Makro Transport Systems Ltd are a transport technology company focused on solving real-world transport and infrastructure challenges by developing heavy vehicle performance monitoring systems.
We are UK and international IP holders for a novel, proven technological solution that is able to monitor vehicle suspension performance of in-service vehicles in the operational environment, night or day, with a high degree of accuracy.
The system further facilitates expansion to incorporate such features as weigh-in-motion such that gross vehicle weight and individual axle weight forms part of the analysis, providing granular data that enables detailed assessment of heavy freight vehicle characteristics when they are using the highways infrastructure.
About us
Our vision
We seek to improve the safety and efficiency of the heavy freight road haulage task for all road users whilst simultaneously providing highways managers (such as government highways agencies) with the opportunity to understand and mitigate pavement wear and degradation due to the impact of heavy vehicles on the roads network.
We at Makro Transport Systems believe the development of the patented technology into a turn-key solution that is either permanently or temporarily deployable at strategically selected highways locations would realise benefits to road transport regulators, highways infrastructure managers, haulage operators and ultimately, all road users, promoting road safety not only by reducing pavement damage, but by providing the means to ensure a baseline minimum operational suspension system performance for heavy vehicles, in doing so, maintaining optimal dynamic vehicle performance, benefitting all road users in the process.
Proof of concept has been undertaken by physical set-up and testing with results demonstrating high accuracy, repeatability and scalability. Development of a turn-key, temporarily deployable or permanently installed system is in progress.
Pavement degradation due to heavy road vehicle traffic is well researched and documented. It is well understood that heavy vehicle stability and hence safety is enhanced by good dynamic stability, which is directly influenced by vehicle suspension system performance. The vast bulk of pavement degradation and hence the cost of pavement maintenance is directly attributable to cyclic fatigue of the pavement due to the high cyclic loads imparted on pavements from heavy vehicles, greatly exacerbated where such heavy vehicles have underperforming suspensions. The findings of a number of scientific research papers demonstrate the direct correlation between pavement degradation and wear and heavy freight vehicle characteristics such as axle mass, axle configuration, tyre size and type and suspension type and performance. Some such papers have quantified the reduction in pavement damage where 'road-friendly', optimally damped suspension systems are employed, reporting a reduction in the rate of pavement degradation of around 30%. That is to say, a 30% reduction in the rate of degradation for the same freight task where optimally damped and configured suspension is employed. It is no wonder then, that some highways managers grant increased axle mass concessions where certified road-friendly suspensions are fitted, thereby improving freight efficiency and reducing emissions.
Using imaging technologies to monitor and evaluate heavy vehicle suspension performance in the operational environment is not straightforward, but has been solved by the invention of a method and associated apparatus to achieve this.
The problem
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