The goal was to deliver a highly accurate breakdown of VKT for rigid and trailer combinations to inform transport policy, emissions reduction strategies, and freight efficiency initiatives.
Our Approach:
- Geospatial Vehicle–Trailer Matching – Analysed GPS traces to accurately pair rigid vehicles with their active trailers across New Zealand’s road network.
- RUC Class Aggregation – Classified trips by RUC category, ensuring that data aligned with regulatory frameworks and provided meaningful segmentation for analysis.
- Comprehensive VKT Summary – Compiled detailed summaries of VKT by vehicle and trailer combinations within each RUC class, giving a granular picture of freight travel.
Key Findings:
- Detailed VKT Distribution – Produced a clear breakdown of travel distances for each vehicle–trailer type, allowing for targeted freight policy analysis.
- Operational Insights – Identified patterns in heavy vehicle usage across regions and industry types.
- Environmental Relevance – Provided the baseline data needed to evaluate emissions from different freight configurations.
Impact:
- Enhanced Policy Insight – Gave the Ministry of Transport a more precise understanding of freight movement, enabling smarter policy design.
- Support for Emissions Reduction Goals – Informed strategies aimed at reducing the environmental impact of heavy vehicle operations.
- Data-Driven Freight Planning – Supported targeted investment in infrastructure and regulatory measures to optimise freight efficiency.
