Simulation Of Real-Time And Opportunistic Truck Platooning At The Port Of Rotterdam

Truck platooning is the concept of multiple trucks driving at aerodynamically efficient inter-vehicle distances in a cooperative and semi-autonomous fashion. Advanced sensor technology and wireless communication is used to maintain short and safe following distances between the trucks. This paper proposes an agent-based simulation model to evaluate a matchmaking system for trucks to find a suitable partner to platoon with. We consider two types of platoon matching: real-time (at a truck stop) and opportunistic (while driving on the highway). We evaluate the proposed system using a case study at the Port of Rotterdam and the surrounding area, where we study various factors influencing platoon formation and profitability. Results show that the most influential factors in both platoon formation and the total platoon profitability are wage savings and the possibility of different truck brands to platoon together.