Descartes Systems Group has expanded its Pittsburgh service center to help fleets and customs brokers meet new U.S. Customs and Border Protection requirements for electronic manifests. As of May, 2007, the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) program requires that all trucks entering the U.S. electronically file manifests before they reach the border. The expanded Descartes ACE offerings include a web-based application for submitting waybills, a fax-based document preparation service and a premier service that includes other customs compliance features. Descartes.com
The large utility contractor Michels Corp. has signed a fleet management software contract with Maximus, developer of the FleetFocus hosted fleet enterprise asset management software and fuel management systems. The contract covers Michels' 6,000 trucks and construction vehicles, as well as the materials and parts inventory needed to support them.
Averitt Express is installing the Global Locating System trailer tracking technology from SkyBitz in 4,000 trailers used in truckload service. Based on productivity and return-on-investment results with the truckload fleet, Averitt says it also plans on extending the satellite-based tracking system to its less-than-truckload and dedicated fleets.