The Motor Carrier Division of the Maryland State Highway Administration (MDSHA) issues up to 150,000 oversize/overweight (OS/OW) permits per year for travel on more than 10,000 miles of roads, passing over and under approximately 5,200 bridges and underpasses. The permitted routes cross city, state and county jurisdictions. In the past, carriers encountered significant delays, as each jurisdiction had its own process for issuing specifically routed single-trip and general 30- to 365-day multiple trip permits. To eliminate these costly delays, MDSHA had to make the permitting process fast, easy to navigate and accurate. A new statewide online system called Maryland One was planned to remove the administrative roadblocks and enable carriers to obtain hauling permits in a secure, user-friendly environment.
Solution
The $2.3-million project required strong management and leadership by MDSHA. The result is a configurable solution that has been updated with functionality to meet the needs of all the jurisdictional workflows. The system seamlessly integrates permit administration, routing, bridge analysis and restriction management. Using Bentley’s automated permitting and routing products allowed the implementation to be completed several times faster than if MDSHA had developed the solution from scratch.
Superload fulfilled MDSHA’s demanding permitting, routing and analysis requirements. LARS Bridge created detailed models of structures within the system, which were loaded into Superload for use in real-time bridge analysis. AssetWise Asset Reliability maintains the bridge inventory and inspection information, ensuring that Superload has accurate bridge locations and clearances. Bentley Connect cloud services provide an expertly managed installation and a reliable, high-performance environment.
Outcome
Maryland One allows carriers to sign in at any time, from any location, and with any desktop or mobile device. The automated registration process gets carriers onboard quickly and lessens the administrative burden on permitting staff. Multiple options for immediate delivery of permit documents—including e-Permits—eliminate the wait for paperwork. Historical routing data identifies OS/OW vehicle travel trends, helping to predict where conditions may deteriorate and infrastructure improvements may be required. The wait for engineering reviews is also curtailed. The system automatically analyzes loads up to and including 150,000 lb, eliminating the manual review requirement and the associated engineering fees. The analysis made possible by integration with LARS Bridge ensures safe passage along the permitting requested route. Maryland One coordinates routing across jurisdictions, issues approvals and processes fees through multiple offices, providing true one-stop shopping.
The Maryland One automated hauling permit system is capable of achieving an automated issuance rate in excess of 73%, freeing up 10 full-time employees for other duties. The one-stop process is fast, easy, user-friendly and accurate. With 70% to 80% of permits being issued immediately, carriers will have no wait for manual reviews by any jurisdiction. On average, the one-stop source will save carriers at least one hour for every move they make. Carriers will save $24.6 million per year by obtaining permits more quickly and avoiding costly fees, delays and penalties. A higher compliance rate will decrease the number of illegal moves and increase safety for motorists on roads and bridges. Click here to learn more.
