Geofencing, the ability to use tracking or communications systems to alert carriers if a truck goes off its specified route, originally was touted for its anti-terrorism potential.

American Trucking Associations announced Monday it will host an executive summit in December in Dallas to explore strategies that maximize the payback for fleets that make investments in technological advances and data analysis.

Fleetmatics Group, a provider of Web-based fleet management services, said it has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed public offering of 8 million shares.

More than 28% of all trucks registered in the United States — 2.5 million of 8.6 million trucks — are now equipped with advanced new technology clean diesel engines, according to new data compiled by R.L. Polk and Co. for the Diesel Technology Forum.

Advances in traffic avoidance routing technology are made possible by two things: the vast amounts of data being collected and the complex algorithms that transform the growing mountains of raw data into useable information.

The balance of power has shifted in trucking’s battle against traffic, with the advent of software that can predict the location and severity of congestion problems.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that crash-avoidance technology that engages brakes in heavy-duty trucks may prevent 300 fatalities a year and yield up to $3.1 billion in economic benefit, Bloomberg News reported.

Calstart said the U.S. Army has awarded it a contract to test military-configured 12-volt lithium-ion batteries in commercial trucks.

Asset-tracking-provider Spireon Inc. said it has hired Marc Brungger as its new CEO, succeeding founder Brian Boling.