Technology Briefs - Aug. 16 - Aug. 22
The Latest Headlines:
- Penske Offers Truck Tracking System
- MicroAnalytics Selects Mexican Distributor
- Xata Reports Third Quarter Loss of $1.2 Mln.
- Iteris: Lane-Departure System Boosts 1Q Revenue
- DHL Opens Online Trade Center
- MicroAnalytics Selects Mexican Distributor
Penske Offers Truck Tracking System
Penske Truck Leasing Co. introduced a vehicle tracking system last week to help customers locate their vehicles quickly, using the Internet.The Fleet InSite System relies on global positioning systems and cellphones to locate vehicles on demand, the company said in a statement.
Penske, which ranks No. 7 on the Transport Topics list of the 100 largest U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers, said it developed the hardware and software with Enhanced Vehicle Applications, Green Bay, Wis.
MicroAnalytics Selects Mexican Distributor
Logistics software com-pany MicroAnalytics Inc. said it selected FlotillaSoft as its new distributor in Mexico.FlotillaSoft would distribute MicroAnalytics’ truck stop routing and logistics management software, according to a statement. The truck stop software converts addresses into map coordinates to simplify finding facilities in Mexico.
The new software features a Spanish-language option, MicroAnalytics said. Transport Topics
Xata Reports Third Quarter Loss of $1.2 Mln.
Fleet management technology firm Xata Corp. said it lost $1.2 million or 16 cents per share during its fiscal third quarter ended June 30, compared with a loss of $270,000 or 2 cents per share a year earlier.Xata also said that sales increased 185% in the third quarter of 2005, compared with the same period in 2004. In addition, the company’s deferred revenue was $7.6 million, an increase of 130% from 2004.
The company counts revenue over the term of each subscription, which lasts between one and three years instead of at delivery.
Xata said net sales, or sales minus returns, for the third quarter were $4.9 million, a decrease of $200,000 from the same period a year ago. Transport Topics
Iteris: Lane-Departure System Boosts 1Q Revenue
Safety technology provider Iteris Inc. said gains in sales of its AutoVue lane-departure system used in heavy-duty trucks and passenger cars pushed overall first-quarter revenue up 6.1% to $12.1 million, compared with $11.4 million for the same period a year ago.The company said in a release that the rise in revenue was the result of a 29.4% increase in AutoVue revenues, compared with a year earlier.
Nonetheless, Iteris said it posted a net loss of $726,000 for the first quarter, compared with net income of $966,000 a year earlier, when it enjoyed a one-time gain of $949,000 from the settlement of a lawsuit.
Iteris said 43 truck fleets were evaluating the AutoVue system, which uses a windshield-mounted camera and soft-ware to monitor the front of a vehicle in relation to a road’s lane stripes. The system alerts the driver when an unintentional lane departure is made, the company said. Transport Topics
DHL Opens Online Trade Center
Express delivery and logistics company, DHL, said it has launched a new online system to help customers track and send international shipments.The site, called International Trade Center, includes information on customs rules and regulations and online applications for international trade.
The company said the web site contains information tailored to suit U.S. customers who make international shipments.
DHL is ranked No. 4 on the Transport Topics 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers. Transport Topics
