Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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MAKING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS WORK FOR YOUR FLEET BY AARON HUFF pike's RouteTracker service combines DOT-approved electronic logs with GPS tracking, engine diagnostic reporting and electronic driver inspections for $35 per month. A small device captures satellite tracking and engine data from the vehicle and connects to a mobile app on devices using Bluetooth. Signing off Another example of how smartphone apps can lower IT costs is with elec- tronic proof of delivery and signature capture. PCS Software recently announced the Mobile XpressTrax iPhone interface for its dispatch and transportation man- agement software system, Express. The interface is used by drivers to automate forms. The Office City – a Redwood City, Calif.-based supplier and dis- tributor of office products – was the first JumpTech customer to migrate to this new mobile environment. "The cost per truck with Jump- Track is 80 percent less than tradition- al terminal solutions, and the turn-up time for new trucks is reduced from two weeks to just a few hours," says Jerry Carroll, chief financial officer and vice president of operations for The Office City. JumpTrack can interface with fleets' A wide range of compatible devices, wireless services and apps meet specific needs. dispatch messaging and to check calls and status updates for loads. The app includes electronic signature capture for proof of delivery and document imaging. JumpTech has been offering software to capture signatures and proof-of-de- livery information since 2003. Until last year, its customers were using industrial- grade handheld devices. With a new app released last year called JumpTrack, its proof-of-delivery system can be run in a smartphone environment. JumpTrack runs on the Apple iOS and Android plat- transportation management systems. Through this interface, delivery manifest data is pulled into the cloud and into the mobile app on each smartphone. The delivery informa- tion received by the driver is specific to his daily route. When a driver logs into the mobile app, he sees a list of planned delivery stops. After arrival, the driver verifies package count and can take a picture of any damage, as well as capture a signature from the customer directly onto the phone. The captured data is sent back to the cloud in real time and made available through integration with a TMS system or by using the Jump- Track Web portal. Many fleets always will prefer using computing platforms that are fixed to their vehicles for the added reliability and security. But considering the low cost and added flexibility of today's smartphone apps and cloud comput- ing, the tradeoffs may be worth it. AARON HUFF is Senior Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail ahuff@ ccjmagazine.com or call (801) 754-4296. INBRIEF , a provider of machine-to-machine wireless asset tracking, sensing and control systems, announced that its relationship with Sprint has produced a dual-mode CDMA/ GSM asset-tracking solution for global use. introduced Transflo Now Mobile for Android phones, a scan- ning solution designed to speed docu- ment delivery. , a provider of fuel cards and fleet-related payment systems, announced that Hess Corp. extended its current multiyear fleet services agree- ment until 2019. Fleet One will continue to be the issuer and processor of Hess' branded fleet fueling card. announced that its latest CSA Scorecards incorporate advanced Driver Essentials designed to emphasize driver impact and enable users to take full advantage of the company's Compliance Safety Accountability reporting system. , provider of Dossier fleet asset maintenance manage- ment software, named Jack Boetefuer chief executive officer after Charles Arsenault's retirement. an Internet-based logistics load board company, announced a new Web services interface designed for high-volume customers that integrates customers' systems directly into the Getloaded network. , a Dallas-based refrigerated carrier, selected Qualcomm's Mobile Computing Platform 200 to inte- grate across its fleet of about 2,000 trac- tors. COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | MARCH 2012 47