ALK Technologies, a provider of GeoLogistics and navigation software, announced the release of the PC Miler 26 product line. The company says its routing, mileage and mapping software now includes new interactive map features, Fastest routing and RouteSync functionality for route compliance.
PC Miler 26 is designed to provide an increased ability to interact with the PC Miler RouteMap for more effective route visualization and customization, including the option to view satellite imagery, new map styles to customize the look and feel of the maps and additional zoom levels to allow for more granular framing of the map window. Drag Routing and via point management are available help make the route easy to customize and enable the creation of preferred routes.
The new Fastest routing type is designed to allow users to take advantage of real-time and historical traffic information, provided by Inrix, to find the fastest route to the destination. These routes may be longer in distance but are less congested compared to the standard PC Miler Practical and Shortest routes. PC Miler|Traffic real-time, predictive and historical traffic speed data also can be used for more accurate transit times and ETAs with all routing types. Users can set the time of departure, or desired time of arrival, day-of-week and time-of-day, to calculate more accurate ETAs. For additional optimization, Fastest routes are considered when Least Cost routing is generated. Traffic data is available through ALK’s partnership with Inrix, a provider of traffic information and driving services.
RouteSync is designed to ensure operational consistency between dispatched routes and actual routes, delivering the guidance to drive the miles that are being billed. With RouteSync, routes and preferences are sent from PC Miler in the back office directly to the latest version of ALK’s CoPilot Truck navigation software in the cab. In addition to maintaining route compliance, RouteSync is designed to reduce nonrevenue mileage, improve load profitability and increase driver satisfaction.
“We’re excited about what has been accomplished with the release of PC Miler 26,” says Michael Bodden, chief technology officer of ALK Technologies. “Our two core products that were separate historically have been connected with RouteSync. This is a milestone that will, along with the powerful RouteMatrix functionality in PC Miler|Connect, significantly benefit our customers and partners.”
Further enhancements in PC Miler 26 include new tools designed for interactively verifying and editing imported custom places using the map, and four new toll discount programs in PC Miler|Tolls. Time zone designations in the route entry window and the ability to generate custom road and geofencing reports are additional new features.
PC Miler 26 annually integrates nationwide routing improvements, including the verification of truck routing attributes and the addition of newly constructed roads along with their exit interchanges. Throughout Canada, the accuracy of street-level data in major metropolitan areas has been improved, ALK says.
The suite of PC Miler integration tools also has been updated and enhanced. PC Miler interfaces with all leading transportation, logistics and fleet management systems through PC Miler|Connect, PC Miler|TCP/IP, PC Miler|Mapping, PC Miler|Spreadsheets, PC Miler|Batchpro and Multi-Version Switch.
Another development in the integration product portfolio is the new PC Miler|RouteMatrix functionality in PC Miler|Connect, which lets users generate a matrix of distance and time information from a group of origin/destination pairs without making individual route calls, setting up individual O/D pairs or being restricted to a single route type. This functionality is designed to give partners and customers a more efficient way to process large numbers of North American origin/destination pairs.
PC Miler runs on Microsoft Windows, Unix and Linux platforms, as well as IBM AS/400 and mainframe computers. PC Miler also is available as a Web-based application.
