Supplier showcase

Telematics Systems

Commercial vehicle telematics systems intermingle computers and wireless telecommunications technologies to perform a variety of tasks, many in real-time. Among other functions, these systems can track and monitor trucks and trailers, and allow instant communications with drivers. Here is a sampling of what is available.

Advantage PressurePro, Portman partner

Advantage PressurePro announces its partnership with Portman Securities and the integration of PressurePro's tire pressure monitoring systems with Portman Securities tracking devices. This partnership allows Portman and PressurePro to offer users a fully integrated telematics package complete with GPS tracking, personnel tracking, driving behavior reports, cargo temperature and door monitoring, route optimization, work order fulfillment, scheduled maintenance, and tire pressure monitoring.

Using GPRS and GSM/SMS messaging, the integrated systems allow users — from fleets to individuals — to monitor and track vehicles including tractor-trailers, heavy equipment, trucks, RVs, trailers, boats, generators, and containers, as well as people.

Temp monitoring label goes wireless

PakSense Inc. plans to release a wireless version of its temperature monitoring label in December 2008. The PakSense Ultra Wireless Label will enable users to wirelessly download time and temperature information and analyze data before unloading a perishable product from a container.

Ultra Wireless Labels are activated and applied to product or product packaging before shipping. At any point during distribution, the PakSense Ultra Wireless Reader can collect data from any label within a 300-foot line of sight range or approximately 60-ft. obstructed range with the touch of a button. Information from up to 15 labels can be downloaded at one time.

Time and temperature data can be examined on the screen of the Ultra Wireless Reader immediately after download, which improves reaction times and helps users make quick decisions on product quality. Detailed information from the reader, including temperature alert notifications, can then be downloaded to a PC for e-mailing and permanent storage.

Flat and about the size of a credit card, Ultra Wireless Labels are encased in waterproof foodgrade packaging. Environmentally friendly, they take up less space, have a low carbon footprint, and can be returned to PakSense for recycling. The labels can also be used to monitor cold cases in retail stores.

Additional information is available at www.paksense.com.

Coming in February: LUBRICANTS & GREASES.

To submit your company's press release for consideration in this section, please send to: Jay Russel Miller, Depts Editor — [email protected]. Or PO Box 66010, Houston TX 77266

Kenworth T2000 adds instrumentation

The Kenworth T2000 is now available with the Kenworth Driver Information Center, Kenworth GPS Navigation System, and state-of-the-art multiplex instrumentation system.

The standard Driver Information Center provides the driver with instant access to current trip data, including miles per gallon, engine and idle hours, idle percentage, and optimum rpm range for the engine. A sweet-spot indicator offers visual cues when the optimum rpm is reached, and a bar graph displays current mpg against trip average mpg.

The GPS Navigation System aids fleet and driver productivity by helping to reduce out-of-route miles. Standard with the Kenworth Diamond cab interior and optional on the Splendor cab interior, this system locates delivery addresses, multiple drop routes, Kenworth dealers, truckstops, and other points of interest.

The multiplex instrumentation system provides enhanced serviceability and reliability. Wiring behind the dash is now color-coded and numbered, and critical connections are maintained with positive locking connectors. The multiplex system is incorporated into a new dash that features large and chrome bezels. The dash has LED back-lighting in the face plate and pointers, and the dash rocker switches contain LED indicator lights. Visit www.kenworth.com for more information.

ReeferTrak offers dual-mode capability

StarTrak Systems, a subsidiary of Alanco Technologies Inc., has introduced the ReeferTrak RT6000 wireless monitoring and control system with dual-mode communications. Available for all Carrier Transicold and Thermo King transport refrigeration unit models, more than 2,000 RT6000 units currently in the field have gone through extensive testing to ensure product integrity and system reliability.

Standard capabilities of the dual-mode (satellite/cellular) RT6000 include:

• High-bandwidth cellular coupled with ubiquitous satellite network communications.

• Aggressive price point.

• Tracking using a GPS Accuracy Enhancement Protocol that allows for accuracy to the dock door.

• Refrigeration unit monitoring of all alarms, operational status, and battery condition.

• Two-way remote configuration of single- and multi-temperature multi-zone trailers, including Override Power Control (patented), allowing the reefer to be turned on and off remotely, and pre-cooling automatic scheduling capability.

• Over-the-air programming, eliminating the need for downtime to upgrade applications.

• Tractor Identification & Tractor Connection States (patent pending).

• Trip status updates, including Moving/Stationary, Loaded/Empty, and Pre-Cooling Notification.

• Fuel monitoring capability detects fuel use, rapid fuel loss, refuel events, and tracking.

• ReeferFence, an onboard geofence capability, allows users to create and remotely load 15,000 geofence points and track and manage assessorials and trailer dwell times.

Access www.alanco.com for more details.

Teletrac refining Fleet Director capabilities

Teletrac Inc., developer of the Fleet Director GPS-based commercial vehicle tracking and fleet management system, is developing several new options for Fleet Director's automated navigation product.

Real-time, fully automated, voice communicated traffic information will be available to supplement the voice prompt, real-time, speed-calibrated driving instructions. Powered by NAVTEQ Traffic, Fleet Director provides routing information based upon sources such as proprietary and government sensors, proprietary incident data, and probe data. Throughout the trip, the system then monitors traffic conditions and automatically contacts the vehicle if a better route develops due to changing traffic conditions. All route calculations are performed by Teletrac-hosted servers from which the information is downloaded to the vehicle. This configuration allows the most current map data to always be available without requiring any customer involvement.

