ECCO Group - Vice President of Sales & Marketing Retires

The retirement of Mike Scoll, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for the ECCO Group was announced recently at a company meeting.

Mike joined the company in 1998 as an OEM Sales Manager and in 2002 was named Director of Sales and Marketing – Aftermarket before taking on his current responsibilities in 2006. Prior to joining ECCO, Mike was the founder of Pacific West Coast Sales in Seattle, WA. For fourteen years prior, he was the General Sales and Marketing Manager at Target Tech in Kent, WA where he was a pioneer of establishing the strobe light as a primary warning device for commercial vehicles.

Making the announcement, Chris Marshall - CEO of ECCO Group said ‘After a distinguished and successful career at ECCO Group it is with mixed emotions that I announce that Mike Scoll will retire on the 31st December this year. Having known Mike for ten years we have formed a close friendship and great working relationship and I have come to appreciate the huge wealth of knowledge and experience he has brought to his role’

Mike added ‘I am looking forward to new challenges but will miss all of the friends and customers I have made during my tenure at ECCO. The Group has some aggressive plans for 2011 and beyond that will bolster their position as world market leader in amber safety products. I will be rooting for their success.’

Current ECCO Group President & Chief Operating Officer, Chris Thompson will take over from Mike, assuming the role of Vice President of Sales & Marketing in 2011.

U.S. BANK TO PROVIDE FLEET CARD SERVICES FOR PRONTO STOP CARD

MINNEAPOLIS and GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. (Nov. 23, 2010) –U.S. Bank Voyager Fleet Systems, a provider of universal fleet fueling and maintenance cards, has entered into a fleet card referral agreement with 1st Stop stores, a division of Colorado-based Pester Marketing. Under terms of the agreement, U.S. Bank will provide invoicing, payment processing and debt collection for 1st Stop’s Pronto Stop branded fleet fueling card.

In becoming a referral partner, 1st Stop joins U.S. Bank’s nationwide network of providers offering efficient and controlled ways to purchase fuel and maintenance services. Pronto Stop fleet cards can now be used at any of 230,000 Voyager fuel and maintenance locations across the United States, in addition to the 51-store chain of 1st Stops in Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska.

“By co-branding with U.S. Bank Voyager Fleet Systems, we’ve expanded the reach of the Pronto Stop card and made it more valuable to our customers,” said Pester President and Chief Operating Officer Rich Spresser. “We’ve also assured ourselves of high quality and reliable back office services from U.S. Bank, while freeing our own team to focus on sales and customer relationships. This is good news for 1st Stop and its Pronto Stop card users.”

Added Jeff Rankin, senior sales and marketing officer for U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems, “The services U.S. Bank offers through its Voyager Fleet Systems referral program proved to be a perfect match for what the Pester Marketing leadership team was seeking. We look forward to helping them take their product and service offering to a new level.”

Noted Automotive Author/Journalist Ken Gross Named Guest Curator of ‘LeMay – America’s Car Museum’

TACOMA, Wash. (Nov. 22, 2010) – David Madeira intends to do things differently at LeMay – America’s Car Museum, an interactive auto showcase set for a fall 2011 opening in Tacoma, Wash. Madeira, the museum’s president/CEO, announced today that instead of hiring just one person to manage the facility’s collections, there will be a series of guest curators “telling the story of the automobile in a fun, refreshing way.” And the first guest curator will be award-winning author and journalist Ken Gross.

“We want to avoid being a staid, stodgy museum and one way to avoid this is to break from the traditional curator structure,” says Madeira. “America’s Car Museum will be all about storytelling, and a writer and auto aficionado like Ken Gross is the logical person to help us begin this approach.  His passion, appreciation and knowledge about the 100-plus year history of cars are unrivaled, and he has significant experience working with other museums.

Gross, a 38-year automotive journalist whose work regularly appears in Playboy, The Robb Report, AutoWeek and dozens of other publications, has also curated exhibits for several fine art museums, including the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and the Phoenix Art Museum, as well as for the Saratoga Automobile Museum and the Petersen Automotive Museum.

“I’m very familiar with the challenges of starting and operating a successful museum,” said Gross. “As the old saying goes, ‘you only have one chance to make a good first impression.’ It’s important that the initial exhibit clearly shows the museum’s capabilities and serves as an attraction that will ensure audiences return over and over to see what will follow.”

