MY ETT News » software

Route Vehicle Update

Rhonda Flathman — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:33:15 +0000

Driver safety, eco-driving, and reducing insurance claims are just some of the things that are important when it comes to a company’s route vehicles. But how can companies maintain and monitor every single driver and truck? Implementing the latest technology advances in telematics can help improve a driver’s safety, boost sustainable operations, and reduce insurance claims too.
Changes in the industry
With the ongoing emergence of cloud computing solutions and online data, industry experts believe the traditional approach for vehicle routing will soon become obsolete. This new Web-based approach makes it easy for companies to seamlessly and instantly stay connected to their data.

“Instead of licensing and locally deploying software, people in the vehicle routing space are much more [open] to cloud services,” says Ken Wood, senior vice president, product strategy, at Descartes.

“These technologies are coming together to form a new approach we like to call the ‘connected fleet,’” adds Tanya Roberts, SVP of marketing at GreenRoad. “With this new trend of the connected fleet, managers now have eyes in every vehicle, and on every driver.”

Integration of fleet management systems such as fuel consumption data, routing, and maintenance information is a current trend that customers are asking for. “Businesses today are looking for one company that is completely integrated with their current operations,” says Cyndi Brandt, vice president of marketing for Roadnet Technologies. This strategy helps a company to effortlessly keep track of all of their records.

According to Will Salter, president and CEO of Paragon, a developing trend in the routing industry is a shift toward centralized routing. “Routing trends are linked to what our customers want,” says Salter.

click here to visit Food Logistics and read the complete story.

Remote disable and unlock features for truck security

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:53:33 +0000

Track Your Truck, a provider of GPS tracking for trucks, introduced an updated version of NetTrack Mobile software that will now be available with “remote starter disable” and “remote door unlock” features, offering the ability to remotely disable starters and unlock doors from the driver’s or dispatcher’s mobile phone or iPad.

The “remote starter disable” feature gives an authorized user the ability to shut down the vehicle’s starter entirely. In addition to vehicle recovery purposes, this feature also eliminates inappropriate after-hours use of company vehicles. When coupled to NetTrack’s scheduling application, a company can implement an automated after-hours shutdown of the fleet.

NetTrack Mobile is Track Your Truck’s own vehicle GPS tracking software, a customizable tracking option. Other features of NetTrack Mobile include the use of Google Maps with Street View, display of the last five positions with speed and heading for each vehicle, and the ability to ping any vehicle for up to the second vehicle location.

The disable and unlock features will be available for NetTrack Mobile this month and were recently introduced for the Coyote series of tracking devices in September.

“As mobile technology continues to evolve, it is becoming an increasing [larger] part of day-to-day business operations and GPS tracking capabilities,” said Robert Hall, president of Track Your Truck. “The new remote disable and unlock features for our NetTrack mobile software provide further assistance for drivers who have been locked out of their vehicles, and can better protect and recover vehicles that have been stolen.

“We’re committed to offering the most up-to-date technology for our GPS tracking devices and software,” Hall added. “Today’s advancements in mobile and communication capabilities are continually helping fleet managers and businesses secure their vehicles, save time and money, and reliably track employees and assets.”

click here to visit Fleet Owner and read the complete story.

FleetMatics integrates fuel card reporting, GPS tracking

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:44:05 +0000

FleetMatics recently announced a new software that accounts for fuel card purchase data. The company that provides GPS vehicle tracking for commercial fleets now offers its FleetMatics Fuel Card Reports. The application allows users to reduce fuel usage and track MPG, correct fuel-waste driving
behaviors and overall monitor a fleet’s carbon footprint.

FleetMatics, a provider of GPS vehicle tracking applications for commercial fleets, announced that its software now is integrated with fuel card purchase data. The FleetMatics Fuel Card Reports is designed to enable users to reduce fuel usage and track MPG, pinpoint fuel card noncompliance and correct fuel-waste driving behaviors. The reporting also monitors a fleet’s carbon footprint, helping better manage efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Click here to visit CCJ and read the complete story.