Within the Fleet Director system, it is also possible to designate whether a vehicle is a Class 8 truck or not. When a Class 8 tractor is assigned a destination, the Fleet Director software then automatically calculates a route taking into account NAVTEQ Transport truck attributes such as height, weight, and width restrictions and preferred designated truck routes.

Access www.teletrac.net for further information.

TruckWeight offers wireless Smart Scale for vehicles with mechanical suspensions

TruckWeight Inc. has applied its Smart Scale wireless onboard scale technology to trucks, tractors, and trailers with mechanical spring suspensions. The scale is ideal for vehicles used in bulk distribution, agriculture, construction, forestry, containerized loads, heavy hauling, and other applications that use equipment with mechanical suspensions.

Smart Scale for mechanical suspensions includes three components: an axle-mounted load sensor, a low-powered radio transmitter, and a small handheld wireless receiver. The load sensor measures subtle changes in the deflection of the axle. It feeds this data to the transmitter, which relays it to the handheld receiver up to 500 feet (155 meters) away. The result is a weight calculation that's accurate to within 1% compared with a certified scale. Benefits for users of equipment with mechanical suspensions include:

• Smart Scale uses AA batteries for power and does not require electricity from a truck or tractor. Fleet managers can deploy their power units where they need them and eliminate the time and inconvenience of hooking up a tractor in order to use a scale.

• One handheld receiver can monitor both mechanical spring and air-ride sensors on the same vehicle or combination. This ability to distinguish unique vehicles is ideal for fleets that interchange equipment with air-ride and mechanical spring suspensions.

• Smart Scale eliminates the installation expense and maintenance associated with hard-wired scales and load cells.

• The axle-load sensor can be used on a range of commercial equipment, including severe-duty trailers and railcars.

• The low-powered RF signal is intrinsically safe, and the wireless feature is especially useful for drivers who load their own vehicle and want to verify and fine-tune distribution of the payload.

More information is available at www.truckweight.com.

PeopleNet teams up with Iridium

PeopleNet has partnered with Iridium to offer satellite communications as an option alongside its wireless network. The partnership means that PeopleNet now offers truly universal coverage to fleet customers, even those operating in the most remote corners of the continent.

Iridium satellite communications, through PeopleNet, will be available on a dual-mode basis on installed vehicles. PeopleNet's onboard system will communicate over its wireless network where provided, but switch to Iridium mobile satellite services where it is not. The system will always choose the least-cost option, and the change will be seamless, automatic, and imperceptible to the driver.

Fleet managers will be able to select what kinds of data can or cannot be transmitted by satellite. Location reports and dispatch-related messages might be allowed while training videos and personal e-mail could be held, for example. Held content would be delivered when trucks return to wireless coverage. The Iridium option can be deployed across a fleet or installed on individual units within a PeopleNet fleet.

The Iridium constellation consists of 66 low-earth orbiting (LEO), cross-linked satellites operating as a fully meshed network and supported by multiple in-orbit spares. Iridium provides data communications service that does not suffer from the latency of other LEO satellite providers. Latency describes the lag time between the time a message is sent at one end and the time it is received at the other.

Prophesy integrates with TransCore

Prophesy Dispatch and TrackerSeries mobile communications systems now work in tandem with the TransCore GlobalWave satellite trailer tracking device. Prophesy has teamed up with TransCore to deliver this new functionality to broaden mobile technology options for users.

Prophesy Dispatch automatically imports GPS data from the GlobalWave devices and updates the trailer data throughout the system. This results in greater accuracy and reliability when managing and assigning trailers on loads. In addition, users are allowed to view data about a trailer such as its current geographical location and length of time at that location. Several reports are available to display and print this data.

Trailer data can also be viewed at the Prophesy Tracker website using any PC with an Internet connection. The Prophesy Tracker website contains a host of reports and maps that allow you to maintain complete visibility over a trailer's activity.

On the road, the GlobalWave hardware easily attaches to the surface of a trailer using a self-adhesive mounting system. Once attached, the device is virtually maintenance-free.

Access www.transcore.com for more information.

StarTrak integrates PLC4TRUCK system

StarTrak Systems, a subsidiary of Alanco Technologies Inc., has integrated its ReeferTrak system with the PLC4TRUCK's tractor identification system from Hegemon Electronics.

Integration allows ReeferTrak to automatically report, via wireless communications, the unique identification number of the tractor when the refrigerated trailer is connected to it. This guarantees that the assigned tractor is picking up the correct trailer automatically, thus eliminating driver intervention and possible error.

Within ReeferTrak, the function permits significant improvement in trailer utilization and efficiency for refrigerated operators that frequently drop trailers to be loaded or unloaded.

The PLC4TRUCKS unit transmits a unique, programmable, digital ID number at customer-specified intervals. This signal is transmitted between the tractor and the trailer using the existing seven-pin wiring harness as the pathway. The signal is read by ReeferTrak, which records the connection between tractor and trailer. This connection is then included as part of the wireless data transmission from the trailer.

Access www.alanco.com or www.hegemonelectronics.com for further details.