In SURFF, the focus will be on telematics applications in seven EU cities to improve all-round accessibility of information systems within regional freight centres and to support smooth inner urban freight flows. The applications proposed will cover operational support both for individual centres and whole networks. City distribution will rely on coordinated resource management at centres, while inner city freight transport will be enhanced by interfaces with traffic information services, such as roadside multimedia kiosks for lorry drivers to obtain route guidance or freight documents without needing to access the project sites.

Within the SURFF project, telematic solutions will be developed, tested and validated that improve the accessibility of information systems within freight centres for all actors involved and support the sustainability of freight flows in innerurban areas.

SURFF will develop telematic solutions aimed at four different levels. The network operation of freight centres will be supported by exchanging EDIFACT messages between freight centres and by sending information about the goods flow well in advance of the physical transport. The operation and service of a single freight center is improved where a shared communication and information platform (SCIP) will be defined, where the individual logistics operations and the different modes are integrated and where common services as for example a shared mobile communication server are offered. Specific attention will be paid to the needs of SMEs which represent the main target group to be installed within freight centers. The role of the freight center related to city distribution is supported as it concerns the co-ordinated resource management for members of the freight center like coordinated distribution for innerurban areas by improved route planning, using mobile data communication and fleet monitoring.

The Innerurban freight transport operation is improved where interfaces to traffic information services are constructed and multi media kiosks are installed on the roadside to provide truck drivers with route guidance information to find their way to the destination or to receive freight documents without the necessity to access the sites. With the telematic tools being implemented in seven European cities, SURFF will get validation results on a broad spectrum of prevailing conditions which prove the interoperability of the systems developed across modes and countries. By this means, SURFF will contribute to a more efficient and environmentally friendly freight distribution in cities and regions.