Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Xpedium Launches GPS Tracking Blog

Xpedium believes that a company can no longer simply develop automation that addresses the specific function of the company.  Solutions today must consider the vehicle and the driver.  CSA 2010 has made vehicle inspections a must for companies with significant fines being levied at weigh stations.  Fines that used to be warnings.   Driver logs will soon be electronic versus paper.  The problem is that the regulations guiding electronics logs are much tougher then those for the paper log process.  The goal is clear.  Eliminate the drivers ability to circumvent the system and drive longer then legally allowed.  This is easier said then done and many companies are struggling with changing regulations and regulations that are largely subject to interpretation.   There is no certification body yet companies purchasing these solutions are looking for guarantees that solutions will be accepted at weigh stations nationwide.
The costs are going up.  Without an integrated solution, companies will be giving drivers, handhelds, cell phones, navigation devices, HOS terminals, GPS tracking devices and trying to also integrate sensors for temperature monitoring and PTO activity.  Network communication fees could be doubled or even tripled depending how many devices are deployed. 
Driver training issues will increase and development and support costs will go up significantly.  It is for this reason that Xpedium is developing both hardware and software to provide a consolidated platform with a single communication point and with a primary device performing a suite of required functions.