Terion announces digital cellular features, new strategic alliances At a press conference held during the ATA convention in San Diego, Terion debuted product enhancements and introduced new acquisitions, alliances and agreements with other technology suppliers. The Florida-based company provides information solutions utilizing two-way wireless communications incorporating proprietary digital high frequency (DHF) signal processing.
Jeff Locke, Terion president and CEO, first announced the addition of digital cellular communications capability - designed to enable over-the-air software downloading and remote configuration management - to the company's DHFM Mobile Messenger and Mobile Workstation systems. The cellular communications platform, which will be offered with the Terion Journeyman driver terminal at no additional cost, according to Locke, will bring with it a number of other new features. These include one-touch emergency 911 calling and optional access to voice calling using a debit billing system. The technology will also enable wireless Internet access.
The next generation system will continue to utilize DHF communication for messages from trucks to dispatchers, and FM subcarrier communications for messages from dispatchers to trucks, Locke explained. The new Journeyman-II mmc (multimode communications) driver terminal is designed to be compatible with the Journeyman I, and is capable of being configured with various digital mode standards. It will include an integrated headset and connection jack for use in voice communications.
Along with San Diego-based Cayenta, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Titan Corp., Terion announced a strategic alliance between the two companies. As part of the agreement, Terion said it has contracted with Cayenta to develop a middleware solution to allow for the rapid and cost-effective integration of Terion's Mobile Workstation data communications system with computer-aided dispatch systems.
Earlier this fall, Terion also announced the purchase of the intellectual property for the acoustic volumetric sensor developed by RandTec, Fairfax, Va. According to Terion, the technology will be integrated into the company's FleetView trailer location and asset management system and offered as an option in a suite of trailer sensor capabilities. The new technology is designed to help enable Terion to offer cargo sensors for virtually all trailer configurations and applications.
In related announcements, Terion said that the FleetView cellular-based trailer tracking service has been expanded to include services for U.S. customers operating in Mexico, thanks to an agreement with Telcel of Mexico. The companies have agreed to cooperate in providing seamless cellular roaming for Terion FleetView customers. According to Terion, in addition to a one-time sign-up fee of $12.50 per trailer, pricing for FleetView coverage in Mexico is 25› to 40› per message, depending upon the service plan.
Go to www.terion.com for more information.
Comdata Corp. launched GoComchek.com, an Internet-based fuel price, routing and highway amenities resource. Comdata officials said the site, which will make its online debut in January 2001, will be offered free to all segments of the trucking industry. It will be linked in real-time to the company's network of over 8,000 truck stops and service centers, allowing users to access their last transacted Comchek fuel purchase price at each location.
Based on research from its fleet and merchant accounts, GoComchek.com officials said it is expected to generate thousands of daily page views from merchants, drivers, fuel managers and dispatchers.
Instructional Technologies Inc. says its TREAD-1 proprietary networked training system for truck driver students provides 32 hour-long lessons of interactive, streaming-video curriculum. The computer-based training program is based on the current Professional Truck Driver Institute-approved curriculum for basic skills.
Ottawa, Ont.-based EMS Technologies has received the first order for its new low-cost packet data SATCOM terminals from Seimac Ltd., a satellite-service provider based in Nova Scotia. According to EMS, Seimac selected the terminals as a key component of a fleet-management solution that includes the use of handheld computers.
ARINC Inc. has signed a multi-year agreement with TMI Communications under which ARINC will resell TMI's mobile-satellite communications services. ARINC says that by using TMI's packet-data service and track-and-manage service platforms, it can offer a "technically sound, economically viable text-messaging and asset-tracking service."
