According to Frost & Sullivan's North American Automatic Vehicle Location Hardware and Service Markets report, the automatic vehicle location (AVL) industry had revenues of nearly $500 million in 1999. Frost & Sullivan projects revenues to surpass $3 billion by 2007.
Economic growth and reliance on just-in-time delivery are largely responsible for the increasing number of delivery vehicles in use, which in turn expands the potential market for AVL systems.
However, though a growing market results in high demand for products, as demand is met, the need for new products will become less important. Therefore, toward the end of the forecast period, as demand for new products slows, the replacement segment should experience a significant upturn in demand and sales, the form said.
While the AVL market in the long-haul trucking industry is already well-established, there are several other segments where these solutions have just begun to penetrate. Manufacturers and providers that target these emerging segments can position themselves to take advantage of the replacement market in the future.
www.xata.com
Deere Has 31% Stake in XATA
XATA Corp has reported that John Deere Special Technologies Group, a subsidiary of Deere & Co, completed a second equity investment of $5 million in the company. This investment gives Deere a 31% stake in XATA.
A one-time charge of about $400,000 to write off XATA's Desktop Dispatch Pro (DDPro) product was recognized in its third quarter ended June 30. With the increased level of new product development expenditures, product customer test support costs, and the DDPro writeoff, XATA expects to report a loss for both its third quarter and fiscal year, although it expects to post record revenue for the fiscal year.
XATA also announced the resignation of Stephen A Lawrence as chairman of its board of directors, although he will remain as on the board as a director. XATA appointed director Richard L Bogen to succeed Lawrence as chairman. Bogen had been president and chief executive officer of UPS Logistics Group Inc.
www.qualcomm.com
Autotrac Gets 20,000th Unit
Qualcomm Inc has shipped the 20,000th OmniTRACS C-Band unit to Brazil's Autotrac Comercio e Telecomunicacoes. The satellite-based OmniTRACS mobile communications system, known as OmniSAT in Brazil, has features including real-time, two-way messaging, automatic vehicle tracking, GPS positioning, and seamless coverage in Brazil.
www.iccokc.com
www.didean.net
Firm Acquires PBB Operation
Innovative Computing Corp, Anadarko Group Inc, and their parent corporation, PBB TransIT Corp, have been acquired by PTC Acquisition Corp, a privately owned company. The buyout was led by Ernest Betancourt, president of Innovative; other members of the Innovative management team; and Zon Partners LLC of Princeton NJ.
Betancourt, president of PTC, said that as a result of the buyout, more than $3 million is now available to the company for general business purposes with additional capital available.
www.comdata.net
Comchek Comes to Canada
Comdata Corp has reached a three-year agreement with Petro-Canada to enable acceptance of Comchek cards at high-volume Petro-Canada Petro-Pass locations. This agreement will allow United States-based Comdata customers traveling in Canada to purchase fuel and oil at Petro-Canada's Petro-Pass automated fueling sites.
As part of the agreement, Petro-Canada will begin accepting Comchek cards at its highest-volume Petro-Pass locations, including those in Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Toronto.
www.prepass.com
Florida Dedicates PrePass
Florida Gov Jeb Bush has dedicated the statewide implementation of PrePass, the largest deployment of ITS commercial vehicle technology in the United States. PrePass enables qualified motor carriers to comply electronically with state weight, safety, and credential requirements at normal highway speeds. Motor carrier participation is voluntary, and carrier eligibility is subject to state safety qualification standards. Participating carriers pay a fee for each bypass.
PrePass is currently operating at 12 locations across Florida:
- North and southbound on Interstate 95 at Yulee
- North and southbound on I-95 at Flagler
- North and southbound on I-75 at White Springs
- North and southbound on I-75 at Punta Gorda
- North and southbound on I-75 at Wildwood
- East and westbound on I-4 at Plant City
Once the system is fully operational in Florida, more than one million trucks will comply electronically each year.
www.telapoint.com
Usher Plans to Use TelaFuel
TelaPoint Inc has announced that Usher Transport has selected its TelaFuel software to enhance inventory management and transportation services to its retail clients. Under a multiyear agreement with TelaPoint, Usher will use TelaFuel, a browser-based application suite, to improve management of fuel replenishment services for its convenience store and high-volume retail clients.
With TelaFuel, Usher will collect and process fuel replenishment information from client retail sites to control petroleum inventories better and to optimize transportation operations.
TelaFuel is an Internet supply chain software product that includes Smart Replenishment, Smart Selling, and Smart Buying. It helps companies realize fewer communication errors with transportation partners, lower fuel inventory and replenishment costs, and make better fuel purchasing and pricing decisions. All TelaPoint customers have secure access through browser-based software applications.
www.geocomtms.com
www.southernmdoil.com
SMO Will Use TMS Router
Southern Maryland Oil (SMO), headquartered in LaPlata MD, has entered into an agreement with GeoCom TMS of Atlanta, to use the TMS Router to optimize SMO's heating oil deliveries.
Estimates are that the TMS Router will produce a savings of up to 12% on delivery costs. The routing engine will not only optimize the sequence of the stops, but also free up most of the dispatcher's time spent on sorting tickets. The architecture of the system will allow SMO to consolidate dispatching and increase control of the process.
www.logistics.net
www.ssitechnologies.net
Logistics.com, SSI Team Up
Logistics.com Inc has announced an agreement with SSI Technologies Inc to connect SSI's Acu-trac “smart” fuel level sensor for the heavy-truck industry with Logistics.com's OptiYield Fuel&Route optimization technology, creating an end-to-end automated fuel and routing optimization service.
The service will bring real-time fuel stop and optimized routing information right into a truck's cab, allowing drivers to purchase fuel at the lowest prices from the closest and most convenient stops. Drivers view the information on the truck's existing communications and tracking system, averting the need for an in-cab Internet connection. Easy connection, combined with monthly subscription-based delivery, makes OptiYield Fuel&Route accessible and cost-effective for individual owner operators and small trucking companies.