DALLAS. Commercial availability of its vehicle inspection report (VIR) application and integration of its hours-of-service (HOS) application with TMW Systems’ Innovative IES transportation management software led the announcements by Qualcomm Inc. at TMW’s user meeting.
Looking to the near future, Norm Ellis, Qualcomm’s vp of sales, services and marketing, said the wireless services company would introduce its entry-level MCP50 onboard computer system later this year, followed by the next generation of its trailer tracking system in the first quarter of 2012 and an Android-platform HOS application by next summer.
Announced in April, VIR closes the loop on driver vehicle inspection reports, prompting drivers through the inspection process and then transferring that information to third-party software packages like TMW’s TMT Fleet Maintenance to help manage repairs. It also produces reports on unresolved defects and uninspected trucks, as well as maintains inspection report histories for 90 days.
VIR will be available for Qualcomm’s MCP110 and 200 in the fourth quarter, with availability on the MCP100 and new MCP 50 in the first quarter of 2012, according to the company.
Qualcomm’s HOS application, called QHOS, is an electronic onboard recorder application that automates driver logs. The announced integration will allow fleets running the Innovative management software to synchronize HOS data from drivers on the road with back office functions such as load planning and customer service. It will also automatically append driver logs with tractor, bill of lading and trailer information from the Innovative system.
TMW will add the QHOS integration as part of Innovative software release 9.3, which is scheduled for November, according to Qualcomm.
With a list price of $799 and a monthly service fee of $19.99, the upcoming MCP50 will offer fleets a lower-cost alternative to Qualcomm’s existing onboard wireless systems, according to Ellis. Featuring a 7-in. touchscreen, it will run the ALK CoPilot navigation application as well meet expected federal requirements for electronic drivers’ logs, but lacks features like video capabilities found on Qualcomm’s higher-end units, he said.
An Android application now under development will round out the company’s HOS offerings, giving drivers equipped with smartphones access to automated logs, Ellis told Fleet Owner. Qualcomm is also at work on iPhone and iPad versions, he added.
The T210 trailer-tracking system will feature an integrated solar panel for recharging its self-contained lithium batteries when it’s released early next year, Ellis said. The current T200 is available with a separate solar charging panel, but integration should improve durability by eliminating a connection cable and also lower the price, according to Ellis.
