The Indiana Toll Road is launching a network of smart parking signage for freight and truck drivers. Through a mix of sensors and cameras, the dynamic signage will provide commercial drivers with an approximate count of the available parking spaces along the roadway.

In operation since 1956, the Indiana Toll Road stretches 157 miles across the northernmost part of Indiana from Ohio to the Illinois state line, linking Chicago with the largest cities on the eastern seaboard. The Indiana Toll Road is managed by the ITR Concession Company LLC (ITRCC).

The Indiana Toll Road is a major link between the Midwest and Northeast of the United States. The long-haul nature of these trips creates a dependency on parking and rest areas, and an accurate count of available parking spots helps save time and cuts driver tiredness. The Indiana Toll Road Concession Company (ITRCC) has deployed smart parking across the roadway. These dynamic boards detail the number of available parking spaces in the three nearest facilities, allowing for on-the-fly adjustments of trip plans.

“Our goal is to give commercial drivers the opportunity to plan their trips more accurately,” said Rick Fedder, ITRCC’s COO. “The information will assist in reducing congestion at our parking facilities while also empowering drivers to make quality choices about when, and where, they choose to rest.”

The signage was deployed by eX² Technology serving as the prime contractor, who previously helped develop a high-speed fibre corridor along the Toll Road. Their system uses a mix of cameras and sensors to accurately track the number of available parking spaces while distributing that data across signage 157 miles. Parking space availability is also transmitted through Truck Specialised Parking Services’ (TSPS) Osprey platform, which populates up-to-date parking availability through web, iOS, and Android applications.