An e-commerce venture aimed at the $50-billion market for new and used trucks and trailers made its debut at the Mid-America Trucking Show. TruckCenter.com is a collaborative effort between Associates First Capital Corp., a $95-billion leasing and financial services provider to the trucking industry, and Entrade Inc., a builder of Internet marketplaces.
Through this new online venture, multiple buyers and sellers will be able to conduct fixed price, open bid, and auction sales over the Internet. Buyers can also find immediate online financing, insurance, warranty, and other services at the site.
TruckCenter.com would like to provide what it calls a "one-stop shop" for all things truck-related, including maintenance contracts and other third-party services. A variety of suppliers are providing inventory to the site, including Ryder, Ruan Leasing Co., VehiCare, Volvo Trucks North America, Penske Truck Leasing, and HD America.
With an initial inventory of 8,000 trucks and trailers, the site went online in mid-April. Inventory is expected to climb to 20,000 over the next several months.
Subscribers to The CreditExchange (TCE) can now access collected accounts receivable information for freight forwarders and carriers through the company's Web site (www.creditexchange.com).
HELP Inc. and NORPASS, the two non-profit, public-private partnerships offering transponder-based, pre-clearance services to motor carriers, have agreed to work more closely together. Each group uses the same type of transponder, but has a different business model for collecting money from its members and creating the necessary infrastructure. Under the agreement, HELP will allow qualified NORPASS-affiliated carriers to have their trucks' transponders read as they approach inspection sites in the 16 states in HELP's Pre-Pass weigh-station bypass network. The two also plan to discuss using the HELP transponder at NORPASS inspection sites in seven states.
Chris Wolf has been promoted to senior vp and general manager of Qualcomm Wireless Business Solutions (QWBS), replacing Phil White. Wolfe joined Qualcomm in 1993, and most recently had been serving as vp and general manager of domestic business.
