Rand McNally and DriverTech Announce Major Partnership in Mobile Fleet Management

SKOKIE, Ill., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Rand McNally, with more than 70 years in the commercial transportation industry, and DriverTech, with deep roots in military-grade, in-vehicle mobile computing technology, today announced an agreement in which the companies will offer a complete fleet management solution to the long-haul trucking market.

The mobile management solution, called Rand McNally TruckPC, powered by DriverTech, utilizes Rand McNally's leading IntelliRoute® TND™ truck navigation on DriverTech's secure, industry-tested, on-board computing platform.

As part of the agreement, Rand McNally has taken an ownership stake in DriverTech.

"We are pleased to offer this leading edge solution to the commercial transportation market," said Dave Muscatel, CEO of Rand McNally.  "DriverTech's proprietary in-cab computing technology is the result of 15 years of development and a keen understanding of the commercial transportation market.  Coupled with Rand McNally's industry leading navigation and proprietary truck specific road data, TruckPC provides a comprehensive system to manage assets and optimize profitability for fleets of all sizes."

DriverTech currently has its technology embedded in more than 20,000 trucks and other commercial vehicles.  Going forward, Rand McNally and DriverTech will jointly develop products and services for the transportation and logistics markets, with Rand McNally providing exclusive sales and marketing support in this vertical.

"In Rand McNally we have chosen an industry leader that provides strong brand recognition and unsurpassed accuracy in the trucking vertical," said Mark Haslam, founder and CEO of DriverTech.  "DriverTech will continue to work with clients in the military and emergency sector while collaborating with Rand McNally on engineering and product development in the trucking sector."  

Among other things, the TruckPC system provides:

• Rand McNally's award-winning truck navigation – found in the company's IntelliRoute® TND™ truck GPS devices.  Featuring proprietary Rand McNally Truck Data, the navigation has 35% more truck routing information than other GPS units.  In addition, there are driver-oriented features such as a simplified user interface, text to speech directions, multi-stop route optimization, lane guidance, posted speed limit warnings and automatic driver assistance (ADAS).
• A comprehensive Hours of Service program, compliant with the latest FMCSA 395 guidelines.
• A flexible Windows® Embedded Standard 2009 (formerly Embedded XP) platform that supports peripheral devices such as scanners, printers, back-up cameras, and tire pressure monitoring systems.
• Established integration with leading third-party dispatch and transportation management software systems.
• Cost-saving mobile communications and automatic vehicle location capabilities. The system contains three methods of communication – via wifi, wireless, and satellite – and determines  the least-expensive method to transmit data and provide true ubiquitous coverage.
• A new workflow application that allows fleets to streamline mobile communications, track key milestones throughout the transportation process, and simplify the interaction between dispatcher and driver.
• In-cab video training and content sharing on the device that allows fleets to wirelessly send documents and training materials that drivers may access in safe, non-driving conditions.

Along with the TruckPC system, Rand McNally will also offer a high-grade scanner with advanced technology designed to optimize the size of the file to enable smaller file transmission over the air.  Rand McNally TruckPC is part of the TrueTrack® suite of fleet management products.

Rand McNally and DriverTech will be exhibiting TruckPC together at the American Trucking Association show in Phoenix October 17 – 19, booth #709.  

Demonstrations of the TruckPC are now available to interested fleets.  For more information, fleet managers should call 1-800-641-7263.

About Rand McNally – Rand McNally is the most trusted source for maps and directions, navigation, and travel content.  Rand McNally's products and services include: Interactive travel service, Tripology; America's #1 Road Atlas; navigation and mileage products for the commercial trucking market; and the leading geography-based educational resources for the classroom.  Consumers, businesses, truckers, and educators depend upon Rand McNally to help navigate today's world. www.RandMcNally.com

IntelliRoute and Rand McNally are registered trademarks and TND is a trademark of Rand McNally.

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About DriverTech – Founded in 1995, DriverTech is a leading supplier of mobile, vehicle mounted computer solutions. DriverTech's advanced Truck-PC™, EMS-PC™, DTScan™ and FleetWatcher™ products have been deployed by approximately 100  trucking,  EMS and other commercial fleets and are in use today across the United States, Canada and Mexico. DriverTech's unique tri-mode wireless communications system utilizes a "least-cost" approach to connectivity, allowing our customers to reduce their monthly connection fees while remaining in constant contact with their drivers and trucks in the field.

DriverTech is privately held. It designs and manufactures its products at its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.

SOURCE Rand McNally