On August 28, the Pennsylvania-based company cut the ribbon on its first Wawa Travel Center in Hope Mills, North Carolina, just off Interstate 95. This new location serves as the prototype for future centers that Wawa plans to roll out in additional states.

The Hope Mills travel center was built with truckers in mind, offering high-speed diesel lanes, a CAT Scale, free tractor-trailer parking, restrooms, freshly prepared food options, and even a pet area.

“We’re thrilled to premiere the new travel center format in Hope Mills and bring Wawa’s fresh food, beverages, and convenience to local customers while serving a need to the community, travelers, and professional drivers,” Wawa President Brian Schaller said. “This historic milestone kicks off the next chapter of our growth as we debut a new store format and prepare to bring it to additional locations in Ohio and Indiana in the coming months.”

Along with this opening, Wawa revealed its long-term expansion plans for North Carolina. The company anticipates adding up to eight new stores in the state over the next decade, an investment expected to create more than 3,000 permanent jobs.

Source: Land Line Media

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The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has announced the rollout of its Truck Parking Information Management System (TPIMS), a technology-driven program designed to provide drivers with real-time updates and predictive insights on parking availability at rest areas and weigh stations along I-5. Drivers can use the system to plan their stops as far as four hours in advance.

“This helps ensure that truck drivers can find safe parking and that existing truck parking spaces are used to their full capacity,” the agency said in its announcement. WSDOT added that about 75% of truck drivers in Washington struggle to locate safe parking at least once per week, underscoring the importance of the new system.

A Collaborative Effort

The development of TPIMS was made possible through a partnership with the University of Washington’s STAR Lab, along with Drivewyze and ParkerTruck. Drivers can access the parking details either through in-cab displays or mobile apps, making it easier to find reliable spaces while staying on schedule.

For those looking to tap into the system, both vendor websites provide clear instructions on how to get started.

Where It’s Available Now

As of September, TPIMS is active at several key locations along I-5, including:

• Gee Creek Rest Areas (northbound at milepost 11 and southbound at milepost 12)
• Maytown Rest Area (milepost 93)
• Fort Lewis Weigh Station (milepost 117)
• SeaTac Weigh Station (milepost 140)
• Smokey Point Rest Areas (northbound and southbound, milepost 207)
• Custer Rest Areas (northbound at milepost 267 and southbound at milepost 269)

By the end of September, the Toutle River Rest Area (northbound, milepost 54) and the Ridgefield Weigh Station (milepost 15) will also be added. WSDOT plans to expand the system to additional I-5 locations through 2026.

A Call for Driver Feedback

WSDOT is encouraging truck drivers to help shape the program by filling out a short online survey. Feedback will play a key role in refining the system as it grows. Drivers can also subscribe through the agency’s website for email updates on future truck parking initiatives.

Federal Support Behind the Project

Funding for TPIMS comes from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program, backed by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

By connecting technology with the daily challenges truckers face, Washington state is working to improve safety, reduce stress, and maximize parking resources along one of the nation’s busiest freight corridors.

Source: The Trucker

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Streamlining Inspections with Innovative Technology

“We’re thrilled to announce this industry-first capability, starting with Nevada,” said Shay Demmons, CPO at Fleetworthy. “Our PreClear weigh station bypass customers can activate Expedited Inspection through their ELD, and once done, they’re set with Nevada and any new states as they come on board.”

The service is currently available at weigh stations in Nevada, supported by Geotab and Platform Science ELDs, with plans for expansion into additional states soon.

Redefining Roadside Inspection Efficiency

Expedited Inspection securely automates the transfer of fleet and vehicle registration data to pre-fill inspection forms. Additionally, the solution delivers a driver’s Electronic Record of Duty Status (eRODS) directly to enforcement officers, reducing manual data entry and accelerating inspection times. The process not only lowers driver stress but also minimizes time spent at inspection sites and decreases risks, particularly violations related to Hours of Service data, one of the most common violations.

According to Nevada Highway Patrol Lieutenant Tappan Cornmesser, “By partnering with Drivewyze by Fleetworthy on Expedited Inspection, we’re empowering our officers with tools that reduce manual tasks and speed up inspections. Automating the secure transfer of Hours of Service records and pre-filling inspection forms allows us to focus on enforcement rather than paperwork, saving time for drivers, boosting accuracy, and keeping commerce flowing.”

