GPS World

Tag: fleet management

  • TomTom Business Solutions Debuts Software Alliance Program

    TomTom Business Solutions has launched the TomTom Software Alliance Program, a software integration, marketing, and sales program that delivers additional value to commercial fleets by integrating core TomTom fleet management technology with industry leading software, the company said. TomTom already has more than 100 industry leading software partners from the office automation, CRM, ERP, and Field Service Automation sectors as well as specialized industry software for towing, service, and transportation fleets.

    TomTom’s Software Alliance Program provides easy access to TomTom Business Solutions’ set of APIs, enabling the development of integrated “over-the-road” vehicle and driver management capabilities, the company said. Leveraging these APIs and the company’s industry-leading map data, IQ routes, and HD traffic, TomTom and its partners can rapidly deploy a host of solutions including: quickest ETA vehicle assignment, real-time ETA calculations, two-way communications for dispatching and work-order flow, integrated turn-by-turn navigation, real-time GPS tracking, and driver safety features.

    “Our fleet customers are already realizing a high degree of value from TomTom’s fleet management solutions and our value-added software partners,” said Michael Geffroy, vice president, TomTom Business Solutions. “Our decision to make more of our core technology freely available to more software companies shows our commitment to partnering. We believe our new Software Alliance program will lead to greater levels of innovation and value-add to a broader range of commercial fleets.”

    “Working with TomTom, we have significantly increased the value of our solution for our customer, and this has enabled us to generate more revenue and profits to our company,” said Jim Weaver, CEO of Tracker Management. “We are very excited about exploiting the new APIs to factor real-time traffic info into our capabilities.”

    “TomTom is an essential component of our solution and path to market,” said Greg Wietholter, president of Route Solutions. “Having a partner with a clear focus on developing over-the-road management solutions allows us to focus on our core competencies. The new software alliance program gives us more opportunities to remain competitive and on the leading edge of technology.”

  • TMW Systems Partners with FleetLocate to Provide an Integrated Approach to Trailer Utilization

    TMW Systems, provider of enterprise software to transportation and logistics companies, has announced a new partnership with Spireon. This partnership will provide for-hire carriers and private fleets with detailed information on trailer location, capacity, and trailer operations to improve utilization and compliance. The partnership provides pre-built integration between Spireon’s FleetLocate solution and TMW Systems’ TMW Suite and TMT Fleet Maintenance solutions.

    The TMW Suite integration with FleetLocate captures GPS position information from trailers, whether tethered or not. The TMT Fleet Maintenance now captures GPS position information and mileage. The integration provides automatic scheduling of preventive maintenance work based on actual miles traveled and automatically alerts the maintenance department when a trailer requiring repairs or maintenance enters the yard.

    The integrated solutions are being used by a number of fleets:

    • Bengal Transportation Services — Integration gives Bengal the benefit of viewing the entire fleet of trucks and trailers on one screen. Dispatchers have a complete view of tractors, trailers, drivers, and loads.
    • Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated — The integration provides CCBCC with a systematic way to track trailers within their TMW Suite dispatch system.
    • Matheson Trucking, Inc. — The integration provides Matheson with real-time updates when trailers move and also tracks accumulated mileage.  Operations and maintenance personnel receive a notification when a trailer is ready for service.

    “FleetLocate is a unique trailer platform that provides continual, real-time views of an entire trailer fleet,” said Scott Vanselous of TMW Systems. “Through the partnership with FleetLocate, our customers receive valuable operational and reporting capabilities within TMW Suite and TMT Fleet Maintenance software to improve utilization and reduce costs associated with their trailers.”

  • Telogis Acquires Fleet Management Company Navtrak

    Telogis, Inc., a platform for location intelligence, has acquired Navtrak, a mobile resource and fleet management company. This latest acquisition, along with the company’s strong organic growth rate, further positions Telogis as a fast-growing enterprise Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider of location-based intelligence solutions, the company said.

