Airport on a Roll With New Vehicle ID System

TECHNOLOGY

Airport on a Roll With New Vehicle ID System
By DeAllous Smith

We have some good news and some even better news to report.
The good news is that the deadline to file your income taxes is Tuesday, April 15.

Even better is that April 15 is also the start date for the new Automated Vehicle Identification System (AVIS) at the world’s busiest airport. When full operations begin, commercial drivers and aviation officials will use a high-tech system that should move commercial vehicle operations in the right direction.

Automated Vehicle Identification System (AVIS)

AVIS’ “RFID Technology” includes the installation of tags on commercial vehicles to monitor trips, dwell times and automatically deduct or bill charges once a commercial operator passes underneath system readers.

“AVIS will provide more accurate tracking of commercial movements in the ground transportation center,” said Ground Transportation Assistant Tiana Burton. “Presently, there are no systems in place to track the frequency of commercial vehicles coming to and from the Airport. This new system will allow us to accurately track and bill companies for their use of the Airport’s ground transportation operations areas.”

“In addition, AVIS technology will … allow us to better evaluate traffic patterns and plan the most effective resolutions to reducing congestion.” Burton added. “We’re definitely excited to launch AVIS at the Airport.”

The system allows registered vehicles to proceed through gated loading zones without the use of human controls. “The gate’s arm will rise automatically when detecting a transponder approaching the area and lower accordingly,” said Burton.

All commercial operators, including metro area shuttles, limousines, rental car shuttles, non-metro shuttles, charter vehicles and taxis will be equipped with a transponder.

Currently, more than 300 companies have 3,000-plus vehicles registered to provide commercial transportation services at Hartsfield-Jackson. As of publication, about 60 percent of commercial vehicles operating at the facility were installed with transponders.

“AVIS sounds like a very smart idea,” said motorist Carrie Montgomery. “I’d support any technology that doesn’t hold up traffic.”

For more information about AVIS, or to report lost or broken transponders, contact Ground Transportation Assistant Tiana Burton at 404-530-6674
Ext. 6148.