Subject: [NEXTEL-1] MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS: BEAM ME UP

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2003 17:15:19 -0400

APRIL 15, 2003

MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS: BEAM ME UP
A look at the latest wireless technologies linking headquarters and the
fleet.

By BOB DEIERLEIN

It was exactly 100 years ago that Guglielmo Marconi sent a 54-word
greeting from President Theodore Roosevelt across the ocean to
England's King Edward. Thus, the era of global wireless
communications was launched.

And while it has become "vital" in many industries, it fits trucking
operations perfectly in many areas.

Many wireless services currently used by fleets take advantage of the
Internet as a low-cost, easy-to-implement conduit for moving
information.

The basic concept is to extend the office worker's Internet access out
to the mobile worker with a wireless device, says Nextel
Communications (Reston, Va.). Benefits include tying mobile workers
directly into "an organization's specific business applications as well
as giving them access to business tools like account information,
weather, freight matching and so on.''

For example, a few carriers have turned Nextel's Web-enabled
handheld phones into low-cost wireless data collection devices for
their pick-ups. They file weight and destination information using the
phones' small screens and wireless Internet connection. The data can
then be immediately accessed by outbound load planning
applications, accounting and customer service without any additional
data-entry steps. Similarly, real-time status is available on deliveries
for every portion of the operation that can use it.

VIRTUALLY LIMITLESS

Some beverage distributors adapted this technology years ago and
are now updating. North Coast Distributing (Valpariso, Ind.), which
distributes 4.5 million cases of Miller, Coors, Pabst, Modelo and
Heinekein, is one such case.

In January 2003, it switched from text-based handhelds—simple order
takers with no sales history, pricing or discounting—to
Windows-based graphical software, Routepad, from Insight
Distribution Systems (Hunt Valley, MD) which provides full sales
history, pricing, discounting, surveys, etc.

Matt Krysinski, manager, information technology, at North Coast says,
"Now that we have a Windows device incorporated into our sales
system, we are finding our information gathering capabilities are
virtually limitless. Account-specific sales data can be transmitted to
each salesperson. Code dates can be tracked. Tracking
price-to-consumer shows sales lift and profitability as a by-product of
consumer pricing. Survey capabilities correlate sales increases in
relation to taps, displays and POS placements. And, current
handhelds can get that information to the people who can best use
it...the salesman. Above all, the need for voluminous route books can
be eliminated."

Another mobile communication system popular with beverage fleets is
Navtrak.net, a monitoring, mapping and reporting system for mobile
workforces from Navtrak (Salisbury, MD).

The company says the system increases productivity, controls
overtime, improves customer service, security and response time and
lowers operating costs.

It identifies the location of a vehicle at a particular time, along with its
speed, direction and mileage, and provides detailed reports as to its
activities. It also monitors movement and status of a vehicle over time.

McLaughlin & Moran, an Anheuser-Busch distributor in Cranston, RI,
has installed Navtrak.net on 22 vehicles. The company's traffic
manager, Charlie Armstrong, says that it helps get an honest day's
work for an honest day's pay. One way is to get savings on overtime; it
brings it to a driver' attention if he is taking too much time on extra
breaks. The system also directs a lost driver to the next stop,
improving customer service. It is also used for fuel tax reporting,
providing good mileage reports.

It helps insurance issues too. Navtrak recently helped the company
prove that one of its drivers was not near the scene of an accident he
was accused of.

Another fleet using mobile communications technology is San
Diego-based Stone Brewing Co., a company that brews and
distributes its own beers, as well as other microbeers (Stone Pale Ale
is its flagship brew). It has eight distribution trucks using Teletrac's
(Garden Grove, CA) FleetDirector, a wireless tracking system that
allows fleet managers to track movement of their trucks and view their
location in real-time over maps on their computer screens 24 hours a
day.

Stone Brewing has used FleetDirector for over a year. Previously it
relied entirely on two-way radios to keep in touch with drivers. This
voice-only system led to abuses, long lunches, naps on the way
home, etc. Now managers can view the location of their vehicles at any
given moment.

