The methodology has three basic elements:
GPS data on where the trucks have been,
traffic data from the federal government's
Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS),
and the model that calculates the estimates.
A GPS or Global Positioning System device
is attached to the truck. The GPS receives
and stores a signal from orbiting satellites,
enabling the satellites to pinpoint the
exact location of the vehicle in longitude
and latitude. In our case these readings
will be broken down so that every two minutes
a record of where the truck has been is
recorded. This allows an accurate tracing
of the truck's steps as it proceeds throughout
its daily business. The GPS files must be
collected for each truck day in the advertiser's
program and must be converted into "flat"
DBF files for use in the system.
The HPMS is a huge national database
that individual states must contribute roadway
data to in order to be eligible for federal
funding. It uses a linear referencing system
to identify thousands of roadway segments,
which is determined by changes in roadway
characteristics. The linear referencing
data is matched to the GPS via custom software
custom software that works with ARCVIEW
mapping software. ARCVIEW must be purchased
by the user as the audit methodology works
off of the ARCVIEW platform.
The model uses the GPS data to determine
what route the truck has taken, broken down
in two-minute segment's, overlays it on
the HPMS road and traffic count data which
has been fed into the ARCVIEW mapping software
and assigns two minutes of that particular
road segments traffic to each two minute
interval the truck spends in that segment.
The model assumes that 85% of the time the
opposite side traffic is visible across
the median. It calculates oncoming traffic
and traffic traveling in the same direction
separately. The model is conservative in
that it does not give credit for night-
time traffic, unless the advertising is
backlit. It also does not count when a truck
is stopped unless it moved in the last two
minutes, since we cannot tell from the data
whether the truck is stopped on the street
or in a loading dock. The model does not,
as yet, include pedestrians. We are working
on that as a high priority for 2000.
The initial output of the system is an
exposure report detailing exposure for each
two-minute segment for each truck day. These
are summarized in an Exposure Summary Report
(attachment A). The report that is actually
published by the user for the advertiser
is the Project Statement, which I will discuss
separately
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Several tests were conducted to confirm
various aspects of the model. The first
test conducted was designed to ascertain
the accuracy of the HPMS database. Over
350 miles of highways (urban and rural)
were driven by Transearch to check the accuracy
of the HPMS data.
During this phase of the testing it was
determined that the data describing median
type, which is a critical element in visibility,
was not as detailed as we needed. It was
decided that we would do a separate test
to check what percentage of time the roads
allowed clear visibility across the median.
Roads were ridden in Atlanta, Chicago, Salt
Lake City, Dallas, Los Angeles in addition
to those in New York State. It was found
that 85% of the time it was visible across
the roadway.
Testing was also done to confirm the
accuracy of the original estimates generated
by the model and to develop an estimate
of same direction traffic. This was done
by mounting video cameras on a van and recording
the traffic on 14 different routes representing
1400 miles and 150 trips with a mix of urban
vs. rural streets and expressway vs. surface
arterials. The number of vehicular impressions
were counted and compared to what the model
generated. The results were within about
10%, which our Audit Development Committee
found acceptable. Also it was found that
same side traffic represented approximately
7.5% of opposite direction traffic.
A test of the system using an actual
advertising program was done in Sacramento,
CA to check the mechanics of getting the
data into the system and generating a report.
Real GPS data from 10 trucks running for
one month were entered into the system and
estimates were generated based on that specific
data. We wanted to look at the actual mechanics
of getting the data into the system and
generating a report. A similar test was
done in Chicago on three trucks.
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Project Statement
The Project Statement is a report that
the user can publish for any advertiser
program entered in the system. Which programs
the user issues statements on are at the
discretion of the user. Advertisers must
request the Statements from the media company
using the system. When a user publishes
a Project Statement to a client that they
would like to claim as audited the user
would send a copy to TAB for TAB to stamp
and sign. TAB keeps a copy of the statement
and returns the original to the user. A
sampling of each user's Statements are audited
each year. The Statement must be stamped
and signed by TAB to be considered part
of the audit system. The advertiser can
check, and will be encouraged to do so,
with TAB to see if a Project Statement has
been submitted for audit.
The Project Statement itself contains
information on the specific client program
it represents (i.e. number and type of trucks
in program, number of days in program, market
covered etc.) See Exhibit B for sample template.
It also contains the number of gross impressions
generated by the program separated by same
side and opposite side traffic. It shows
the number of contracted truck days (number
of trucks in program X program length in
days) vs. the number of verified truck days
(the number of days the user can prove the
trucks were on the road via GPS records
or other verifiable sources. Verification
via GPS records must be available for at
least 90% of the truck days in the program
for the Statement to be valid. It will report
Average Daily Effective Circulation (DEC)
per truck per verified truck days broken
down by opposite versus same side as well
as the combined total. DEC equates to how
many exposures opportunities there are for
a truck on an average day from the particular
advertiser's program that the project statement
represents.
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Audit Statement
Once a year each user of the system will
submit to an audit of the programs input
into the system. This will be done on a
sampling basis. Every program will have
a chance to be picked.
The audit will involve re-running the
GPS data for a particular program through
TAB's master system to make sure the published
numbers match those generated by the system.
It will also involve the checking of actual
driver log information, or similar documentation
provided by the trucking company involved
against the GPS records used for the report.
It is very important that the user have
an arrangement with the trucking companies
they are using to have access to the driver
log data.
Please refer to Exhibit C for a sample
Audit Statement template. The Audit Statement
will include a description of every program
included in the audit and its gross impressions.
It will also produce totaled numbers based
on all programs in the audit for number
of potential truck days, actual truck days,
GPS verified truck days, as well as an total
average DEC per truck, and the average DEC
broken out by direction for all verified
truck days.
Results will be reported to member agencies
and advertisers via our website and published
reports.
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Cost
There is a one-time, up front cost of
$22,500.00 to offset the initial development
of the project and research needed to enhance
the system, such as the development of a
pedestrian methodology. Initial funding
for the project was supplied by 3M Commercial
Graphics and Fleet Advertising Media Group.
They will be paid back from the up front
cost.
The Development Fee can be made in two
payments. Half due with the application
and the other half due in 180 days.
Membership dues for 2000 will be assessed
at $4,000.00. The audit cost is $725.00
per day.
The deliverables are the HPMS data and
the custom software to run the system. Also
included is technical support and yearly
data upgrades.
An application is enclosed that you need
to fill out and return with your check if
you are interested in becoming part of this
vital system.
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