    “This acquisition broadens our customer portfolio with greater reach into small- and mid-sized markets, and complements our strong organic growth with large enterprises and OEM channels,” said Dave Cozzens, CEO of Telogis. “Our robust, scalable platform allows us to quickly integrate acquisitions, and we continue to pursue opportunities such as this that are advantageous for our business and customers.”

    Telogis provides enterprise SaaS applications to manage mobile workers and assets. The company’s strength is built upon an open platform approach that provides advanced solutions to manage every aspect of the mobile workforce, the company said.

    “Navtrak’s customers will now experience the benefits of a powerful location platform of SaaS applications, including Telogis Fleet, Telogis Route, Telogis Progression, Telogis Mobile, and Telogis Navigation,” said Cozzens. “This acquisition further accelerates our aggressive expansion plans for 2012. There is a large global market to address with our platform of SaaS applications, and we look forward to continuing to drive its innovation and growth.”

    This acquisition represents a continuing growth trend for Telogis, which has appeared on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies for five consecutive years and has been named to the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 for four consecutive years. The company has been honored as one of the best workplaces in the region, and forged a partnership in 2011 that made Telogis the exclusive SaaS solution for Ford Motor Company’s Crew Chief commercial vehicle telematics system.

  • GLONASS Antenna

    Taoglas is launching the AA.16X Dominator series of antennas, which have a wider bandwidth to cover the GLONASS operating frequencies up to 1610 MHz, a good axial ratio, and a double resonance design for optimum reception at the center frequencies.

    Taoglas’ GPS antennas are being used in the field by many different M2M solution providers including tracking, telematics, and GPS manufacturers, the company said.

    The AA.161 Dominator is a magnetic mount GPS-GLONASS IP67, external antenna incorporating a 35-millimeter ceramic patch. It is a wide-band active patch antenna product with a large integral ground that delivers a gain up to 35 dB. With the Dominator antenna series, Taoglas has a comprehensive range of GPS-GLONASS active embedded antennas (AGGP series) and passive embedded (CGGP) antennas for automotive first-tier TS16949 and after-market applications.

    “In the coming months, for the first time the true availability of GPS and GLONASS satellites along with the latest generation of GNSS receivers are going to dramatically change the performance of M2M location devices,” said Ronan Quinlan, Director Taoglas. “With close to double the amount of satellites to draw from compared to a stand-alone GPS constellation, we are now going to see quicker time to first fixes with accuracy improving from meters to sub one meter. The ability to view and lock on four or more satellites in traditionally difficult reception areas such as urban canyons, city centers or locations with restricted views of the horizon, will give M2M manufacturers the ability to triangulate and pinpoint locations with greater accuracy and with quicker time to first fix.

    Taoglas’ new Dominator antennas have been rigorously tested and pre-approved by the GNNS receiver companies worldwide and have been shown to display higher and more consistent gain in comparison to competing antennas, the company claimed. Two key components have been engineered from scratch for the Dominator series, a wide-band front-end SAW filter (critical to prevent out of band noise entering on both GPS and GLONASS degrading the signal) and a high-gain 35-mm patch.

    CONTACT INFO

    Company: Taoglas
    Country: United States (USA)
    URL: http://www.taoglas.com

  • Blue Sky Launches SkyRouter for Fleet Management Applications

    Blue Sky Network has launched the SkyRouter, a fleet management portal for land mobile, aviation, and marine applications. SkyRouter is a feature-rich, cloud-based solution designed to support connectivity with remotely dispersed mobile assets including Blue Sky Network’s advanced dual-mode GSM and iridium tracking and communications services, the company said.

    SkyRouter enables seamless connectivity with assets in problematic cellular reception areas, where only 10 percent of the Earth is covered, and in remote locations, Blue Sky Network said, adding that only Iridium-based communications devices and services work globally through connectivity via the world’s furthest reaching network.

