Xata Changes Name to XRS Corp.,Turns Attention to Mobile Devices
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MINNEAPOLIS — Xata Corp. announced last week it changed its name to XRS Corp. and unveiled its next-generation platform focused on mobile devices rather than hard-wired, on-board computers.
The platform also is called XRS, which stands for Xata Road Science. It will be the successor to the company’s Xata Turnpike, Xata Net and Mobile Max products.
CEO Jay Coughlan called XRS “a whole new company,” with a new name reflecting its transformation over the past two years to a mobile platform provider from a supplier of hardware-based installations.
XRS aims to lead “the mobile revolution” in the trucking industry, Coughlan said on Aug. 13 at the company’s user event here.
“This revolution is already upon us,” he told attendees, noting that about 86% of drivers are using some sort of mobile device, and 44% are using smart phones.
“The growth is ongoing; it’s not going to stop,” said Christian Schenk, vice president of marketing. “Your drivers are using these tools for their own personal use, and it’s time we make them useful for our industry.”
The XRS platform, set for broad release next spring, will work with more than 50 types of mobile devices, utilizing wireless carriers AT&T, Verizon and Sprint. XRS will run on Android and Windows Mobile operating systems, and the company said it is seeking to expand to other systems as well.
“It’s all about options,” Schenk said. “XRS is about making it easier to plug into this incredible world of Internet applications, including our own,” he said.
The XRS platform uses only a small relay device that connects with the truck’s computer and communicates with the driver’s mobile device through Bluetooth. There will be no upfront hardware costs, the company said.“We don’t think you should have to take a drill and saw and mount a big [satellite] dome on your truck and drill a hole in your cab,” said Odell Tuttle, XRS’ chief technology officer. “We think you should be able to plug it in, stick it on the dash and be done, and that’s exactly what XRS provides.”
The new platform also is designed to work with products from other technology providers, the company said.
XRS is currently being tested by more than 25 fleets, said Schenk.
One of those fleets is tank truck carrier Quality Distribution Inc., currently a Xata Turnpike user.
Now Quality Distribution is “making the next shift to a bring-your-own-device environment,” said Cliff Dixon, the company’s vice president of information technology. “I think a lot of customers are going to look to do that.”
The administrative work involved with company devices, whether they’re installed or mobile, is challenging, Dixon said. That work includes running inventory and tracking charges with wireless carriers, he said.
“Drivers now are dictating technology to us,” he said. “We’re seeing drivers who are willing to buy whatever the latest thing is right now,” instead of waiting for their contract terms to run out.
Quality Distribution, Tampa, Fla., ranks No. 38 on the Transport Topics 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.
Coughlan said XRS saw the potential of the mobile market after acquiring Turnpike Global Technologies in December 2009.
That move led to XRS’ first-generation mobility product, Xata Turnpike, which currently is used in about 50,000 trucks.
The number of Turnpike users has grown by about 30%-40% annually over the past several years, and “we think it will be even more with the [electronic onboard recorder] mandate,” Coughlan said.
Coughlan said the company has still been investing in its legacy platforms, like Xata Net, and is working with its existing customers to move them to XRS.
“When you do this kind of transformation, you can’t leave your customers behind,” he said. “Even though we’re planning on having them transition somewhere in 2013, 2014, 2015 . . . I think what you’ll see is very quickly they’ll want to get over to this new world.”
Coughlan said Turnpike users will be able to migrate easily to XRS since they’re already in the mobile world. Some Xata Net and Mobile Max customers will be able to make the switch right away, but others with complex integrations will be more of a challenge, he said.
Also during the user event, XRS announced plans to launch a new social media product for truck drivers.
Called “X Nation,” the social media tool will be a way for drivers and fleet managers and XRS staff to interact, said Schenk.
Coughlan said drivers will be able to communicate not only about XRS applications, but also where to eat or to find the cheapest fuel.
For XRS, it will also be a “giant vehicle to leverage for training and support,” he said. “You can go into this social network and ask your questions.”
