PeopleNet Introduces ‘BLU,’ New In-Cab Display Product
By Neil Abt, News Editor
This story appears in the Aug. 27 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.
HILTON HEAD, S.C. — PeopleNet unveiled an enhanced in-cab driver display product, which the company said would be available commercially at the end of the year.
“PeopleNet BLU” will incorporate most of the firm’s onboard computing and mobile communications services by early 2008. It offers multimedia capabilities and an open platform, allowing fleets to use third-party software providers or customized programs as they wish.
A handheld version of BLU is slated for launch next year with signature capture and other services.
“This is a whole new way for drivers to do business,” Brian McLaughlin, PeopleNet’s executive vice president of marketing, product and sales, said during the first day of the company’s user conference here.
During a product demonstration on Aug. 15, he added, “This system is not being built for 2007. It is built to last for five to ‘X’ years in the future.”
The in-cab BLU unit features a 7-inch diagonal color touch-screen and is being built with enough memory and processing power that “it won’t be eliminated by near-term technology,” McLaughlin said. He also said the system can be upgraded automatically with the latest program updates.
Besides the touch-screen, drivers can navigate the system with buttons or a USB (universal serial bus)-enabled or wireless keyboard. The system also has a small joystick the company said is being included more for future than current applications.
BLU also has programmable “soft” buttons, aimed at limiting driver distraction, and an optional panic button, which could be routed to a fleet’s safety manager or emergency response officials.
During the demonstration, company officials outlined several reasons why they expect BLU to be well-received by truckers.
First, drivers will be able to quickly navigate to one central area to view key performance statistics from multiple programs, such as fuel economy, average speed and dispatch information, just as fleet executives could do in the office.
Drivers also could quickly pull up a summary of hours-of-service information and then get more details for any of the prior 15 days with one additional step. PeopleNet officials said they believed this would speed roadside inspections.
Ron Konezny, PeopleNet’s chief executive officer, said BLU “will allow us to take more advantage of partnerships.”
One of the first advancements planned is the integration of mapping and text-to-voice navigation services from both Maptuit and ALK Technologies, beginning next year. McLaughlin told Transport Topics fleets could choose either service for an additional fee.
BLU’s open system allows fleets to build products onto it. PeopleNet showed how one carrier built a basic Global Positioning System map plug-in program for one of its trucks and upload it without assistance from the company’s technical staff.
They also showed how BLU’s audio and video quality could make it easy to provide training videos for drivers. Executives could then monitor the progress of drivers. Company officials said they envision the system one day being used to watch movies or surf the Internet during off-duty time.
Additional announcements made during the conference included:
• Beta testing already is under way — or planned — for remote vehicle disablement in the event a truck is stolen or is out of control, in partnership with Magtec, and for in-cab scanning and printing with Microdea. Tethered trailer tracking and tire-pressure monitoring services are also planned.
• PeopleNet’s eDriverLogs will be updated to include special Florida, Texas and California regulations, though the exact timing of that release may hinge on the outcome of the federal hours-of-service rule.
• The PerformX program will expand to include vehicle fault codes to inform fleets of potential problems with trucks on the road.
Konezny, who was promoted to CEO in July, announced that McLaughlin had been promoted to executive vice president. Konezny also said Mike Goergen had been promoted to chief financial officer.
Konezny, who has been with PeopleNet since its inception in 1994, replaced John Sarto as CEO; Sarto retains the title of chairman.
