Trucks Entering Highway

When slow-moving construction vehicles enter the roadway from a worksite, they present a significant hazard to fast-moving traffic, as drivers may not have time to slow down or change lanes in time to avoid a collision. The Truck Warning System helps prevent collisions and injuries by warning drivers in advance, giving them time to take action.

The Wanco TWS consists of two pieces of equipment that are paired electronically prior to deployment — a sensor trailer, and a beacon trailer with regulatory signs. The sensor detects when construction vehicles are approaching the highway from the worksite, and sends a command to activate the flashing beacons. The beacon trailer is located up the roadway so drivers have enough advance warning and distance to slow down or change lanes before they reach the merging traffic.

The two trailers communicate wirelessly using a radio frequency transmitter and receiver. No cellular connection is needed between the trailers. Two models of sensor trailers use different methods for vehicle detection, either a pneumatic hose or side-fire radar.

Each trailer has independent onboard power, supplied by batteries that are charged by an automated solar-based charging system. Low power consumption ensures reliable performance for long-term deployments. The system can be deployed just about anywhere for any duration. No infrastructure is needed when using the system. Both trailers are portable, easy to transport and simple to deploy.

The system is connected in real time to the Wanco Fleet Manager service via cellular modem. The system logs each detection event, and this data and more can be accessed remotely using Fleet Manager. The TWS operates independently from Fleet Manager, continuously monitoring and warning drivers even if the cellular signal is interrupted. Fleet Manager can also be used to remotely configure various system settings, including setting the flashing duration and manually switching the flashing beacons on or off.