America’s Car Museum, located 30 miles south of Seattle, was founded by Harold and Nancy LeMay, who amassed the largest privately owned collection of automobiles, motorcycles and trucks in the world – reaching a peak of 3,500 vehicles in the 1990s. The LeMays ultimately decided the public should have access to their collection, which served as the impetus for the 165,000-sq.-ft., $60-million museum project. It will feature a 3.5-acre show field, theatre, gift shop, banquet center and cafe, an educational center/library and rotating, interactive exhibits through multiple galleries using cars, music, film and photos.

Gross said he was attracted to the project because “it’s ambitious and won’t be just another car museum. The scope and sheer scale of the LeMay effort is very intriguing. This institution dwarfs its peers in size, so it’s important that the first exhibits reach beyond anything ever done for an automotive museum. America’s love affair with the automobile shows no sign of abating and America’s Car Museum celebrates this passion.  We’ll ensure it’s a happening every car enthusiast will want to see.

“At the same time, we also have to attract the general public. A woman once wrote in the Petersen Museum guest book, ‘my husband had to drag me here, and then he had to drag me out.’ I took that as a mantra. We will build on that indefinable connection that nearly everyone has with the automobile, and present it in a fascinating way.”

Let the storytelling begin….

William E. Smidl Joins Byrne Transportation As Vice President of Sales

WARRENVILLE, IL, November 19, 2010 –  Byrne Transportation Services, LLC, a family-owned truck transportation broker, named William E. Smidl Vice President of Sales.

During more than 20 years in transportation industry sales and sales management, Smidl and his teams presented customer solutions that consistently resulted in double digit sales growth. 

Before joining Byrne Transportation, Smidl served as national account manager with Roadrunner Transportation Services in Cudahy, WI and sales manager with Old Dominion Freight Lines in Chicago and Des Plaines, IL. 

“Bill is one of the national leaders in the transportation sales field,” says John Byrne, vice president and chief operating officer. “His background in the negotiation of multimodal carrier pricing and third party operating agreements will prove of great value not only to us, but to our valued customers. We are thrilled to bring Bill’s experience and character to our organization.”

A graduate of Jordan College in Detroit, Smidl resides in Elgin, IL.

As an independent non-asset owning freight brokerage, Byrne Transportation provides customers with a range of transportation choices vetted by experience and solid relationships with some of the country’s largest supply chain and freight customers and service providers. Byrne is: General Services Administration (GSA) approved; Veteran’s Administration (VA) approved; Department of Defense (DOD) approved; and Global Transportation Network (GTN) qualified under the Surface Distribution and Deployment Center (SDDC) program).

THE POLICE CAR LEADER FOR 15 YEARS, FORD’S ALL-NEW POLICE INTERCEPTORS DELIVER AT PUBLIC TESTING

Los Angeles, Nov. 18, 2010 – Ford, the maker of the most popular police vehicle in America, continued its leadership position this week, recording the fastest lap time of any police car with its all-new Police Interceptor sedan in testing by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. The results achieved by the next-generation Police Interceptors are proof points that Ford has engineered purpose-built and durable vehicles for the law enforcement community.

Ford’s Police Interceptor AWD sedan, equipped with the 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engine, delivered an impressive 0-60 mph test of 5.8 seconds and the fastest lap time – trumping all V8 competition from Chevrolet and Dodge. Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 is a twin-turbocharged, direct-injection engine that will deliver at least 365 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque across a broad rpm range.

“These are purpose-built vehicles that we have developed with the support of police agencies across the U.S. and Canada,” said Kevin Koswick, director of Ford’s North American Fleet Operations. “As the leader in police vehicles 15 years running, Ford is committed to remaining the nation’s largest provider of police vehicles. We’re offering law enforcement officials a portfolio of products that are purpose-built and deliver on our commitment of providing the safety, technology, durability and performance they need to excel at their jobs.”

Equally impressive, Ford’s base 3.5-liter V6 Ti-VCT Police Interceptor sedan with AWD showcased stellar handling and performance, beating all V6 competitors in braking, acceleration and lap times. The combination of 280 horsepower with twin-injected variable cam timing technology, six-speed transmission and unique pursuit suspension tuning and calibration delivered the goods.

For the first time ever, Ford has a Police Interceptor utility vehicle equipped with a 3.7-liter V6 Ti-VCT engine and all-wheel-drive technology. When tested with a 400-pound loaded cargo box, the Police Interceptor utility posted the fastest lap time, beating the Chevrolet Tahoe by more than two seconds. These results achieved Ford’s target of delivering a pursuit-rated utility that matches the performance and handling of the V6 Police Interceptor sedan.

