Qualcomm Inc. has commercially released its new MVPc onboard computer. The device, which runs on the Windows CE operating system, is designed to interface with the company's OmniTRACS and OmniExpress mobile communications systems.
Also new, OmniExpress is a fleet-management system that Qualcomm said provides real-time, two-way communications and vehicle-position reporting. Features include automatic vehicle tracking, store-and-forward messaging, and business-specific office applications.
Features of the MVPc itself include a "simple" driver interface with touchscreen capability, support for multiple host platforms, and a software development kit that allows for customized or third-party applications.
Indeed, Qualcomm said XATA Corp. will provide key applications for use on the MVPc, including systems for automating driver logs, monitoring state-line crossings, and calculating fuel taxes.
"Combining the flexibility of the MVPc with the power of the XATA applications will allow Qualcomm to continue moving into new transportation market segments," says George Dunn, vp and general manager for U.S. and Canadian operations, Qualcomm Wireless Business Solutions.
Qualcomm also announced that XATA will offer Qualcomm's SCM (satellite communications modem) with their SmartCom application suite and the XATA Onboard information system. The company said the combination will provide an "enterprise-wide, real-time logistics management solution for private fleet and other market segments."
According to McLeod Software, its new LoadMaster Enterprise is the only dispatch management and general accounting software of its kind.
Two years in the making, and scheduled for delivery next spring, the multi-tier Java-based client/server product is described by McLeod as a "platform-independent, operating system-independent, and database independent" software offering an enterprise-wide solution for truckload carriers.
The company said LoadMaster will allow applications to run on many different computer systems without "recompiling," including the AS/400, Windows NT, Windows 98, Windows 2000 and various Unix systems.
Once completed, according to McLeod, the software will incorporate multi-language, multi-currency and multi-company capabilities. "With this new product, we will be able to better serve those international carriers interested in our software," stated company president Tom McLeod.
In a related development, Celadon Group's TruckersB2B Inc. has signed an exclusive agreement with McLeod to provide LoadMaster software as an application service provider (ASP) to its members, which consist of small and medium-sized truckload carriers.
Internet marketer FreightWise Inc. announced that several carriers are currently participating in a "controlled launch" of the company's online truckload and intermodal freight exchange. According to Greg Fox, company president and CEO, J.B. Hunt, Triple Crown, Comtrak Logistics and Schneider are among those using the service to sell available capacity. A public launch of the exchange is planned for later this year.
