Date of Award
December 2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Civil Engineering
First Advisor
Sherif Gaweesh
Abstract
Truck platooning the coordinated operation of multiple heavy trucks at close spacing using vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication is a promising freight innovation with potential to enhance fuel efficiency, roadway safety, and traffic flow. However, nationwide implementation remains constrained by fragmented legislation, uneven infrastructure capability, and limited institutional coordination. This study examines the infrastructure, safety, and operational readiness required to enable truck platooning across rural highway systems in the United States, using Montana as a representative context.A multi-method approach was adopted, integrating legislative analysis, infrastructure evaluation, and an expert-based survey of transportation professionals representing state departments of transportation, academia, metropolitan planning organizations, and freight operators. The survey, administered via Qualtrics on a seven-point Likert scale, captured expert perceptions of roadway adequacy, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) coverage, enforcement frameworks, and technological preparedness. Descriptive statistics, reliability testing, and exploratory factor analysis (KMO = 0.621) were conducted to uncover key dimensions of readiness. Six latent factors were extracted, reflecting the primary domains influencing platooning feasibility: pavement deterioration, required modifications, traffic management and data integration, ITS adequacy and maintenance readiness, geometric design readiness, and institutional and societal preparedness. Results indicate that experts perceive current infrastructure and communication systems as insufficient to support safe and efficient platoon operations, particularly on rural and secondary highways. Interstates were viewed as more geometrically suitable, yet technological and enforcement deficiencies persist. High Cronbach’s alpha values (0.78–0.93) confirmed strong internal consistency among constructs, underscoring the reliability of expert judgments. Collectively, the findings highlight that enabling truck platooning will require targeted upgrades to ITS infrastructure, improved coordination between regulatory agencies, and harmonized operational policies across states. The study concludes that infrastructure modernization and institutional collaboration are essential precursors to large-scale platooning deployment. Its insights provide transportation agencies with a structured framework for assessing readiness, prioritizing investments, and guiding future policy development to facilitate connected and automated freight systems on U.S. rural highways.
Recommended Citation
Eghan, Kobena Ebo Gyan, "Enabling Truck Platooning On Rural Highways: Infrastructure, Safety, And Operational Readiness" (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 8220.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/8220