THE TRANSPORT Canada web site, www.tc.gc.ca, is gearing up to make the new Clear Language Regulations available on the Internet, according to information currently on the site. The changes are in an amendment to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Regulations.
As soon as the regulations are published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, the features will be posted on the web site. The regulations are expected to be published by the end of May, according to Renee Major, Dangerous Goods Newsletter editor. The regulations become mandatory one year after publication.
In addition to an HTML version of the new regulations, a zipped MS Word file will also be available on the web site. A searchable list of dangerous goods, Schedule I, will be in a database format and allow searching by shipping name and United Nations (UN) number. In addition, a sophisticated search feature will be available for the complete text of the new regulations.
An interpretations file will be maintained, which will be a listing of questions and answers, developed as people submit questions to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Directorate in Ottawa, to regional offices, or to dangerous goods inspectors. If that proves successful, the file will act as a source of answers as well as a collection of precedents. The file will be available for consultation using simple or complex searches over the Web.
For now, Friday Postings continue to make draft regulations available.
www.qualcomm.com
Qualcomm Buys FleetAdvisor
Qualcomm Wireless Business Solutions and Eaton Corp have announced that Qualcomm has purchased the assets of Eaton's Trucking Information Services business unit, including FleetAdvisor, a transportation logistics management system. The purchase price included an undisclosed cash payment plus compensation based on FleetAdvisor software sales as well as OmniTRACS systems sales facilitated by Eaton.
Under terms of this agreement, Qualcomm has hired about 40 Eaton employees responsible for system development and customer support.
The FleetAdvisor system includes hardware and software elements, including a set of applications to be offered to new and existing customers on Qualcomm's MVPc in-vehicle computer for automated driver logs, state fuel tax calculation, work order management, driver and vehicle productivity, and customer service. The MVPc is a Windows CE-based platform that runs custom or third-party applications and is an optional driver interface to Qualcomm's fleet management solutions.
www.international.hookup.com
Hookup.com to Help Market Used Trucks
International Truck and Engine Corp's Used Truck Division has signed an agreement with hookup.com — an online truck, trailer, and equipment marketplace offering 24/7 auctions and marketing — to develop and maintain an e-commerce site to help market a portion of International's used trucks online.
As a part of the agreement, hookup.com has developed an online storefront at www.international.hookup.com to market a group of 1995 GMC TopKick vans to retail and wholesale markets. In addition, hookup.com has listed the equipment in its online auctions and assisted in marketing efforts with existing advertising and marketing channels.
Buyers can view the TopKick vans from all angles with a 360-degree Spin Cam showing both interior and exterior views. Specifications can be viewed on both dock-height and low-pro vans. Cat and System One warranty purchase options, coupon incentives, and financing incentive packages are available.
For more details, visit the web site; phone Jim Clarke at 312-836-3260 or e-mail [email protected]; or phone Leslie White at 800-241-6195 or e-mail [email protected].
www.mile.com
Prophesy Integrates Programs
Prophesy now lets small and midsize trucking companies integrate the Prophesy Dispatch program, with QuickBooks. The Dispatch/QuickBooks interface enables the automated flow of accounting data from Dispatch to QuickBooks. Financial transactions that are imported are automatically assigned to the appropriate QuickBooks accounts.
The interface also supports the importing of various non-transactional data into QuickBooks. Thus, the two systems are in sync with master information such as customers, vendors, employees, and revenue and payment types. These capabilities automate data flow between Dispatch and QuickBooks, eliminating duplicate data entry, improving productivity, and ensuring accuracy of information shared between the two systems.
www.tmwsystems.com
TMW, SST Form Alliance
TMW Systems Inc has formed an alliance with Guangdong South Satellite Telecommunications Service Co (SST) to market and sell the PowerSuite operations management software system throughout China. The alliance lets SST provide total logistics and transportation management throughout China.
Immediately after the alliance agreement, the two firms announced their first sale of a PowerSuite license agreement to Sinotrans. This firm specializes in foreign trade transportation for both cross-border and regional trucking via land (road and rail), air, and water. Founded in 1950, Sinotrans owns more than 170 trucking companies operating about 6,000 power units. Training and implementation will be completed in first-quarter 2001.
www.peterbilt.com
Peterbilt Service Unit Locator
To help trucks needing body repair get back on the road faster, Peterbilt has introduced an online Service Unit Locator. This Internet application is designed to inventory used and rebuilt hoods, cabs, and sleeper units for sale throughout the United States and Canada.
Information and pictures of many of the units for sale are available. Pull-down menus allow users to sort and locate hoods, cabs, and sleepers by truck manufacturer, model, year, price, condition, Peterbilt dealer location, and state or province.
Inventory on the site is kept up to date, with units added or removed as they become available or are sold. Peterbilt dealers provide parts and service for most leading medium- and heavy-duty truck makes, so users with a truck other than a Peterbilt can benefit from the site.
www.atroad.com
@Road Inc Expands Messaging Capabilities
@Road Inc has new messaging services designed to complement its mobile resource management solution, FleetASAP, which offers location to within 30 meters, monitoring, messaging, reporting, and scheduling capabilities for fleets. The new offering includes:
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Messaging Basic: Enables two-way, free-text messaging between dispatcher and driver, as well as the ability to select pre-programmed, user-defined messages. Messaging Basic also features the ability to generate online and/or downloadable reports of outbound and inbound messages.
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Messaging Plus: Includes all features of Messaging Basic, with the addition of user-defined forms that can be used in the field to complete and send out invoices, receipts, and order forms. Online, downloadable reporting capabilities include reports on all forms sent and received, sorted by vehicle, and work flow status reports that provide real-time status of all vehicles.
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iDT 2500 and keyboard: New Internet data terminal supports Messaging Basic and Messaging Plus, and features three serial ports for peripherals, including the optional keyboard.