Ford’s new portfolio of Police Interceptors provides departments the ability to select the vehicle that best meets their needs. Agencies can now select from a combination of two bodystyles, AWD or FWD, and multiple powertrains delivering at least 20 percent more fuel efficiency than the 4.6-liter single-overhead-cam (SOHC) V8 offered in the current Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. Both Ford Police Interceptors debut after production of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor ends at the end of 2011. 

C.J. Driscoll & Associates Releases In-Depth Study of the Latin American GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems Market

PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif., Dec. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- C.J. Driscoll & Associates, a leading supplier of market research and consulting services for the GPS and telematics industries, has released the 2010-11 Latin American Vehicle Tracking Systems Market Study. This comprehensive study provides in-depth information on the market for GPS fleet management and consumer stolen vehicle recovery and telematics solutions in each Latin American country. The study concludes that today over four million Latin American vehicles are equipped with a subscription-based tracking solution. By 2014, the Latin American market will expand to nearly nine million units in service and annual hardware and service revenues will grow to nearly US $3 billion.

This new report analyzes the CONTRAN 245 regulations in Brazil, which will require every new vehicle sold in Brazil to be equipped with a GPS tracking system. The report identifies the Brazilian and overseas suppliers that are in the best position to benefit from CONTRAN 245, which is expected to make Brazil one of the world's largest markets for GPS tracking solutions by 2011. The report also analyzes the status of similar government initiatives in Mexico and profiles over 50 Mexican suppliers of GPS fleet tracking and consumer telematics solutions.

The 252-page 2010-11 Latin American Vehicle Tracking Systems Market Study provides in-depth information on the GPS fleet management and consumer stolen vehicle recovery and telematics markets in each South American country, as well as Central America and Mexico. For each country, the report includes an overview, as well as data on the addressable market size, market penetration and trends, and projected market growth. In addition, profiles of major suppliers of fleet and consumer vehicle tracking solutions are provided, including target markets, key features, estimated installed base, and available hardware and service pricing.

Since 1993, C.J. Driscoll & Associates has provided strategic and marketing consulting and research services, with emphasis on commercial and consumer telematics and location-based products and services. The company's Mobile Resource Management Systems Market Study is widely regarded as the benchmark report covering the status, growth, and leading suppliers in the U.S. fleet and asset tracking market.

5 Ways Fleet Management Can Save Money and Maximize Efficiency in 2011

By working with customers to maximize fleet efficiency and determine areas for cost savings on their fleet management investments, GE Capital Fleet Services has identified the biggest areas of cost savings for fleet customers during the third quarter 2010, including:
1) Leasing company vehicles vs owning  fleet vehicles.  Leasing a fleet instead of owning a fleet of vehicles for use by employees can save fleet management money.
2) Optimizing replacement strategies. Determining the optimal time to cycle vehicles in fleet, given applicable costs can also save money.
3) Negotiate maintenance savings. Utilizing technology and maintenance expertise is a good way to reduce maintenance costs.
4) Company car programs versus employee/ contractor reimbursement programs.  Using company car programs over mileage reimbursement plans can also save a fleet money.
5) Determining total-cost-of-ownership to evaluate and select the best OEMs and fleet vehicles can also reduce costs.
Using technology such as  GPS fleet tracking and fleet management systems to reduce costs and increase fleet efficiency can also save fleets money.

Collective Data Releases Extended Asset Management Module

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (PRWEB) November 30, 2010 - Collective Data, Inc. a leading provider of fleet management software systems, recently released the Extended Asset Module, a product designed to help fleets manage assets beyond the fleet.

"Organizations are following a growing trend to do more with less and consolidate software systems to manage all assets," said Jason Wonase, President of Collective Data. "Our software has been used in very creative ways over the years to track different assets ranging from facilities, to generators, to notebook computers. We wanted to offer a product that would make this type of tracking more intuitive and effective."
The new module allows a fleet to track any physical asset that requires the need to track its location, life cycle costs, maintenance schedule, and much more.

"There are no limits to what the Extended Asset Module can track for you," commented Andrew Lewellyn, Sr. Sales Executive for Collective Data. "The design of the module is to allow the user to define exactly what they need to track, as well as what data they need to track on those assets. Clients can use this module to track everything from power lines, to air compressors, to HVAC units, and even building and rooms."

The Extended Asset Module is deployable in two ways. The first option is for the organization to work directly with Collective Data to configure the software to accommodate the exact asset tracking required. If the organization has an IT department or tech-savvy user, an alternate option gives them the ability to define any number of unique asset types with each collecting and managing different elements of data.

