Traveling vehicle system and traveling vehicle control method

A traveling vehicle system comprising:

• a traveling path including a branching portion;
• a traveling vehicle to travel on the traveling path;
• and
• a controller;
• wherein
• a portion of a blocking area set to include the branching portion includes a specific area set to allow the traveling vehicle to pass on one of the traveling paths from an upstream side to a downstream side of the branching portion and not to allow the traveling vehicle to pass on other of the traveling paths from an upstream side to a downstream side of the branching portion;
• the controller is configured or programmed to transmit, upon receiving a passage request for the blocking area from the traveling vehicle scheduled to travel along the other of the traveling paths, a passage permission for the blocking area to the traveling vehicle that issued the passage request for the blocking area if no other traveling vehicle is present in the blocking area;
• the traveling vehicle enters the blocking area if the passage permission for the blocking area is acquired;
• the controller is configured or programmed to transmit, upon receiving a passage request for the specific area from the traveling vehicle scheduled to travel along the one of the traveling paths, a passage permission for the specific area to the traveling vehicle that issued the passage request for the specific area if no other traveling vehicle is present in the specific area;
• and
• the traveling vehicle enters the specific area if the passage permission for the specific area is acquired.