CSA: A watchword at TMW Users Conference

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:02:24 +0000

The anticipated CSA 2010 roll out is just months away, and IT providers are hard at work creating innovations to assist fleet owners with the new safety-scoring system. CSA 2010 was one of the key topics at the 24th annual TMW TransForum Users Conference held in Dallas recently. Products discussed go beyond the scorecards that the FMCSA essentially provides through this new system. For example, TMW’s new CSA Management portal allows carriers to drill down to individual driver records to allow them to be more proactive or take action before a problem arises.

IT Providers Ready to Assist Fleets With Managing CSA 2010
DALLAS. A key take-away from the 24th annual TMW TransForum Users Conference here this week is that IT providers have wasted no time in developing solutions aimed squarely at assisting fleet owners with the new federal CSA safety-scoring system. Innovations announced or released go well beyond providing “scorecards” to keep on top of a fleet’s current CSA standings. Rather, they are designed to enable fleets to proactively and positively influence a driver’s score before his or her on-the-road performance can result in a negative score.

Kicking off the 24th annual user meeting—and playing to a room packed with a record number of customer and partner attendees—TMW president & CEO David Wangler took a few minutes to sum up the changes wrought on trucking since 2007, when fleets saw “freight volumes and rates start on a scary ride that felt like it might never end,” and explained the sea change in pure economic terms.

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Squarerigger Software opens a new ‘revolution’ in tire management

Rhonda Flathman — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:20:03 +0000

Squarerigger Software recently released a revolutionary product two years in the making that can yield important information about tires and their return on investment. Revolution, the software company’s tire management system, operates on wireless, handheld PC’s and utilizes mobile and server-based software to track tire inspections, inventory, miles per and cost per metric entered. Over time, the system will yield customized reports on how fleets compare to others in the same vocation, equipment, tires, etc., in terms of best buying practices and best wear.

Handheld, Wireless Tire Tracking System Records Inspections, Inventory, More

After two years of development work, Squarerigger Software announced the release of its Revolution tire management system, says Ed Cooper, president of the fleet maintenance management software provider based in the Seattle region.

Revolution was designed to be a stand alone product that will supplement any fleet maintenance management system. Revolution utilizes mobile and server-based software; wireless hand held PCs; and electronic data collection methods to eliminate paper from the tire tracking process for commercial and private fleets.

The company highly recommends that fleets who use the Revolution system deploy the software on Motorola 5590 mobile wireless handheld PCs to increase the accuracy and speed of gathering tire data, Cooper says. Fleets can purchase the Motorola computers from Squarerigger.

Click here to visit CCJ and read the complete story.

TMC: Mitchell 1 to guide mechanics through repairs

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:59:02 +0000

A new Repair-Connect system will be available this March from Mitchell1. The system, which connects shop computers to the Web, guides mechanics through each step of a repair. Technicians will have the ability to input trouble codes, then the manual for the particular component deemed necessary of repairs will be sent electronically. According to the manufacturer, the system’s content will be updated on a weekly basis.

TAMPA, Fla. — Mitchell1 is unveiling its new Repair-Connect system this March, offering a visual system that connects shop computers to the Web, and guides mechanics through each step of a repair.

Technicians that need to access service information manually input an engine’s related Diagnostic Trouble Code or simply plug into the cab’s nine-pine Deutsch connector. The related repair guide is sent to a laptop within 30 seconds.

The information that appears on the screen offers a brief description of the challenge, how long the code lasted, and the number of times the code was set. Perhaps most important of all, it offers a clear look at every related component.

Click here to visit Truck News and read the complete story.

The future of high tech trucks is now

Rhonda Flathman — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:40:46 +0000

The future of trucking will see a stronger OEM relationship with its customers, in terms of monitoring equipment sold, as well as more of a mass market appeal for hybrids, according to experts at the recent Heavy Duty Dialogue 2010 in Las Vegas. With new truck sales lagging behind, the panel has already seen a growth in OEMs’ interest in telematic implementation and upkeep of sophisticated software platforms. But the next phase of that equipment monitoring will focus on driver behavior.

