Oakland boosts kerb management with smart loading zones

The City of Oakland, California has partnered with tech firm Populus to launch a ‘smart loading zone’ programme that will allow delivery operators to pay for their use of kerb space using GPS technology.

The programme will issue permits to commercial fleet operators, enabling them to automatically pay for kerb use by the minute. The city hopes this will result in lower traffic congestion, improved road safety and faster deliveries.

Permit-holders will be billed quarterly for the parking time they use at a rate of US$0.03 per minute, with each permit costing US$3 per vehicle per year.

“Demand for our very limited kerb space has increased dramatically over the past decade,” said Fred Kelley, Director of Oakland’s Department of Transportation.

“The City of Oakland is excited about this new partnership to better manage the rapid rise in delivery vehicles.

“Improving the way we use the kerb means businesses are able to get goods faster, traffic congestion goes down, and our streets are safer for everyone.”

A Populus spokesperson told Cities Today that a GPS-based system was more functional for deliveries than an app-based solution, claiming that “most cities that have piloted that type of technology [app-based] found it to be difficult to implement operationally.

“For example, drivers of companies might book space only to find another vehicle in that space when they arrived.

“The Populus platform is GPS-based – drivers do not have to handle an app, coins or credit card. They are automatically charged on a per minute basis for the space they use.”

Curb Data Specification

The city will use the Curb Data Specification (CDS), an open-source data-sharing tool launched by the Open Mobility Foundation (OMF) in January 2022.

The tool provides a mechanism for cities to express kerb regulations, measure activity and develop policies to optimise space usage.

Companies including Populus, Ford AV, Waymo and Automotus are part of the CDS Steering Committee, collaborating with a range of cities on how to develop and expand the standard.

Cities including Los Angeles, San Jose, Miami, Seattle and Omaha were key in its early development, and several have since incorporated the tool into future plans.

Last October, Philadelphia launched a six-month ‘smart loading zone’ pilot using the CDS, and the following month Seattle submitted a US$2 million federal grant application to the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) to implement a pilot project using the technology.

Image: Tom Coates (Flickr)