Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Mobile Workforce Tools

From: Marcelrf <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 20:35:33 -0500

Mobile Workforce Tools
Source: Fleet Equipment; Lincolnwood
Publication date: 2004-03-01
Arrival time: 2004-03-30

Wireless onboard communication continues to provide valuable, timesaving
driver and load information.

Two-way communication technology is not new to the trucking and
transportation industries. For many years, companies relied upon CBs,
pagers and the good old-fashioned telephone to communicate
business-critical information while on the road. The introduction of
satellite technology and its myriad of tools, including GPS capability,
created significant and welcome changes. These technological
advancements have allowed the transportation industry to expand
considerably, and transportation agents currently estimate that there
are 2.6 million long-haul trucks in the United States, accounting for 10
percent of highway traffic.
These numbers suggest a tall order for trucking companies that need to
manage their human and truckload assets. Tracking the mobile workforce
needn't be an operational or logistical nightmare, however. Efficient
technology can simplify details from the most mundane to those that are
critical to a business' success. An effective wireless, satellite-based
communications system will eradicate missed calls and complicated
driver/dispatcher interactions. These systems will track and maintain
human and cargo assets while increasing operational efficiencies and
opportunities for clients and customers alike, and they will place
driver and cargo safety at the forefront of a company's operations.

New federal regulations stipulate that a trucker can be on the road a
maximum of 14 hours per day. Designed to keep drivers well rested and
safe, this new regulation is creating ripples in the trucking and
transportation industry. With many drivers now spending up to half of
their allotted 14 hours waiting for loads and stopping for fuel,
trucking companies are struggling to maintain profitability under the
constraints of the regulation.

These stricter federal regulations, plus intricate communication needs
and everescalating customer demands, make success an increasingly
elusive achievement for transportation companies across the country.

One major carrier deployed QUALCOMM's OmniTRACS wireless communications
system across its fleet in the hope that it would monitor asset
utilization and streamline fleet communication. To date, results have
been impressive. With the system, the carrier wirelessly integrates
load, vehicle, driver and work status data with its back-office system,
bringing critical information to dispatchers. This same Web-based
interface allows customers to easily track the location of their
deliveries through its Web site, diminishing the number of unnecessary
calls to the dispatcher.  Operations are more efficient as a result. The
increased productivity has benefited drivers as well as the bottom line.
Due to the system's ability to streamline dispatch operations, the
carrier has increased the number of its drivers while keeping
operational costs low and productivity high.

While productivity is critical to the operational success of trucking
companies, the importance of driver safety must not be underestimated.
Ongoing, two-way communication creates a safer environment and
encourages trucker compliance to federal security regulations. Carriers
can use the system to automate driver logs and confirm state line
crossings by deploying in-vehicle computers. Constant communication with
dispatchers not only increases driver compliance with safety
regulations, but also increases their earning potential by being more
available to accept additional loads and by completing their required
miles ear lier. Safety is not limited to driver compliance, however.

Weather, truck maintenance and road conditions can all impact driver and
cargo safety. Carriers can realize great success with the system's GPS
feature, actively monitoring potential driver obstacles and suggesting
reroutes when necessary. Another benefit of the system is its automatic
maintenance of truck service records and DOT logs. The GPS feature is
connected to QUALCOMM's fully-redundant Network Management Center, which
processes more than 7 million messages daily and is available 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. The OmniTRACS system is designed to assume many of
the traditional operational burdens from trucking companies, freeing up
dispatchers to provide high-quality customer service while their drivers
deliver full inventories safely and on time.

Some cargo presents more of a challenge to transportation companies,
their staff and their customers. Specialized fleet management solutions
are available to transportation and trucking companies that carry
dangerous and high-value cargo. Drivers of high- value cargo have
additional risk, facing heightened security measures and more stringent
regulations. The safe and complete delivery of their cargo is especially
critical and often requires additional monitoring by dispatchers and
eustomers. Solutions, such s QUALCOMM's, increase load security and
reduce risk, and feature an in-cab panic button, giving drivers the
ability to send an immediate emergency notification message to alert the
dispatcher in real- time. QUALCOMM's solutions also include the ability
to share critical data with carrierauthorized third parties, such as
shippers and emergency response agencies. Federal authorities are
studying some of these technologies as a potential national standard for
the increased safety of drivers and their high-value cargo.

Many carriers have found that implementing a wireless management system
with security and maintenance features has increased safety and security
for its human and cargo assets, while shaving operational costs.

By GIynn Spangenberg

Contributing editor
Editor's note: Glynn Spangenberg is vice president and General Manager,
QUALCOMM Wireless Business Solutions.

http://cnniw.yellowbrix.com/pages/cnniw/Story.nsp?story_id=49158976&ID=cnniw&scategory=Transportation%3ACargo

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