OEM Interest in Technology Boosted by Lagging Sales

LAS VEGAS — While the past decade served mainly as an R&D period for advanced truck technologies, the next 10 years is when telematic and hybrid systems will really mature for real-world use.

That was the word from a trio of experts at the Heavy Duty Dialogue 2010 here in Las Vegas during a panel discussion on trucking technology, titled The Next 10 Years.

Clem Driscoll of research firm CJ Driscoll & Associates said that while many fleets have experimented with various telematic technology in a portion of their fleet, the economy of scale is improving so quickly that implementing such products in many more trucks working in a wider variety of applications is inevitable over the next decade.

Click here to visit Today’s Trucking and read the complete story.

iTECH: Another Kind of Cell Block

Rhonda Flathman — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:35:26 +0000

Technology may have stopped distracted driving in its tracks. As concerns have grown over the use of cell phones or diversion from the road caused by texting, many states have called for bans on the use of cell phones and other wireless communication devices. However, a number of motion-tracking technologies are available, which effectively shut down texting capabilities or restrict the use of answering calls or listening to voice mails while in motion. Others automatically switch the devices to a hands-free setting to help eliminate as much of the distraction of using the device while still remaining in contact.

A person trying to chat or read and send text messages while driving could find his cell phone disabled, thanks to technology coming into the market.

Applications for commercial drivers are part of the mix of new products that address what many are saying is a rising safety issue: distracted driving. If people won’t voluntarily avoid using handsets while operating a motor vehicle, there are ways to render cellular connections inoperable, or at least report the driver’s activities to management.

Click here to visit Transport Topics and read the complete story.

Fuel tax reporting automated with GPS

Rhonda Flathman — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:51:27 +0000

A new application that combines fuel tax reporting software and GPS-based truck tracking system from Prophesy Transportation Solutions helps take the guesswork out of fuel tax data collection, according to the developer. The integrated system also identifies overpayment of taxes, produces official commercial mileage summaries by state, reduces tax processing and filing time, and allows users to directly download state tax rate updates.

Combining GPS location information with fuel purchase data from fuel card providers, TaxTally GPS automatically calculates and prepares quarterly IFTA fuel-tax reports, according to developer Prophesy Transportation Solutions.

The new offering integrates Prophesy’s existing fuel tax reporting software with its GPS-based truck tracking system. In addition to automating fuel tax data collection and reporting, it identifies overpayment of taxes, produces official commercial mileage summaries by state, reduces tax processing and filing time, and allows users to directly download state tax rate updates, according to the company.

[source - fleetowner.com]

Thermo King launches cell version of TracKing

Rhonda Flathman — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:42:32 +0000

Local and regional fleets hauling refrigerated goods will get a boost from Thermo King’s new TracKing cellular web-enabled temperature management system. The existing TracKing satellite system, which offers real-time monitoring and tracking of tailers, is ideal for long-haul fleets, the company said. Among other capabilities, the system’s alarm and notification features help reduce losses by ensuring temperature-sensitive loads are transported at the correct temperature.

Thermo King has announced its new TracKing cellular web-enabled temperature management system, which complements its existing TracKing satellite system. Both are wireless asset-management systems that provide real-time monitoring and tracking of untethered trailers. Using cellular, satellite and Internet technology, TracKing also has the ability to interact and control these units.

The cellular system is best for local and regional fleets while the satellite-based system is ideal for long-haul, Thermo King said. Both systems offer the ability to monitor a trailer’s actual position and route history either at regular intervals or on-demand. With alarm and notification features, the systems include mapping and dealer locators and can reduce losses by ensuring temperature-sensitive produces are transported at the correct temperature.

Monitoring through TracKing is possible through a secure web site that provides remote diagnostics and multiple reports. Vehicle location mapping is available with both systems and geo-fencing within maps is on the cellular system.

“The TracKing product line allows our customers to turn raw data into information to manage their assets,” said John Habermann, telematics product manager for Thermo King. “The net result is that we are enabling our customers to run their businesses more efficiently and effectively.”

[source - fleetowner.com]