Dive Brief:
- Oregon launched statewide use of the PrePass mobile app to improve freight flow efficiency and enhance safety, according to a joint press release.
- Using the mobile app, carriers registered to use the technology and traveling through Oregon can bypass 19 weigh stations located along main highways, which will save drivers time and money, per the Sept. 2 release.
- In addition to efficiency gains, the technology also provides in-cab safety alerts for drivers, including notifications about steep grades, sharp curves and low clearances, Oregon Department of Transportation Commerce and Compliance Administrator Carla Phelps said in the release.
Dive Insight:
Adopting the PrePass app technology advances Oregon’s efforts to modernize the state’s freight operations. Phelps said future enhancements will include warnings for work zones and weather events.
Weigh station bypass technology has been available since 2019 in Oregon through Fleetworthy, also a provider of toll payment management, the state told Trucking Dive in an email. Oregon began testing PrePass in January, and after working through some technical issues, it made the system live on Aug. 4.
The PrePass app transmits safety scores, credential information and other compliance data to law enforcement, per the release. Commercial vehicles that meet Oregon’s safety and credential standards may be cleared to drive past weigh stations at highway speeds, allowing law enforcement to focus on non-compliant carriers.
Statewide deployment will benefit participating carriers as it reduces downtime, idling and stop-and-go traffic at inspection stations, the press release said. Each successful bypass can save drivers up to seven minutes, a half gallon of fuel and reduce costs up to $11.75 per bypass.
Oregon officials said the PrePass app is compatible with current mobile and other telematics devices, so carriers will not need additional hardware and the state will not have to invest in new roadway technology.
Trucking groups, including The National Association of Small Trucking Companies, noted PrePass’ benefits, including how carriers can reduce idling time and fuel costs, it said in a LinkedIn post. PrePass technology, which is available at a discount to organization members, can also provide real-time insights into fleet activity.
As of Sept. 2, Oregon had 5,893 carriers using Fleetworthy and 1,509 carriers using PrePass, the Oregon DOT said. The state did not provide a total number of users but noted one carrier could register hundreds of vehicles.
Ashley Simmons, PrePass VP of policy and external affairs, said in an email to Trucking Dive that the latest generation of the PrePass mobile pass was introduced in 2023. The technology can be used in 47 states.
She said PrePass coverage varies by jurisdiction. Oklahoma and Alaska use transponder-based bypass systems. Simmons noted that the PrePass bypass is not currently offered in Georgia, Maryland and Hawaii, though PrePass safety alerts are offered nationwide.
Simmons said PrePass does not publicly disclose mobile app user counts but noted adoption continues to grow alongside the app’s geographic expansion. PrePass has partnerships with trucking associations in all 50 states and has logged more than 1.6 billion bypasses through its technology.
“We continue to work with agencies interested in expanding safe and efficient bypass options,” Simmons said.