Aligning Technology with Fleet Performance

Fleetworthy is using its Drivewyze PreClear network, North America’s largest bypass network, to deliver additional value to fleets. Although random inspections still occur, Expedited Inspection offers significant benefits by automating traditionally time-consuming manual tasks, saving fleets and inspectors time, resources, and stress.

“Our focus is on fleet performance, which means providing top-tier safety, automation, and a better driver experience,” said Emilie Campbell, Senior Director of Partner Management at Platform Science. “By now offering Expedited Inspection in our ELD, we are continuing to be at the forefront of the next generation of compliance technology. We look forward to offering this new feature to our industry-leading customers who expect cutting-edge innovation and operational excellence from us.”

Demmons underlined the importance of this innovation to the transportation sector, stating, “By removing the manual handoff of HOS data and automating the inspection workflow, we’re helping fleets get back on the road faster while giving enforcement tools to keep highways safe.”

Fleetworthy’s Expedited Inspection is poised to redefine roadside compliance, creating smoother, more efficient processes for both drivers and inspectors.

Image Source: DriveWyze
Source: The Trucker

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Special Perks for Truck Drivers

According to an official release, truckers can enjoy a host of freebies and benefits at select Pennsylvania Turnpike service plazas throughout April. These perks include free beverages, snacks, bottled water, exclusive coupons, and updates about the transition to Open Road Tolling. To sweeten the deal, truck drivers can enter a raffle for a chance to win a coveted Yeti Travel Water Bottle.

Whether you’re on the road or taking a quick break, all visitors are encouraged to stop by the designated locations to learn more about the initiatives both organizations are spearheading to improve safety and efficiency on the roadways.

PMTA’s No-Zone Truck in Action

Adding an educational touch to the events, PMTA’s “No Zone truck,” designed to raise awareness about tractor-trailer blind spots, will be at all three event locations. Additionally, Fleetworthy/Bestpass representatives will be available at the King of Prussia event to showcase their commercial toll management solutions.

Event Details

Truckers can take part in these events from 7 to 11 a.m. at the following service plaza locations and dates:

• April 11 – Highspire Service Plaza (Milepost 249.7 East), 300 Industrial Lane, Middletown, PA 17057

• April 14 – King of Prussia Service Plaza (Milepost 328.4 West), 381 West DeKalb Pike, King of Prussia, PA 19406

• April 28 – South Somerset Service Plaza (Milepost 112.3 East), 327 Industrial Park Road, Somerset, PA 15501

A History of Collaboration

This latest initiative is just one example of the continued collaboration between the PA Turnpike Commission and the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association. Together, they have been tackling significant challenges faced by truck drivers, such as the shortage of parking spaces for large vehicles.

Efforts to expand parking for tractor-trailers at service plazas, such as Sideling Hill, Lawn, and Highspire, have proven successful. To further assist drivers, digital message boards displaying real-time parking availability (indicating whether a lot is full, low, or open) operate between 5 p.m. and 2 a.m. near nine service plazas.

Tech-Driven Support for Truck Drivers

The PA Turnpike Commission has also embraced technology to support truck drivers on their journeys. Through partnerships with Drivewyze’s Smart Roadway program and INRIX, commercial truck drivers gain access to real-time traffic alerts, including updates on slowdowns, congestion, and incidents.

Source: The Trucker

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“The interstates of Arkansas are a prominent workplace for the men and women in the trucking industry. Anything we can do to make the roadways safer for them and the motoring public is a win for everyone,” said Shannon Newton, Arkansas Trucking Association (ATA) president. “We know that our carriers invest heavily in safety. Connected truck technology can amplify this by providing critical safety information to an exponential number of drivers when and where they need it most.”

The Arkansas Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Arkansas Trucking Association (ATA) collaborated to launch a program delivering free in-cab safety alerts for professional drivers traveling on the state’s interstates and highways. Developed by Drivewyze, a company known for its e-inspection software that allows semi-trucks to bypass weigh stations, this new traffic data network is expected to save owner-operators and freight carriers time and money while reducing carbon emissions, reducing truck drivers’ frustration, and keeping them on the road.

Arkansas, home to some of the nation’s largest trucking operations, plays a crucial role in interstate truck commerce. I-40 consistently experiences heavy truck traffic. Commercial motor vehicles reportedly account for 60% of the traffic between Little Rock, Ark., and Memphis, Tenn. Officials are promoting the free in-cab alert system as a significant enhancement to highway safety.

