Metropolitan Transport Information System
by Digital Geographic Research Corporation
25+ years innovating



is a suite of advanced GPS/GIS technologies to streamline metropolitan transport. Vehicles report location and other parameters in real time. Fusing data from multiple sensors and sources, METRIS generates synoptic performance measures, real-time and longitudinal.

Initial deployment of METRIS in Los Angeles, and research on transport modeling components for port congestion mitigation, were funded by the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (U.S. Department of Transportation) in partnership with the University of California, Santa Barbara and others.

PORT congestion is a growing concern worldwide, as yesterday's infrastructure struggles to cope with tomorrow's freight volumes. Decision makers need a dashboard of timely performance measures, to illuminate complex policy issues such as longshore labor hours, congestion-pricing and air quality.

More on Port Truck Turn Time from GPS

METRISSM measures the efficiency of truck-terminal interaction. Combining high-resolution GPS with rigorous GIS methods, our calculations of “turn time” are accurate and insightful. They can often identify causes of recurring delay.

Our real-time service, METRIS LiveQ, monitors queue length, duration and progress, effectively providing a control-tower view of an entire port.

In the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which handle more than 40% of U.S. container trade, METRIS has been active since 2007. In 2011, a Truck Turn Time Stakeholders Group — a coalition of motor carriers, beneficial cargo owners, marine terminal operators and the ports — found consensus around the METRIS Turn Time report, that documented the magnitude and patterns of variation of turn time, and explored causes and remedies. Were delays due to physical capacity constraints, or policy?

METRIS can rapidly be deployed at any port. We welcome opportunities to partner with tracking service providers, retail/trucking associations, port operations consultants, and ports.




© Digital Geographic Research Corporation