Xata Corp. announced Tuesday, Feb. 24, that it now is shipping a significant addition to navigation capabilities within its two main fleet operations products, Xatanet and MobileMax. Leveraging CoPilot Truck by ALK Technologies, a commercial navigation software package, the enhanced navigation solution provides turn-by-turn directions, voice prompts and graphical maps that better help drivers complete their routes safely and more efficiently, according to Xata.
Drivers sometimes can be unfamiliar with certain routes, new to an area, or forced to deal with traffic, construction and other unplanned obstacles, all of which force them to shift their attention from driving to navigation. Xata says its fleet operations software, integrated with ALK’s CoPilot Truck, provides mapping and turn-by-turn directions that help drivers better manage these situations. The enhanced navigation capabilities are designed to help eliminate the need for paper maps, written directions or calling someone for directions, all of which can lead to unsafe driving conditions and delivery delays.
The company says the navigation function within Xatanet integrates with back-office routing and dispatching applications; and by interfacing Xata’s fleet management solutions with ALK’s CoPilot Truck, each Xatanet and MobileMax will put everything drivers need at their fingertips.
“In keeping with our promise to continually add functionality to our product line, we made it a priority to integrate this enhanced navigation capability with Xata’s products,” says Tom Flies, senior vice president of product management for Minneapolis-based Xata Corp. “Adding ALK CoPilot Truck also delivers on our promise to add best-in-class third-party applications to provide the most comprehensive fleet operations solution in the industry.”
Xata says the new Xata navigation solution provides users an interactive, onboard navigation with text-to-speech directions, graphical indicators and a large moving-map format. Additionally, Xata says the upgraded navigation results in less time drivers must spend learning new routes, and that the solution’s ease of use makes it easier to substitute drivers to cover routes when someone is out. The enhanced navigation is offered on a single screen and provides industry compliance and performance-trend reporting that lets fleet managers assess how well drivers are following routes, according to the company.
“Pairing ALK’s CoPilot Truck technology with Xatanet’s integration of routing and dispatch applications eliminates manual interaction needed by the driver or dispatch personnel, which also helps eliminate delivery delays and errors,” says Dan Popkin, vice president of CoPilot Sales for ALK Technologies. “Together, the two technologies give drivers truck-specific turn-by-turn directions that result in less distraction, allowing them to focus on their core task — driving safely to their destination.”
