August 15, 2000 1:45 PM, EDT

Trucking Technology Report - Aug. 15

The Trucking Technology Report and Alert are compiled by Information Inc., a supplier of news summaries for vertical markets. Information Inc., subscribes to nearly 7,000 news sources, including: major newspapers and magazines; regional, national, international, and business wire services; weekly and monthly trade journals; business periodicals; legislative sources and non-industry sources.

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Today's Technology Headlines:

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FedEx Expands Alliance With Kinko's

WorldCom Gets in on Broadband

E-tailer Outpost.com Farms Out Fulfillment to Airborne Express

Global Logistics Technologies, webMethods Form E-Commerce Transportation Partnership

Motorola Rolls Out Value-Priced Multi-Use Phone

FedEx Expands Alliance With Kinko's

Kinko's and FedEx have created an alliance to offer customers same-day and next-day delivery of printing requirements. The service should cover 80% of the U.S. population by the end of the year. The companies aim to expand the service to international markets, offering the document drop-off time at each location.

A transaction from a customer's desktop can now result in black and white copies or color transparencies that have same-day or overnight delivery. Rick Steele, president of kinkos.com, stated that the partnership will make the companies a "dominant player in the Web-based print and delivery arena." Journal of Commerce Online (08/11/00)

WorldCom Gets in on Broadband

WorldCom has asked the FCC to grant it wireless licenses to provide broadband services to residents and businesses in 61 metropolitan regions, including Dallas. The broadband service, which would cost roughly $40 per month, would use wireless frequencies for high-speed Internet access. The FCC must grant approval for the licenses before services can be offered.

If approved, WorldCom says it hopes to debut the service in the first quarter of 2001. The Dallas service would require the placement of transmitting gear on high-rise buildings in up to 16 locations in the city. Dallas Morning News Online (08/15/00); Bajaj, Vikas

E-tailer Outpost.com Farms Out Fulfillment to Airborne Express

Internet retailer Outpost.com relies on shipping company Airborne Express to handle its fulfillment operations in their entirety rather than picking and sorting order in-house and passing them on to be shipped.

The goal is to deliver customers' orders within a 24-hour period, and outsourcing all fulfillment duties to Airborne removes several hours from the process. The system is not easy, however, and it remains to be seen whether strategic partnerships such as Outpost and Airborne's can compete successfully with traditional retailers using their networks of brick-and-mortar stores to deliver Internet orders within 24 hours.

While Internet retailers offer their customers the convenience of anytime, at-home shopping, they cannot provide the instant gratification demanded by many consumers, making it all the more important to develop the most efficient fulfillment processes possible. Outpost CEO Bob Bowman says his company had three issues in mind when it was seeking a fulfillment partner: "massive focus" on the customer, speed, and cost. Since even sub-24-hour delivery times fail to deliver the instant gratification that physical stores provide, every effort is made to minimize the handicap.

For Airborne, the "dot-com challenge, at least in my mind, is forecasting [demand]," says David Uprichard, Airborne's account representative in charge of the Outpost partnership. He says Outpost met its three-year sales projections within four months and he has advised Airborne to expect 25,000 to 30,000 orders per day for at least 30 days this holiday season. Christian Science Monitor (08/07/00) P. 15; Turner, James

Global Logistics Technologies, webMethods Form E-Commerce Transportation Partnership

Global Logistics Technologies (G-Log) and webMethods have formed a partnership to provide Internet-based transportation service for shippers. The service lets users address any complications while freight is in transit. Jane Biddle, vice president of marketing at G-Log, stated that webMethods will help integrate international trade logistics. The service will allow companies to manage, reroute, merge, or divert orders as needed. G-Log provides Internet-based logistics systems and is the technology behind SupplyLinks. Journal of Commerce Online (08/10/00); Armbruster, William

Motorola Rolls Out Value-Priced Multi-Use Phone

Motorola announced Monday that it is launching a digital mobile phone with Internet access functionality. The i550plus can act as a cell phone, or text pager, or as a two-way radio. The two-way radio feature allows for instant communication with several people. The phone's microbrowser provides Internet-based access information including e-mail and stock quotes.

The device, which is being marketed to the budget conscious consumer, can also act as a wireless modem when connected to a another handheld or notebook computer. Reuters (08/15/00)

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