078
$13,617
Range (Max -Min)
-
-
142
$9,490,868
$6,187,659
$10,010,288
Standard Deviation
-
-
26
3,004,068
2,166,722
3,519,018


Operating and Maintenance Costs

Annual recurring costs included both labor and non-labor costs.

 

  • The average annual labor cost per state to provide electronic screening was estimated at $160,000 (ranged from $902,258 to $11,071) and included labor costs for state, contractors, and vendor employees.
  • Annual non-labor costs included lease payments of computer equipment for ES, annual payments made to ES administrators, vendors, and or partnerships (e.g. PrePass and Norpass). The annual screening costs included annual maintenance costs for mainline WIM scales, sorter-lane WIM scales as well as the annual maintenance costs. Non-labor annual costs also included non-recurrent costs for activities such as marketing, outreach and publicity.

The following data excerpted from the source report (Table 6-12) detailed a distribution of annual recurring costs across participating states (2006 dollars).

 

 

 

 

Anonymous
State ID
Deployment
Stratum
Program
Number of
Screening Sites
Annual
Non-Labor Costs
Total Annual
Labor Costs
Total Annual
Costs
2
HI
HELP Inc./PrePass
>15
$902,258
-
$902,258
4
HI
HELP Inc./PrePass
5-10
$11,071
-
$11,071
5
HI
HELP Inc./PrePass
>15
$9,897
$219,279
$229,176
10
MED
Norpass
<5
$107,296
$6,470
$113,766
11
MED
HELP Inc./PrePass
11-15
$154,204
-
$154,204
12
MED
Norpass
<5
$16,175
$53,917
$70,093
16
MED
HELP Inc./PrePass
<5
$72,249
-
$72,249
17
MED
-
-
$32,350
-
$32,350
21
MED
HELP Inc./PrePass
5-10
$276,398
-
$276,398
22
MED
HELP Inc./PrePass
>15
$18,820
-
$18,820
24
MED
Norpass
5-10
$232,384
$63,157
$295,541
28
LO
HELP Inc./PrePass
<5
$53,139
$5,314
$58,453
30
LO
Norpass
<5
$15,000
-
$15,000
31
LO
HELP Inc./PrePass
<5
$102,443
-
$102,443
34
LO
Norpass
11-15
$16,606
-
$16,606
Statistical Summary
State Mean
-
-
16
$134,686
$69,627
$157,895
State Median
-
-
8
$53,139
$53,917
$72,249
Maximum
-
-
144
$902,258
$219,279
$902,258
Minimum
-
-
2
$9,897
$5,314
$11,071
Range (Max -Min)
-
-
142
$892,361
$213,965
$891,188
Standard Deviation
-
-
26
228,125
87,763
226,646

 

 

 

System Cost

Start-up per state: $1 million - $2.8 million (2006 dollars). Average Annual O&M: $160,000 (2006 dollars)