Washington State
Transportation Center (TRAC)
TRAC-UW
1107 NE 45th St
Seattle, WA 98105
Phone: 206.543.8690
Fax: 206.685.0767
TRAC-WSU
Sloan Hall, Room 101
PO Box 642910
Pullman, WA 99164-2910
Phone: 509.335.3175
Fax: 509.335.7632
WSDOT Research Office
Transportation Building
Washington State
Department
of Transportation
310 Maple Park Avenue SE
PO Box 47300
Olympia WA 98504-7300
Phone: 360.705.7000
TRAC-UW
Freight and Technology
Contents
Background
Northbound In-bound System
Southbound In-bound System
Intermodal Data Project
Electronic Seal Expansion
Overviews
Background
Washington’s location in the northwest corner of the continental United States provides the state with a number of trade advantages. Washington’s ports are closer to Asia than any other major American ports, and the state shares an international boundary with the United State’s largest trade partner, Canada. In addition, many goods bound for Alaska travel through Washington. As a result, one in four jobs in Washington is dependent on trade.
Recognizing the importance of this link, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) developed a series of innovative technology systems designed to facilitate the commercial movement of goods while addressing growing security concerns. These systems, developed in partnership with wide range of public and private organizations, typically use radio frequency identification transponders (often called tags) to transfer freight information, facilitate inspections, and monitor commercial vehicles and their drivers and cargos.
Additional Resources
• Briglia, Peter. Preliminary Application to the Federal Highway Administration for Participation in the Fiscal Year 2003 Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Deployment Program for the Integration of Electronic Commercial Vehicle, Cargo, and Driver Information at the U.S./Canada International Border.(PDF) March 2002.