Mr. Wonase is excited about the capability that this new module offers. "Introducing this product is a milestone for Collective Data," he said. "It is just one more step in our long-term efforts of providing the most flexible and scalable fleet and equipment management software available to our clients."

About Collective Data, Inc.
Collective Data is a privately held corporation that produces fleet and equipment maintenance management software solutions deployed by over 280 public, private and commercial organizations. Collective Data also provides additional services to its customers including consulting services, custom application development and data conversion. Collective Data is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. More information about Collective Data is available at http://www.collectivedata.com.

Verizon Wireless and XATA Turnpike Solution Offers Customers Fleet Management Tools to Support CSA 2010 Compliance

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 23, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation's largest and most reliable 3G wireless network, and XATA Corporation /quotes/comstock/15*!xata/quotes/nls/xata (XATA 2.14, +0.02, +0.94%) , a leader in fleet optimization software and services, today announced that the XATA Turnpike fleet management and compliance solution is now available to Verizon Wireless enterprise customers. The new solution is designed to help companies better comply with Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010), a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative designed to reduce commercial motor vehicle-related accidents.

"This is a critical software update," said Benigno Gonzalez, vice president - enterprise operations for Verizon Wireless. "With XATA's CSA 2010 fleet management and compliance tools now available on the nation's most reliable wireless network, customers will have the driver and fleet information they need to help keep their employees safe."

Verizon Wireless enterprise customers can easily access XATA Turnpike's compliance tools, which include:

• Electronic Logs - help prevent hours-of-service violations
• Electronic Inspections - facilitate the prevention of vehicle-maintenance violations
• Speed Management - provide insight into driver speed versus posted speed-by-road
• CSA Risk Scorecards - allow for better management of overall driver performance
• Driving Behavior Alerts - help to better prevent out-of-service violations 

The solution is compatible with a selection of devices, including some BlackBerry(R) smartphones. XATA Turnpike was identified by the FMCSA in early 2010 as the lowest-cost electronic on-board recorder (EOBR) solution. XATA Turnpike also offers a flexible platform, enabling fleets to integrate data with the third-party applications they are already using to manage their ongoing operations.

"The impact of CSA 2010 on a fleet's operations is enormous, so companies and drivers need to be well prepared," said Christian Schenk, vice president, product marketing, XATA Corporation. "With XATA Turnpike, Verizon Wireless customers will benefit from our industry and product expertise to help ensure CSA 2010 compliance and to better manage their trucks and drivers."

Verizon offers wireless and wireline products and services that provide small businesses, enterprise and government customers in a variety of industries with the networking capabilities they require to keep their organizations running at top speed, today and in the future. For more information about Verizon products and services designed for businesses, visit www.verizonwireless.com/business.

MaintStar Provides Organizations with a Full-Featured Fleet Management Software Solution

Nov 23, 2010 – MaintStar offers the fleet-management industry a comprehensive fleet management software solution. The company's Fleet and Vehicle Maintenance Management System is capable of assisting professionals regardless of the size of the fleet being managed.

The MaintStar System was designed for full integration with a wide range of devices and systems, including bar-coding equipment, Automated Fuel Management Systems, in-house financial systems and Motor Pool Reservation Systems.

The system incorporates a powerful Work Order Calendar that can help save significant amounts of time on Preventative Maintenance tasks and manufacturer recalls. Users can be alerted to repeatable failures, warranty timeframes and other such required services thanks to the Automatic Flagging feature of this software system.

The MaintStar system also offers comprehensive reporting capabilities. It can be used to generate user-defined reports that incorporate variable cost per mile, fleet depreciation and utilization, uptime reports and other such key information. Remote wireless capabilities for real-time field operations can also be integrated, providing the main office with valuable data in terms of location, and status of the vehicles.

MaintStar can also forecast parts usage that links to individual order modules for automated parts reordering, and can also perform online budget tracking on a year-to-date and month-to-date basis.

To learn more about MaintStar’s powerful fleet management software solution, the MaintStar Fleet and Vehicle Maintenance Management System, please call 949-458-7560 or visit http://www.maintstar.com.

TomTom Teams with Tracker Management to Help Towing Fleet Operators

Nov 22, 2010 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- TomTom and Tracker Management Systems said they are partnering to help towing fleet operators improve efficiency, reduce costs and increase control of drivers and equipment.

The companies said the integration of TomTom Worksmart fleet management solutions and Tracker Management Systems' dispatch software enables live driver location updates and more accurate arrival time estimates for the towing industry.

