J.J. Keller & Associates (www.jjkeller.com) launched FleetMentor (www.fleetmentor.com), an online fleet management solution, following a six-month beta test that it says included nearly 15,000 transportation professionals.
McLeod Software (www.mcleodsoftware.com) announced record sales for the first half of calendar year 2008, with a 32 percent increase over the same period in 2007. McLeod says it had an 84 percent overall sales increase in the second quarter. The company also hired 13 new staff members at its headquarters in Birmingham, Ala., and training facilities in Salt Lake City since the beginning of the year.
Cadec Global (www.cadec.com) released a new version of DeliveryTracker, which it says is a configurable mobile application that extends a company’s supply chain to the point of delivery. DeliveryTracker 2.0 is an optional software component to Cadec’s fleet management systems.
Motion Computing (www.motioncomputing.com) upgraded its F5 semi-rugged tablet PC and new custom peripherals. The company says the F5 now features improved capacity with standard 80 GB hard-disk drives at no additional cost.
Aljex Software (www.aljex.com) enhanced its Transportation Intermediaries Network (TIN), a dispatch and transportation management application for freight brokers. The new enhancements enable users to manage the screen display of their loads for a clearer understanding of their work.
Panasonic Computer Solutions Co. , manufacturer of Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers, introduced the Panasonic Toughbook CF-U1. Panasonic is positioning the new computer as the “missing link” between laptops, mobile computers and handheld technology, says Bill Pressler, senior manager of market development.
The CF-U1 is an ultra mobile PC (UMPC) that uses a low-power Intel Atom processor in a rugged handheld computer. The company says that unlike most handhelds, the Toughbook CF-U1 operates on Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems, giving users remote access to feature-rich software applications such as mobile printing and scanning while in the field.
Remote workers can connect to critical information and applications in real time with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G mobile-broadband Internet connectivity. Data capture is enabled using 1D and 2D barcode and RFID readers and a 2-megapixel digital camera. The Toughbook CF-U1 also offers full-shift battery life, a sunlight viewable screen, thumb-friendly backlit keyboard and LCD touchscreen. The device also features a solid-state drive as well as an optional fingerprint scanner for user authentication.
The Toughbook CF-U1 also has several docking options that expand functionality. The base model is now available worldwide at an estimated street price of $2,499 from authorized Panasonic resellers and distributors.
ALK unleashes PC Miler Web Services 22
ALK Technologies (www.alk.com) announced the release of PC Miler Web Services 22. The hosted service delivers the latest PC Miler data over the Internet to customers with virtually any kind of computer platform or operating system.
Web Services are helpful to companies with multiple locations, multiple versions of PC Miler or mixed computer systems, the company says. For example, Web Services shipment data can pass through an AS/400-platform corporate server to a Windows- or Linux-based work station via the Level 3 servers that host the service. Virtually any other platform or operating system can be involved, including UNIX, Java, Perl and others. ALK says PC Miler Web Services are available on any Internet-connected computer or network.
“We introduced PC Miler Web Services a year ago in response to customer requests to help with cross-platform problems,” says Michael Bodden, chief technology officer for ALK Technologies.
PC Miler Web Services offers four feature option levels – Lite, Standard, Premium and Enterprise. The Lite option offers core PC Miler functionality, according to the company, while the three more full-featured versions provide additional capabilities such as street-level routing, truck-specific toll costs and map display.
GreenRoad, SafetyFirst form partnership
GreenRoad Technologies (www.greenroad.com) formed a strategic partnership with SafetyFirst (www.safetyfirst.com) to provide fleet managers with a complete driver safety and risk management service. SafetyFirst’s core service is a 24-hour safety hotline, which helps spot drivers who may be distracted or slipping into bad habits. GreenRoad Safety Center is a service that provides real-time in-vehicle driver feedback and is designed to eliminate risky maneuvers while driving.
Xata enables proof of delivery
Xata Corp. (www.xata.com) said it has integrated proof-of-delivery (POD) software with Xatanet, its on-demand fleet operations software. Xata says its POD approach delivers increased levels of integration and flexibility with its fleet management applications.
Xata says the enhancement will look to such partners as Systems Application Engineering (SAE) and Airversent – providers of POD solutions – to offer customers near real-time communication of delivery exceptions and the elimination of driver paperwork. With its latest release, Xatanet enables SAE’s Proof of Delivery functionality, running on a Symbol handheld device to integrate with a Xatanet-supported in-cab device, according to the company; future releases will see enablement of Airversent POD, increased handheld device support and increasingly tighter integration.
Xata says its POD enablement uses Xatanet’s vehicle data and the POD software inventory data to take the burden of paperwork off drivers, thus increasing productivity by allowing them to focus on driving and delivery. Collecting delivery and inventory data electronically also eliminates errors associated with paperwork and lets users automatically record inventory changes, satisfying customer needs with increased speed and efficiency. Xata says POD functionality also allows drivers to obtain proof-of-delivery signatures and validate orders at delivery, which eliminates more paperwork.
In other news, Xata says that shipments of Xatanet systems in the third quarter of fiscal 2008 have grown about 278 percent compared to the same quarter of fiscal 2007, up from the 43 percent increase reported in the second quarter of fiscal 2008. The company also reported the addition of 15 new Xatanet customers in its third fiscal quarter of 2008, bringing the cumulative total of new Xatanet customers in fiscal 2008 to 53. Growth has been driven by increased pressures on trucking margins, which include the rising cost of fuel and demands for regulatory compliance, according to the company.
GreenRoad, SafetyFirst form partnership
GreenRoad Technologies (www.greenroad.com) formed a strategic partnership with SafetyFirst (www.safetyfirst.com) to provide fleet managers with a complete driver safety and risk management service. SafetyFirst’s core service is a 24-hour safety hotline, which helps spot drivers who may be distracted or slipping into bad habits. GreenRoad Safety Center is a service that provides real-time in-vehicle driver feedback and is designed to eliminate risky maneuvers while driving.