“With so much truck traffic in our state, we wanted to find a way to inform truckers traveling on major roadways of sudden slowdowns,” said Joe Hawkins, state intelligent transportation systems engineer from Arkansas DOT. “It’s clear that if a truck driver knows of an upcoming sudden slowdown before he or she sees brake lights, accidents can be avoided. It takes a lot of time for a truck to slow down, and the extra time afforded by these alerts can make all the difference in preventing a crash.”

Drivewyze’s Smart Roadways service helps officials convey safety alerts directly to participating truckers. It monitors over 800 miles of heavily traveled truck routes in real time. Truckers receive virtual messages providing advanced warnings about unexpected collisions or incidents. For example, Arkansas truck drivers were alerted about the impact of the recent solar eclipse on highway congestion, advising them to take alternative routes. The Drivewyze Free service can be accessed at no cost to truckers through devices, smartphones, or tablets.

This innovative system aims to improve efficiency and safety for truck drivers, making Arkansas a part of the nine other states utilizing technology to enhance transportation for truck drivers.

Source: Truckers Report

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These proactive safety alerts provide drivers with advance notifications of unexpected traffic congestion and other potential hazards. They are provided free of cost to commercial carriers, thanks to the Arkansas DOT and Arkansas Highway Police, with support from the ATA. These alerts are delivered through the Drivewyze-connected truck network.

Utilizing Drivewyze’s Smart Roadways service, which enables state agencies to extend their safety messaging directly into the cabs of commercial trucks, over 800 miles of roadways in Arkansas are actively monitored for real-time traffic conditions. In addition to real-time alerts, Arkansas also offers virtual sign messaging to help drivers anticipate special traffic conditions or explore alternative routes.

Arkansas becomes the 10th state to offer these alerts, which include visual in-cab messages like “sudden slowdown ahead” with an audible chime. These alerts are designed to provide sufficient time for trucks to adjust speed or stop if needed. The program is accessible to drivers and fleets at no charge as part of the Drivewyze Free safety service and is compatible with most ELDs, telematics devices, smartphones, and tablets.

“We’re thrilled that the Arkansas DOT and its highway police division have come on board to invest in safety with in-vehicle alerts designed especially for truckers,” said Brian Heath, CEO of Drivewyze. “The state has a great partnership with the Arkansas Trucking Association, and it was gratifying to see the collaboration the two organizations have and are building on with the rollout and support for this new safety program.  With so many trucks residing and passing through the state, we know we can move the needle on highway safety.”

To sign up to receive these complimentary in-cab safety alerts, drivers or fleets can visit www.drivewyze.com/free.

Source: Truckers News

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This innovative service transmits alerts and advisories directly to telematics electronic devices, ensuring timely access to vital safety information. Drivewyze Free specifically aims to offer truckers traveling along North American freight corridors heads-up warnings for high-rollover risk areas, low bridges, mountain alerts (including steep grades, chain-up/brake check stations, and runaway ramps), and pertinent rest area details. Furthermore, the app features real-time message sets, incorporating warnings for sudden slowdowns, virtual safety signs, and public emergency broadcasts.

“This is a monumental day for our company, our safety partners, and the industry,” said Brian Heath, CEO of Drivewyze. “In collaboration with our telematics and transportation agency partners, we are excited to be giving this essential safety service to the trucking industry at no cost. There are no strings attached. We’re a safety-driven company joined by like-minded agencies and telematics partners to leverage vehicle-to-infrastructure networks to improve highway safety for everyone. We know many of our Essential Alerts and Advisories modify behavior – drivers slow down and apply less hard braking. It makes them safer behind the wheel. We’re hoping all fleets will utilize this free offering to give their drivers technology that can truly make a difference to their safety.”

When users use Drivewyze Free, they also have “access to agency-sponsored real-time traffic slowdowns and other safety alerts generated in partnership with select state transportation and enforcement agencies through the Drivewyze Smart Roadways highway safety program for connected trucks.”

Participating state departments of transportation, including New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Delaware, Connecticut, Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, and Virginia, have already joined the initiative. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Colorado State Police, and Wyoming Highway Patrol are active participants.

Drivewyze expresses its eagerness to collaborate with more state transportation and enforcement agencies, aiming to expand the reach of this safety-oriented service. According to Heath, essential safety alerts and advisories play a pivotal role in cultivating safer roadways.

