Nation's Express, Inc. Selects PeopleNet's Onboard Computing and Mobile Communications System
PeopleNet Technology Enhances Dispatch Functions for Time-Sensitive Carrier
MINNEAPOLIS - Aug. 31, 2004 - PeopleNet, the leading provider of onboard computing and mobile communications systems to the nation's transportation industry, today announced that Nation's Express, Inc. has equipped its fleet with PeopleNet's tracking and mobile communications system.
Founded in 1998 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Nation's Express, Inc. provides time-sensitive transportation services including domestic and international air freight, air charter services, expedited van, straight truck and truckload ground services. The company relies on a fleet of 150 power units, evenly divided between cargo vans and straight trucks. All the units are operated by independent owner-operators.
"Whatever the customer wants to move, we find the most cost-effective way to get it there" says Danny McPherson, Vice President of Operations. "The element that unites our service offerings is the time-sensitive nature of our freight. We like to think that we provide an ambulance service for our customers."
Because of an almost obsessive focus on speed, Nation's Express depends on accurate information. The problem is that with all the different elements of its business - domestic and international air freight and expedited ground services - each service has their own unique billing requirements.
"A major problem for our business is the lack of information technology systems to tie all these diverse operating elements together," says McPherson. "We had people that knew how to do things but we were growing so fast that we outgrew our technology support."
As a result, the biggest challenge Nation's Express faces is the integration of diverse operating elements into a completely overhauled IT system. In this environment, PeopleNet offered a natural advantage - its compatibility and ease of integration with the existing system.
While McPherson admits that he is not yet tapping the full power of the PeopleNet system, the dispatching function alone more than justifies the purchase price. The PeopleNet system provides real-time visibility about the location of the Nation's fleet assets so the company dispatcher can match the best available equipment with the customer's load.
Previously, owner operators were required to call in to obtain dispatch instructions from one of the company's representatives. "The phones never stopped ringing," said McPherson. "We found ourselves not always making the best dispatch decisions because we didn't have a complete picture of where our units were and we had too many people assigning loads."
The PeopleNet system will help ensure order accuracy by feeding information directly into the corporate billing system and sending the confirmation of the pickup time and date automatically to each customer. In addition, the information is fed into the company's intranet so that customers will be able to track their loads via the internet.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, PeopleNet is the leading provider of Internet-based onboard computing and mobile communications systems to the long-haul transportation and metro-based fleet industries. The company serves carriers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information about PeopleNet, call 888-346-3486, e-mail info@peoplenetonline.com, or visit www.peoplenetonline.com.
The PeopleNet system has become the standard for GPS-based location tracking, two-way voice and data communications, and Internet-based fleet business tools to provide consistent, reliable communication between business owners, dispatchers, drivers and shippers. A key feature of the system is OTAP (over-the-air programming), which allows PeopleNet to make system upgrades without taking vehicles off the road.