    Today’s fleet managers require around-the-clock communication with widely distributed mobile assets. Overall safety and fleet efficiency can be achieved through alerts, monitoring of position data, and unique event reporting. New SkyRouter leverages the integration of Blue Sky Network’s HawkEye 5300, which enhances coverage of GSM cellular tracking capabilities with global coverage to deliver dual-mode tracking and event reporting of assets located anywhere in the world. Fleet managers can receive real-time updates that include GPS location information, messages, and on board diagnostic (OBDII) alerts, among others, everywhere.

    “Our next-generation New SkyRouter for land mobile fleet applications furthers our commitment to be a market leader in advanced tracking products for customers who demand customized solutions and exceptional customer service,” said Jon Gilbert, CEO and founder of Blue Sky Network. “This new platform, in concert with our superb products, means more mobile asset sectors can benefit from smooth integration of tracking hardware with a cloud-based portal for seamless command and control across multiple asset types and deployments.”

    SkyRouter works in combination with Blue Sky Network’s certified hardware, which can be installed on land, aviation, and marine assets. Features include over-the-air parameter settings, automated event reporting, local sensor data capture, and two-way messaging capability.

    “The new SkyRouter is an innovative solution from an important Iridium partner enabling fleet manager’s global visibility of their important assets though the cloud,” said Greg Ewert, executive vice president of global distribution channels at Iridium. “This level of visibility provides vital data delivery to fleet operators who are driving further efficiencies into their business, meeting regulatory requirements or protecting the safety of their personnel or assets.”

  • Qualcomm Announces Commercial Availability of MCP50 for Fleet Management

     

    Qualcomm announced the commercial availability of the Mobile Computing Platform 50 (MCP50). For fleets of all sizes, the fleet management solution helps transportation companies meet safety and regulatory compliance requirements to manage their business operations, Qualcomm said. Qualcomm also launched flexible new monthly pricing plans.

    “We are committed to helping fleets succeed and grow as they adapt to new industry demands and regulations,” said Norm Ellis of Qualcomm Enterprise Services. “With more than 150 private and for-hire fleets of all sizes already committed to adopting the MCP50, we are pleased that our industry-leading fleet management applications are now more accessible than ever to help fleets address a broad range of operational challenges, including safety, compliance, productivity and fuel efficiency.”

    MCP50 delivers applications to meet the core operational needs, including safety and compliance requirements, such as FMCSA’s HOS regulations and CSA program. Applications include: Qualcomm Hours of Service, CSA Safety Performance Service, Critical Event Reporting, CoPilot Truck In-Cab Navigation provided by ALK Technologies, Performance Monitoring with Fuel Manager, Analytics Manager and Vehicle Inspection Report. Other Qualcomm applications planned for future releases of the MCP50 include Circle of Service Workflow, Trip Manager and Vehicle Maintenance.

    MCP50 is available for $799 SRP through local dealers and resellers that are part of the Pana-Pacific distribution network or directly from Qualcomm Enterprise Services. Qualcomm Enterprise Services also offers six different monthly service pricing plans, starting at $19.95 per month.

  • Government and Fleet Markets Find Steady Growth

    It’s not a market that will help users find friends or places to eat, but it seems to be one that keeps movin’ along. The government and enterprise market for location-based services seems to be steady, if not growing, as evidenced by nearly 9,000 attendees at the recent Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. Topics included the 20th Anniversary of the government’s intelligent transportation systems program.

     

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Standing out among the thousands of college professors, scientists and engineers were a core of companies who have made inroads into intelligent transportation systems and other government markets here at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, held January 22-26.

    Such companies as TomTom have tried to harness the government market for the past few years with real-time traffic information. The traffic information companies contend that the government market will be big for policy makers, who need detailed support tools to make money-saving decisions for local traffic management programs.

    At TRB, TomTom announced a partnership with Delcan Corp. to provide historical traffic data for the Strategic Highway Research Program 2 (SHRP 2). The program is managed by the TRB.

    “We’ve been using our real-time traffic information, and our historic products, to work with them on traffic management and planning,” said Nick Cohn, TomTom senior business development manager.

