Prepass - Efficiency and Safety for Ports of Entry and Commercial Carriers in Colorado
by Dave Judy

Colorado ports of entry enforce state and federal safety and operational regulations for commercial carriers. The facilities, however, are over 30 years old and designed for traffic nowhere near present day numbers. In 75 mph speed limit areas, driving past a port can be challenging when large trucks leaving or entering the highways cause sudden traffic slow downs.

At times, there are so many trucks waiting to clear the scales, commercial vehicles with one to three trailers back up onto the highways creating hazards for motorists. As a result, Colorado and a growing number of other states now operate ports of entry differently and more efficiently.

PrePass is a public/private entity created to automate commercial truck clearance procedures for Colorado ports of entry. The voluntary PrePass program involves Weigh In Motion (WIM) and Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) technology.

When a commercial trucking operator signs up for PrePass, a transponder for the AVI portion of the system is placed in the cabs of vehicles operated by the carrier. When a truck with a transponder nears a port of entry, system antennae at the port pick up the transponder identification tag for processing by the facility’s PrePass computer. The computer quickly checks and verifies the vehicle’s operating credentials as the truck continues down the highway toward the Weigh In Motion-WIM--scale embedded in the pavement at most ports.

At highway speed, the WIM weighs each truck’s axle, and pavement sensors count axle number and spacing. This automatically classifies the truck, checks gross vehicle weight and weight on each axle. If the truck’s credentials and weight comply with regulations, the driver sees a green light on the cab transponder and the truck passes the port without stopping. A red light on the transponder signals a problem with the truck’s credentials or weight and the driver has to stop at the port. The truck also may be called in for a random safety inspection.

The PrePass program charges a carrier $0.99 each time one of its trucks bypasses the port. A truck is billed for no more than four bypasses a day. Even with the fee, the carrier saves time and fuel. A commercial driver can spend up to 10 minutes waiting for a scale or parking to clear credentials in the port. Fuel costs increase when a truck accelerates to enter the highway and reach operating speed.

Truckers need not be concerned about having their vehicles under electronic surveillance. PrePass keeps all records confidential. States cannot use computer records to enforce speed or hours of service regulations. There are also benefits for Colorado port of entry personnel. Only qualified commercial carriers are admitted to the PrePass program and participants must have and keep a good federal safety rating. If there are safety problems with a PrePass carrier, the company is removed from the system. PrePass allows safe commercial drivers to stay on the road and port of entry personnel to concentrate on non-compliant carriers.

Program benefits also include having fewer trucks entering and leaving the port facility. CDOT maintains ramps and parking areas, and less traffic means less damage. Highway safety is also enhanced since a large number of truck accidents are related to exiting and entering the highway. Air and noise pollution are also reduced by not having as many trucks idling at the ports.

PrePass locations are: Ft. Collins, Monument and Trinidad on I-25; Loma, Dumont and Limon on I-70; Ft. Morgan on I-76; Lamar on US 50/287 and Cortez on US 160.

Colorado is one of 23 states in the PrePass system which includes 176 operational Ports of Entry--16 in Colorado. As of August 1st nationwide, of 185,485 transponder-equipped trucks, Colorado had 10,670. During July 2001, 78,005 trucks--19.2% of all commercial vehicles cleared in the state--legally bypassed Colorado’s ports of entry, a 58% increase over the same time a year ago.

CDOT, the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Division of Motor Carrier Services and the FHWA spent nearly $4 million to install the AVI and WIM sites in the state. CDOT and Lockheed-Martin Transportation Systems administered the statewide project with contracting help from International Road Dynamics of Canada, Electro Solutions of California and WL Construction of Colorado.