“Unsafe driving behavior is a leading cause of truck crashes,” he said. “Messaging delivered in the vehicle, where and when drivers need it most, shows the power of connected truck technology to positively affect driving behavior. For instance, when approaching a high-rollover area, we have data that shows our alerts have reduced speed by an average of 7.3 mph for those that are going more than 5 mph over the posted speed limit. That’s an impactful difference and an example of the power of in-cab messaging to improve driver behavior and highway safety.”

A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study underscores the significance of such initiatives, revealing that nearly 30% of all collisions occur on interstates. Of particular concern are secondary incidents, where a tractor-trailer or car rear-ends a vehicle involved in the initial crash. The NHTSA study also highlights that 46% of these secondary crashes transpire over an hour after the first incident, emphasizing the need for proactive safety measures.

“Advance notice for routes experiencing sudden or unexpected traffic slowdowns gives truck drivers time to prepare,” Heath said. “In North Carolina, where we partnered with the North Carolina DOT, studies found that 70% of drivers that received an alert slowed down ahead of an incident. And the slowdown was significant — on average by 11 mph compared to 2 mph in a control group.”

With Drivewyze Free, the aim is clear: to empower truck drivers with the information they need to navigate the roads safely and prevent accidents on our highways.

Source: The Trucker

Image: Drivewyze

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Addressing this concerning trend, Drivewyze, a provider of safety technology solutions for fleets, now offers safety alerts through various platforms, including ELD, telematics devices, tablets, and smartphones. These alerts have proven effective in mitigating rollover- and speed-related accidents. Previously bundled with paid services, Drivewyze has taken a proactive step by introducing Drivewyze Free, a standalone version offering alerts and advisories at no cost to every commercial driver.

Drivewyze Free provides alerts based on data from Drivewyze and its partners, which include over 125 telematics providers, state departments of transportation, and industry partners like one.network, HAAS, and INRIX. According to Martin Murtland, Drivewyze vice president of product, these alerts have positively influenced driver behavior. Sudden slowdown alerts resulted in a 70% reduction in speed by an average of 11 miles per hour, and there has been a 10% to 16% decrease in hard braking events.

Among the alerts offered are low bridge warnings, credited with eliminating bridge strikes for Drivewyze users, and high rollover alerts. The latter has led to an average speed reduction of 7.3 miles per hour for those exceeding the posted speed limit by more than 5 miles per hour.

“I remember I was at a conference sitting beside a law enforcement officer from Omaha who said there’s this really bad corner that, every time there’s rain or the wind picks up, there’s inevitably a rollover crash at that area, but never once has there been (one involving) a Drivewyze truck,” Murtland said. “So really what we want is every truck to have that zero incident on a rollover event.”

Drivewyze CEO Brian Heath emphasizes the company’s commitment to improving highway safety by making Drivewyze Free widely accessible to drivers and fleets of all sizes.

“Our mission is zero crashes, zero fatalities,” he said. “We want to reach every truck driver and every fleet out there … so that folks can get access to these essential alerts and advisories, and then we can move the needle on highway safety.”

The alerts stem from two data sources: Drivewyze-sponsored data, including warnings for rollover risk areas, low bridges, mountain alerts, and rest area information, and state agency-sponsored data through the Drivewyze Smart Roadways program.

Participating state agencies, such as those in New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Delaware, Connecticut, Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, and Virginia, sponsor exclusive alerts along specific traffic corridors. The Pennsylvania Turnpike, Colorado State Police, and Wyoming Highway Patrol are also involved, with plans to expand participation.

Alerts from state agencies cover various scenarios, including sudden slowdowns, unexpected slowdowns, active work zones, lane closures, service vehicles, virtual signs for road closures and detours, and emergency alerts.

“The important thing is we can impact driver behavior. If you can give a driver heads up to an upcoming potentially risky area, then that driver has time to react or to prepare,” Heath said. “There’s a high correlation between hard braking events and crashes, so if you can give the driver time to react, then then there’s going to be a reduction in speed, there’s going to be a reduction in hard braking events and that corollary impact on a reduced crash rate.”

Drivewyze Free users gain access to the Drivewyze Hub, a dashboard offering fleet managers visibility into the effectiveness of alerts provided to their drivers, along with insights and on-demand reports on various operational aspects. Heath assures that additional features and alerts will be continually added. Interested drivers and fleets can enroll in the free service through the Drivewyze website.

Source: Commercial Carrier Journal

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