    By using GPS-based measurements from the TomTom historical traffic database, Delcan and its partners will develop models for travel time reliability analysis and research as part of the program, the company said. TomTom says its traffic database, which uses traffic measurements, costs less money and is time-saving — compared to survey methods.

    Last year at TRB, TomTom announced a partnership with PTV where the company was able to deliver TomTom traffic content, via TomTom Traffic Stats, to its customers in the transportation sector.

    20th Anniversary of ITS Well Attended

    An introspective session at TRB was the Intelligent Transportation Systems 20th Anniversary, which was attended by industry veterans who were around when the first U.S. Transportation Department directives calling for ITS were issued. Most of the panel members agreed that when ITS was being thrown around as something that may replace Cold War contracting dollars with new markets, no one really tried to predict how technology would shape autos and communication.

    While panel members agreed that EZ-Pass was one of the big ITS accomplishments over the last 20 years, some acknowledged that GPS and the Internet and cell-phone development were never really focused on (as at least two weren’t even developed). They agreed that the automotive industry took over the market, not the government.

    “Fortunes were made — and lost. Mostly lost,” said Mort Downey, former DOT deputy secretary. Downey said the big deal in getting ITS off the ground was President Clinton’s decision to turn off GPS’ selective availability.

    Michael Noblitt of IBM’s Global Business Services remembers that the telematics market really was developed by aftermarket manufacturers. “It was an exciting time. Privacy was traded for convenience and service. Consumers now see [telematics] as valuable,” he said.

    Rich Schuman of Inrix, who was the second employee of the entity now know as ITS America, presented a timeline of technology events and tied them to intelligent transportation initiatives. “It’s a chaotic world — don’t try to find it. Focus on business incentives and leave technology to the bigger market,” he said.

    Industry old-timers remember that the ITS America and ITS World Congress meetings were the only places to get market information in the 1990s because of auto manufacturers and the two largest digital map makers at the time, Navteq and Tele Atlas/Etak, were the major players. Both meetings have seen a resurgence in the number of auto makers and traffic companies exhibiting to compete for their share of the government market.

    ALK Doing Well in European App Stores

    At TRB, LBS Insider caught up with Alain Kornhauser, ALK Technologies founder, who talked about his role in the company and what markets have been good for them in the past year. ALK has been in several publications as having the iPhone and Andriod “top app” for its CoPilot Live, which is doing well in Europe, Kornhauser said.

    “We’ve done well in respect to app stores. We also participated in the recent Iowa Caucuses when we offered directions to candidates for all 94 of the state’s counties,” he said.

    Kornhauser said that Barry Glick, former MapQuest executive who was hired last year as CEO, runs the company’s day-to-day operations. In December, ALK established a new group, Enterprise Solutions, which combined its PC MILER, CoPilot Truck and CoPilot Live Professional product lines plus supporting map data, software tools and professional services. The Enterprise Solutions Group is led by Michael Kornhauser, senior vice president and Alain’s son, who reports directly to Glick.

    While competing against free navigation applications, publications are saying that CoPilot Live has a niche because it has a friendlier interface and better directions to gas stations, restaurants and other points of interest.

    Industry pioneer Kornhauser, who was involved in autonomous vehicle testing, said that ITS was a success because of the private industry, without government impact or influence. “They didn’t stand in the way,” he said.

    Kornhauser, a long-time Princeton University professor and head of its transportation program, said he likes being an entrepreneur. “I also like the [location] space,” he said.

    In other LBS news:

    • Join us for GPS World magazine’s LBS Market in 2012 webinar, “LBS 2012 — Show Me the Money,” on Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. Speakers will include several industry executives. Register for free.
    • Audiovox Electronics Corp launched its Car Connection and Care Connection products, both of which Audiovox considers LBS-capable, that will use Sprint’s Nationwide Network in the U.S.A. Car Connection is a new plug-in on-board diagnostic (OBDII) device that will allow consumers to monitor, manage and maintain not only their own but other family drivers’ habits. Care Connection is a wearable personal tracking system that features two-way voice communication to locate children, teen drivers and aging parents.
    • Persistent Systems purchased Openwave’s Mobile Location-Based business, to offer what its says will be the first enterprise carrier-based LBS. The company says the big market opportunity is that businesses want asset tracking, geo sensing and couponing.

