Danika MacDonell and Helena De Figueiredo Valente
This short post is designed to introduce new users to the MCSC's interactive geospatial decision support tool for trucking fleet decarbonization. Section 1 explains how to access the tool, and Section 2 presents a set of introductory exercises to familiarize users with the tool and its features.
1. Accessing the Tool
Link to make an account with the MCSC datahub: https://climatedata.mit.edu/users/register/
Link to log in: https://climatedata.mit.edu/users/login/
Link to access the tool: https://climatedata.mit.edu/faf5/transportation/
The video below demonstrates these steps.
Video 1: Accessing the geospatial mapping tool
2. Using the Tool
The exercises in this section introduce users to the basic features of the mapping tool. You can follow along with the videos using the mapping tool in your browser to practice using the features.
Getting Around
Introduces the mapping tool and its interactive features.
Video 2: Getting around the tool
Area features
Demonstrates how to visualize and customize area features such as state-level incentives and regulations, and how to find more information about them.
Video 3: Area features demo
Highway features
Introduces the tool's highway features, such as freight flow volumes along U.S. interstates.
Video 4: Highway features demo
Point features
Introduces the map's point features, including existing alternative fueling infrastructure and hydrogen production facilities.
Video 5: Point features demo
Example Exercises
The exercises in this section demonstrate specific features that could be relevant to different stakeholders.
Truck manufacturer
Suppose you're a truck manufacturer deciding whether to develop a battery electric or
hydrogen model of your class 8 diesel truck. This video guides you through features that can support this assessment.
Video 5: Example exercise for a truck manufacturer
Infrastructure provider
Now suppose you're an infrastructure provider looking to plan upcoming installations of alternative charging or refueling stations. You want to understand which regions to target with provision for which energy carriers (electricity, hydrogen, renewable natural gas, etc.).
Video 6: Example exercise for an infrastructure provider
3. Go forth and analyze
Congratulations on completing the tutorials! You can also find a more in-depth case study in this blog post, where we demonstrate how we envision a fleet owner using the tool.
We hope this tool can be a helpful resource in identifying and assessing fleet transition opportunities, and please don't hesitate to reach out to Danika (danikam@mit.edu) in case of any questions or suggestions for improvement.
Awesome tutorial and case studies!! I was wondering if you have a set of data layers that might be relevant for a trucking carrier?