Technology Briefs - June 19 - June 27
The Latest Headlines:
- PrePass Expands Florida E-Clearance
- Con-Way Unveils Line Haul Automation
- AT&T, AAA Sign $138 Million Contract
- Qualcomm Looks Forward to Strong 3Q
- FedEx Revamps Trade Networks Subsidiary
- UPS Integrates PayPal Services
- Bush Signs Law Delaying Wireless Auctions
- Con-Way Unveils Line Haul Automation
PrePass Expands Florida E-Clearance
PrePass e-clearance technology system announced the opening of two new sites, east and westbound on Interstate 10 in Ellaville, Fla., about 40 miles east of Tallahassee.The new sites will allow truckers to bypass Florida inspection facilities once they enroll in the e-clearance service, PrePass said in a press release.
PrePass technology is currently used at 200 locations across the U.S. by many truckers for weigh station bypass and electronic toll collection on the E-ZPass system, the company said.
Con-Way Unveils Line Haul Automation
Con-Way Transportation Services Inc. said Monday it has successfully implemented a line haul automation system, becoming the first carrier to bring the model to the less-than-truckload segment.Linehaul automation systems process large amounts of data each night and project the most efficient set of travel routes the next day, the company said.
The program has been running in Con-Way’s largest unit, Con-Way Central Express, for the past 16 months. “[The] financial returns have already covered the entire research and development of the system,” the company said.
Con-Way is a subsidiary of CNF Inc. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., CNF is ranked No. 3 on the 2000-01 Transport Topics 100 listing of the largest trucking companies in the United States. Transport Topics
(Click here for the full press release.)
AT&T, AAA Sign $138 Million Contract
AAA said Monday that it has signed a $138 million networking contract with communications giant AT&T.Under the terms of the deal, AT&T will handle communications between AAA and its 45 million members as well as making AAA services like roadside assistance and its travel services more accessible, the company said.
"We can't afford to be out of touch with our members for even a moment. That's why AT&T was the obvious choice for our communications services," said Satish Mahajan, AAA chief information officer and vice president of information services. AT&T has the reach, service, reliability and stability that we need to support our business operations." Transport Topics
(Click here for the full press release.)
Qualcomm Looks Forward to Strong 3Q
Digital wireless technology company Qualcomm Inc. said Friday it will meet or beat its expected earnings of 21 to 23 cents per share.The company also expects to ship more phone chips than it expected, as many as 16 million in its third fiscal quarter.
Qualcomm remains optimistic about its financial future as it is already seeing strong order numbers for the fourth quarter ending Sept. 29. Transport Topics
(Click here for full press release.)
FedEx Revamps Trade Networks Subsidiary
Tower Group International Inc., a subsidiary of FedEx Trade Networks, will change its name to FedEx Trade Networks Transport & Brokerage Inc., it was announced Thursday.FedEx Trade Networks will also create a new subsidiary, FedEx Trade Network Services Inc., which will simplify the international trade process for companies and employ a new set of tools called Global Trade Tools, the company said in a release.
FedEx Trade Networks is a subsidiary of FedEx Corp.
FedEx is ranked No. 2 in the 2000-01 Transport Topics 100 list of U.S. trucking companies. Transport Topics
(Click here for full press release.)
UPS Integrates PayPal Services
United Parcel Service said Tuesday it has integrated the PayPal Internet payment service on its Web site, which the company said will make online transactions easier.All shipping transactions can be done directly on PayPal’s Web site, so buyers can pay directly and sellers can receive immediate payment. Sellers can also use a virtual debit card to pay shipping charges, which UPS bills to them directly.
UPS said it hopes to see a great decrease in the number of errors in online transactions, especially in mailing addresses.
Based in Atlanta, UPS is ranked No. 1 in the 2000-01 Transport Topics 100 list of the largest U.S. trucking companies. Transport Topics
(Click here for full press release.)
Bush Signs Law Delaying Wireless Auctions
The mobile phone industry won a major victory Wednesday as President Bush signed into law a measure to indefinitely delay a pair of wireless spectrum auctions, Reuters reported.Wireless communications are used in a wide variety of trucking operations.
Without the legislation, passed by the House and Senate Tuesday, one of the auctions would have begun Thursday.
The measure will allow the sale of a narrow slice of airwaves that are sought by rural mobile telephone carriers to go forward later this summer.
t issue is a spectrum used for television channels 52 to 59 and 60 to 69, which broadcasters are supposed to give up as part of the transition to digital TV. The airwaves will be used by wireless phone companies, allowing them to offer advanced services such as high-speed wireless Internet access.
However, at the current time, broadcasters aren't required to give up the airwaves until 2007, leaving wireless carriers worried about when they can actually take control of the stations. Transport Topics
