Technology Briefs - March 25-31
The Latest Headlines:
- Ryder Outfits 5,500 Trucks with PrePass
- Mandatory ID System Set Up on St. Lawrence Seaway
- Westport Wins Grant from Canada to Develop Cleaner Engine
- Datatrac Announces Management Changes
- Mandatory ID System Set Up on St. Lawrence Seaway
Ryder Outfits 5,500 Trucks with PrePass
Ryder System Inc. said Monday it has decided to equip 5,500 of its dedicated contract carriage trucks and tractors with PrePass, allowing them to bypass weigh stations.David Bouchard, vice president of dedicated contract carriages operations, said that PrePass will allow drivers avoid long lines at weigh stations and keep their rigs on the road.
PrePass is an nationwide pre-clearance system for weight stations, that allows fleets to comply electronically with state weight, safety and credential requirements, Ryder said. Only fleet operators with proven safety records may participate in the PrePass system, according to the company’s release.
(Click here for the full press release.)
Mandatory ID System Set Up on St. Lawrence Seaway
Transportation officials from the United States and Canada have rolled out the mandatory Automatic Identification System for commercial traffic on the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Department of Transportation said Monday.The system, which used ship-to-shore, shore-to-shore and shore-to-ship data transfers to maintain safe and secure travel through the waterway, is being maintained by the DOT’s St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. and the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp.
Transponders in the system are used in conjunction with the global positioning system to allow officials to track cargo and ship movement through the St. Lawrence Seaway.
The seaway connects the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean and is a major route for manufactured goods and material to and from the industrial Midwest. Transport Topics
Westport Wins Grant from Canada to Develop Cleaner Engine
Westport Innovations Inc. said March 28 it has been awarded an $18.9 million strategic project investment from the Canadian government to develop high-performance, low-emissions engines.The grant, from Technology Partnerships Canada, was announced March 28 by Herb Dhaliwal, Canada’s minister of natural resources.
Westport Innovations, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, is a developer and manufacturer of natural gas and other low-emissions fuel-powered heavy-duty engines. Transport Topics
(Click here for the full press release.)
Datatrac Announces Management Changes
Wireless communications firm, Datatrac Corp. said March 28 that it was making a series of changes to its executive roster.The Atlanta-based company said its founder and current chief financial officer, Henry Dixon, will stop his day-to-day activities with the company, but he will retain his seat as the chairman of the company’s board.
Datatrac also said that it has appointed Steve Aninye as its chief technology officer.
Datatrac said it has formed a new product management group, which will be headed by Vice President Andy Pardue.
Datatrac is a software and wireless communications system provider specializing in services for time-sensitive delivery companies. Transport Topics
(Click here for the full press release.)
