Economic Evaluation of Route Choice Characteristics for Company Truck Drivers and Owner-Operator Truck Drivers in Southern California Freeways

To contribute to the understanding of freeway capacity and financing options, this study evaluates the demand for truck-only toll lanes on Southern California freeways. The study implemented surveys to both company truck drivers and owner-operator truck drivers to estimate the value they place on time, reliability, and safety measures. The research team met face-to-face with both types of truck drivers near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to understand the drivers’ perspectives regarding truck-only toll lanes on Southern California freeways. A data set containing 45 surveys out of 62 survey responses were used for statistical analysis. The results showed that the tolerated toll fees that both types of truck drivers combined were willing to pay ranged from $3.27 an hour to $41.45 an hour with an average of $20.50 an hour during weekdays, while those fees ranged from $3.04 an hour to $36.12 an hour with an average of $18.12 an hour during weekends. Both types of truck drivers are unwilling to pay toll fees for the routes used in six comparisons out of nine, despite sharing a common origin and destination. Data shows that, regardless of ownership type, both types of truck drivers similarly value a route with truck-only lanes. The highest toll fee per mile on any day that drivers are willing to pay when the main factor being compared is value of travel time (VOT) is $0.54 per mile or $32.38 an hour. The figures for the value of reliability (VOR) and safety measures are $0.47 per mile or $15.76 an hour and $0.17 per mile or $9.80 an hour, respectively. The VOR is important because it helps shippers and freight carriers make predictable travel times to remain competitive. These results are meaningful for legislators and transportation agencies because the behaviors and route choice characteristics of both types of drivers help them better reduce scheduling costs, understand the utility and demand for truck-only toll lanes, and resolve traffic congestion in the study area.