TruckerTrek

Inspiration

The inspiration behind our project lies in the challenging conditions faced by the 3.5 million truck drivers in the U.S. According to the Bureau of Labor (2023). These professionals play a vital role in our economy. However, the alarming statistics of more than 160,000 truck accidents annually, with approximately 32% causing injuries and 3% resulting in fatalities (TruckInfo.net), highlight the pressing need for innovative solutions. Additionally, recognizing the health risks such as obesity, hypertension, and extreme fatigue that truck drivers face due to their demanding lifestyle further motivates our commitment to developing a solution that prioritizes both safety on the roads and the well-being of these essential workers.

What it does

The application strategically charts a course for truckers to easily navigate their journeys. To enhance safety and well-being, we advocate for a recommended break every 4 hours, incorporating designated stops along the route for this purpose. Before each stop, drivers receive information about cautionary areas based on previous accident data. Additionally, a reminder prompts them to take a short walk during each break. Considering the typical travel capacity of approximately 1,000 miles before refueling, we strategically position a gas station at every fourth stop, ensuring optimal efficiency for truckers on their expeditions.

How we built it

In crafting the architecture for our project, we opted for a dynamic and responsive user interface using JavaScript, CSS, and HTML on the frontend. On the backend, we use Python and Flask to build a robust foundation for our web application. In addition, we've incorporated the INRIX API (Accidents) and the Google Maps API(Places, Direction, and Map) to facilitate route optimization and driving alerts. Some specific APIs we used were places, direction, map, gas station, and restaurant data from places.

Challenges we ran into

We encountered challenges related to fetching data from the API provided by Inrix. Initially, we believed we had data for the entire America, but later discovered that we only had access to the API for San Francisco. This issue complicated our actions in building the API. Additionally, we faced difficulties as we didn't have access to the gas stations' API. To address this, we need to incorporate the Google Maps API, but doing so has generated some errors. With less experience in map APIs, our group faced a hard time deploying the API. This issue also postponed the development of the Web app in order to achieve our final goal.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We take great pride in the visualizations we've crafted. The map effectively presents data, empowering users to plan the safest journeys. Achieving the ability to showcase our data on an interactive map was a goal we eagerly pursued, and we're thrilled that it was successfully achieved within the set timeframe. Our utilization of Inrix APIs and Google APIs for practical purposes is another accomplishment that brings us immense satisfaction. It's worth noting that half of our group lacked a deep understanding of APIs initially. However, through collaborative efforts and the workshop, we managed to overcome our inexperience and deliver a functional project.

What we learned

The integration of Inrix API and Google Map API into our project has been a valuable learning experience, providing insights into leveraging location-based services for route optimization and related functionalities. Additionally, our collaboration has underscored the importance of teamwork in achieving our project goals. This collaborative approach has not only enhanced our understanding of API integration but has also emphasized the significance of pooling resources and expertise to bring innovative ideas to fruition.