Technology Briefs - April 4 - April 10
The Latest Headlines:
- N.Y. Thruway Eyes System to End Truck Idling
- UPS to End Online Document Delivery Business
- ComRoad Audit Finds Most 2001 Sales Were False
- J.B. Hunt Puts New Compliance System In Place
- Freightlist Unveils Web Payment System
- FBI Survey Finds Computer Crimes Unreported
- N.Y. to Use Low-Power FM Stations to Alert Drivers
- Alaskan Truckers Looking at Cleaner Diesel Fuel
- ENRG Opens Several New CNG Fueling Stations
- UPS to End Online Document Delivery Business
N.Y. Thruway Eyes System to End Truck Idling
The New York State Thruway Authority said it will use IdleAir Technologies Corp. to install systems that can reduce the amount of idling for long-haul truckers at rest stops, the Albany (N.Y.) Times Union reported Sunday.IdleAir's system can, for a fee, provide a trucker with heat, air conditioning, cable television, Internet connections and electricity, reducing the amount of wear on the engine.
They will be installed at two of the New York Thruway's 27 travel plazas, the article said, and may expand to others if truckers use the system.
UPS to End Online Document Delivery Business
United Parcel Service will stop providing online delivery of documents because demand for the product has not met expectations, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.The service had been introduced in 1998, but a company spokesman said the marketplace never developed the way UPS had hoped.
Based in Atlanta, UPS is ranked No. 1 in the 2000-2001 Transport Topics list of the 100 largest trucking companies in the United States. Transport Topics
ComRoad Audit Finds Most 2001 Sales Were False
German vehicle-navigation systems maker ComRoad AG said Wednesday that a special audit found that nearly all of the company's 2001 sales were falsified through a non-existent business partner, Bloomberg reported.The company also said that the wife of Bobo Schnabel, the former chief executive officer, was removed from its supervisory board. Schnabel was both fired as CEO and arrested last month for his role in alleged illegal stock market disclosure practices.
Schnabel and his wife own a 54% stake in the company, Bloomberg said. Transport Topics
J.B. Hunt Puts New Compliance System In Place
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. said Tuesday that is has begun using a new group of programs and services for the management of drug and alcohol testing and compliance-related medical billing services.The system, developed by Transplace's Fleet Services unit, allows medical review officers easier access to obtain, review and report test results, the company said. The system also consolidates the billing process and works to maintain the confidentiality of the data during all phases of the process.
Typically, a single testing event would require three bills. The new system reduces that to one, helping to insure speed and accuracy.
"We have been looking for an integrated solution for some time now and have found it in Transplace," said Greer Woodruff, vice president of safety for J.B. Hunt. "The system helps us manage over 25,000 tests annually, originating at more than 100 locations, with centralized management of the process and results." Transport Topics
(Click here for the full press release.)
Freightlist Unveils Web Payment System
Trucking companies now can obtain a Web-based electronic payment system called Epay that can debit a customer's bank account on an approved transaction and credit accounts of up to three payees simultaneously.Developed by Freightlist.com Inc., the processing system runs on truck computers and drivers' invoices, proof of delivery documents and process payment.
Epay may also be used by shippers or third parties to create a new payment policy that includes a carrier discount. Transport Topics
(Click here for the press release.)
FBI Survey Finds Computer Crimes Unreported
An FBI survey found that most large corporations and government agencies have been attacked by computer hackers, but usually do not inform authorities, the Associated Press reported Sunday.Hackers who interfered with trucking company computers could cost them millions of dollars in lost business and security expenses.
The annual FBI survey of 503 U.S. corporations, government agencies, universities and financial and medical institutions found about 90% of respondents detected computer security breaches in the past year. However, only 34% reported these attacks. Companies said they lost at least $455 million as a result of computer crime last year.
AP said that companies have little incentive to report a computer crime and are afraid of the bad publicity it could cause. Transport Topics
N.Y. to Use Low-Power FM Stations to Alert Drivers
The New York Department of Transportation has received federal permits for 26 low-power FM stations to provide drivers with road condition reports in remote areas, the Associated Press reported Thursday.This service is expected to debut in two years and will complement AM traffic-information stations used in more populated areas. This will help truck drivers avoid delays by keeping them more informed of delays due to construction, accidents or weather.
Low-power FM stations usually cover a small radius and are allowed by the Federal Communications Commission in areas with spare frequencies. Drivers would likely be notified about where to tune in by roadside signs, AP said. Transport Topics
Alaskan Truckers Looking at Cleaner Diesel Fuel
Alaska's top environmental official said that highway diesel in that state must have ultra-low sulfur levels by 2010, the Associated Press reported April 2.The state still needs to explore how to make the rule work in rural parts of the state, Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Michele Brown told the AP.
The announcement confirms that the state will follow U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules regarding diesel emissions, the AP said. The new rules are expected to add at least 5 cents per gallon to the price of diesel, perhaps more in Alaska.
Brown told the AP problems with getting low-sulfur fuel in Arctic grade need to be solved before the rules can go into effect. Transport Topics
ENRG Opens Several New CNG Fueling Stations
ENRG, a provider of clean transportation fuels, announced April 3 that it has opened or contracted several locations on the West Coast to supply compressed natural gas.In an effort to reduce emissions, some light- and medium-duty trucks use compressed natural gas rather than diesel or gasoline for fuel.
"Opening new fueling stations, both for current customers and under new master contracts, is a core part of our strategy to grow ENRG into a nationwide enterprise," said Andrew J. Littlefair, president and chief executive officer. "We plan to continue capturing these opportunities as we extend ENRG's services for natural gas vehicle customers to more markets."
The new facilities are located in nine cities, including Seattle, San Francisco and Phoenix. Transport Topics
(Click here for the full press release.)