Skip Koellhoffer, distribution manager, says, "This serves as a great
deterrent to lax behavior, allowing us to greatly increase driver
productivity by being able to comprehensively gauge efficiency,
ensuring drivers are meeting productivity goals."

The system also enhances route efficiency. At a glance, Stone can see
whether a driver is adhering to a pre-scheduled route as well as how
much time he's taking between stops, and at each stop. If the fleet
manager notices a driver veering off his prescribed route or is lost, he
can radio him to the correct route preventing wasted time.

Says Koellhoffer: "We also use the system's reporting capabilities
which allows fleet managers to retrieve information on a number of
aspects of the fleet's performance, including start of day, end of day,
job duration, travel and stationary time. All of this information is
automatically archived in the system, so retrieving archived reports can
solve any questions on driver or vehicle history."

Customer service is also improved. If a customer requests a product,
the fleet manager can locate the closest vehicle to customers and
direct them to make a stop. If a vehicle runs out of product, a nearby
vehicle with that product can be located instantly. Customers also can
be informed of a truck's ETA.

Overall, driver reaction to the technology at Stone has been favorable.
Conscientious employees get recognized, while lax drivers get
weeded out.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

Here are some additional mobile communications products available:

MobileMax, from Aether Systems (Owings Mills, MD), is a multi-mode
wireless system which automatically switches between land-based
and satellite communications networks to provide lowest-cost
communications with complete coverage as its sends and receives
data, messages and location information.

With a feature called 'geofencing' added, automatic alerts are triggered
by truck movements. Proximity Alert offers automatic notification in
real-time when trucks equipped with the MobileMax multi-mode
wireless communications system enter or leave defined locations.
Aether Systems says its new geofencing option also can alert fleet
managers if a vehicle is detained at any location beyond a specified
period.

Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems (Troy, MI) recently introduced
its gateway communications capability, called InfoLink, developed to
complement its existing ABS products. InfoLink allows communication
between tractor and trailer, as well as third-party telematic devices
such as computers and cellular phones.

InfoLink is the result of exclusive electronics control unit (ECU)
software that utilizes special addresses to allow data to be transferred
through the tractor/trailer gateway via existing ABS data links. The fleet
communication requirements determine which parameters are set at
the time of vehicle build.

The tractor ECU enables the actual gateway function, while the ECU
provides the monitoring and control capabilities. Enhanced Easy-Stop
ABS allows for the monitoring or control of up to five functions. It is also
compatible with emerging technologies for additional fleet
communication requirements.

Michelin Americas Truck Tires (Greenville, SC) introduced its eTire
System, an integrated electronic monitoring program for truck tires.

The eTire System uses a specially developed InTire sensor (mounted
inside the sidewall) to wirelessly transmit air pressure that is
compensated for cold-temperature equivalency, as well as wheel
position and other maintenance information, using either a dedicated
handheld or permanently installed driveby reader.

Special BIB TRACK software reports the data in various formats over
an Internet server. The InTire sensor can be attached to any brand of
tire, allowing a fleet to monitor and track tires whether Michelin
customers or not.

The information collected can be accessed and tracked instantly via
the Internet. The sensors were designed to last the life of a tire,
including several retreading cycles, but can be removed and switched
to a new tire.

The most important aspect of the eTire System is the benefit for fleets.
Crucial information with real-time updates allows fleet managers to
spot problems early, minimizing downtime and costs.

Pricing will ultimately be up to Michelin dealers, but the, "total cost per
unit" should come in under $30.

Cadec Corp. (Londonderry, NH) is providing the TempTracker
temperature monitoring and reporting device used in trailers. With the
ability to monitor wirelessly up to three separate locations within a
trailer, TempTracker will aid refrigerated and frozen food haulers in
transporting perishable products at the appropriate temperature. It
also will supply the necessary documentation to certify the product
was kept at a temperature required to meet compliance standards.

Used with Cadec's Mobius TTS onboard mobile logistics
management system, TempTracker will audibly and visually warn the
driver if the temperature in the trailer does not meet predetermined
standards set by management. An alert sounding before the
temperature reaches an unsafe level lets drivers react quickly and
proactively.

New reports included with TempTracker can display temperature
discrepancies by date, vehicle, pickups, account delays, drive starts
and hooks. BW

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