     

  • Zoning in on Assets: Cubic Global Tracking Gets Iridium Certification

    By Tracy Cozzens

    A system that tracks and monitors valuable high-risk assets for defense and commercial customers has received certification from Iridium Communications, increasing the system’s accuracy and effectiveness. The Iridium constellation of low-Earth satellites provides voice and data services for areas not served by terrestrial communication networks.

    The Global Sentinel System, by Cubic Global Tracking Solutions, tracks and monitors assets with two-way, redundant encrypted communications. The system provides up to 2,000 unique geozones for each Global Sentinel device to control precise reporting rules along the supply chain. It can monitor asset conditions including temperature, humidity, light sensing, motion, and container door status.

    The latest generation of Cubic’s Global Sentinel System provides continuous global coverage by incorporating the Iridium 9602 short-burst-data transceiver. “As an Iridium partner for the past seven years, we’ve worked closely to integrate the Iridium 9602 transceiver into Cubic’s fifth generation of products,” said Mary Ann Wagner, president of CGTS.

    Wagner said Cubic relies on Iridium to provide real-time low latency reporting on customers’ assets in areas where other modes of communication are unavailable. This capability allows for continuous global coverage for reliable secure reporting of asset position, status, and event alerts. “This is essential because of the critical nature of the assets we are tracking and monitoring for our Department of Defense and commercial customers,” Wagner said.

    Power-Saving GPS. GPS also plays an important role. With the flexibility derived from geozone attributes for GPS, Cubic can provide an optimum balance between position accuracy and power management.

    Cubic’s devices take full advantage of GPS receiver circular error probable (CEP) estimates to set accuracy limits for reporting, explained Randy Shepard, vice president of technology innovations for CGTS. While higher position accuracy may be a challenge for battery-powered units operating for years between servicing, it is often necessary to avoid false alarming for events like route deviation where position accuracy is important.

    “One of the unique features of Cubic’s devices is the aggressive manner in which we manage power for all device functions including GPS,” Shepard said. “Using the geozones that are remotely reconfigurable on the device, GPS accuracy and response time can be controlled as a function of geozone.

    “As an example, for our current GS-5B receiver used for global tracking and monitoring of shipping containers, the initial default dwell time to capture GPS position is 60 seconds. Our experience is that from a cold start we get a normal lock in less than 45 seconds. The maximum acceptable CEP is 100 meters. If a CEP of less than 100 meters is not received, we do not update position. If a CEP of less than 100 meters is received, we wait up to an additional 60 seconds to improve the CEP. Once a CEP of 10 meters or less is received, the position is captured and the GPS receiver turned off. Again, all four of these parameters are remotely reconfigurable for each of the 2,000 user-defined geozones.”

    The other GPS receiver parameter that is configurable as a geozone attribute is whether power is maintained on the receiver to retain satellite ephemeris data. If the position update interval for a geozone is more often than every 15 minutes, data back-up power is usually maintained on the GPS receiver and the satellite ephemeris data is retained. This provides and effective warm start for the GPS and usually results in a much quicker initial position lock, which saves overall power.

    To provide real-time asset tracking worldwide, Cubic’s Global Sentinel System relies on a variety of transmission links to communicate the positioning and status of an asset. Based on the location of the asset, the system selects whichever link is the most cost-effective for data transmission. This includes wireless mesh networking, cellular, or the ubiquitous global two-way coverage of the 66-satellite Iridium constellation. The Global Sentinel System relies on the Iridium network’s ability to eliminate blind spots when the asset is out of range of other routing methods.