Closing the gap: Transit control for hazardous material flow

Abstract

Hazardous material transportation has thus far been addressed only in the context of pre-event and post-event actions, such as regulations, training, vehicle design, route assignment, and risk assessment for the first, and emergency response and recovery for the latter. Little attention has been paid to safety considerations during the period when the cargo is en route, the transit phase. However, the potential for catastrophic loss inherent in hazardous material transports calls for closing the gap between pre-event and post-event actions by controlling the hazardous material flow. Technological advances have demonstrated the feasibility for this new approach and economical considerations its realism. A control and dispatch center with a tracking system, supported by expert system technology including voice generation and flat panel display, is no longer the vivid imagination of audacious decision analysts.