According to a release, TomTom Worksmart fleet management solutions integrate navigation, dispatch and tracking through a combination of hardware, software and maps. Tracker Management Systems provides software, computer and wireless communication systems technology to fleet industry business owners, primarily engaged in towing and recovery.

"TomTom and Tracker Management are solving the perennial problem for towing companies of matching customers to the closest drivers and getting those trucks routed quickly to the right locations," said Michael Geffroy, vice president, TomTom Business Solutions.

"Tracker not only provides the customer with an accurate arrival time, but we can also provide an update if anything changes while the driver is en route," said Jim Weaver, president, Tracker Management Systems. "Tracker picks that up from the TomTom navigation data and automatically sends a recorded phone message to the customer if the driver is going to miss the promised arrival time."

"Before we bought our TomTom/Tracker system, we had to call our drivers to find out where they were," said Joey Ross, owner, Joey Ross Towing. "Now when a customer calls, their information is plugged into the Tracker system, which shows us where the closest driver is. Tracker then sends the location to that driver's TomTom device, so it can navigate him right to the customer. TomTom and Tracker have improved our response times and cut our fuel costs by 15 percent."

TomTom N.V. is a provider of location and navigation solutions.

Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Tracker is a privately held company that provides software solutions, hardware, training, consulting and helpdesk as well as GPS and location-enhanced wireless Internet solutions for mobile resource management.

More information:
www.TomTom.com
www.trackermanagement.com

UPS Logistics Technologies to Be Acquired by Thoma Bravo

ATLANTA & SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 19, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- UPS /quotes/comstock/13*!ups/quotes/nls/ups (UPS 71.52, +1.39, +1.98%) today announced an agreement to sell its UPS Logistics Technologies unit to Thoma Bravo, LLC, a leading private equity investment firm.
Financial details were not disclosed.

UPS Logistics Technologies, headquartered in Baltimore, employs about 145 people to create high-tech transportation routing and fleet management systems. More than 200,000 vehicles are managed through 3,300 installations worldwide representing a variety of industries. Specific transportation management applications provide street-level route plans, real-time wireless dispatch and GPS and strategic territory planning. Customers use the technology and tools for effective fuel management and driver productivity.
Len Kennedy, vice president and COO of the unit, will become the chief executive officer after the acquisition, which is expected to close by Dec. 31. When the acquisition is complete, UPS Logistics Technologies will transition its name to Roadnet Technologies, Inc. The Roadnet brand, which already identifies the company's main products, is familiar to customers, value-added resellers and vendors.

"UPS Logistics Technologies has a talented workforce that has proven its ability to develop stand-alone technologies that help companies effectively manage their own fleets," said Dave Barnes, UPS's chief information officer. "Our decision to sell is based on UPS's desire to focus on the development of technology directly tied to our own global package and freight networks and contract logistics services."

The company was founded in 1983 as Roadnet Systems Corporation and was acquired by UPS in May 1986. The sale to Thoma Bravo will in no way affect the full suite of transportation and logistics solutions offered by UPS, including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage customer supply chains.

"Thoma Bravo is excited to bring our expertise in growing application software solutions companies to Roadnet Technologies, Inc.," said Holden Spaht, principal at Thoma Bravo. "As an independent company supported by Thoma Bravo, Roadnet will be well positioned to enhance its suite of software applications for distribution and services companies."

"In partnership with the existing management team, we intend to accelerate the growth of Roadnet and strengthen the company's leadership in the transportation management solutions market," added Jeffrey Del Papa, Thoma Bravo vice president.

"With this investment, we have an unprecedented opportunity to drive our growth with market expansion and new product lines," agreed Kennedy. "There are millions of vehicles in commercial fleets where technology has yet to be applied for route management, telematics and fleet maintenance solutions."

About Thoma Bravo, LLC 
Thoma Bravo is a leading private equity investment firm that has been providing equity and strategic support to experienced management teams building growing companies for 30 years. The firm originated the concept of industry consolidation investing, which seeks to create value through the strategic use of acquisitions to accelerate business growth. Thoma Bravo applies its investment strategy across multiple industries with a particular focus on the software and services sectors. In the software industry, Thoma Bravo has completed more than 50 acquisitions across 16 platform companies with total annual earnings in excess of $1 billion. For more information on Thoma Bravo, visit www.thomabravo.com.

About UPS
UPS /quotes/comstock/13*!ups/quotes/nls/ups (UPS 71.52, +1.39, +1.98%) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at UPS.com and its corporate blog can be found at blog.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS. More information about UPS Logistics Technologies can be found at www.upslogisticstech.com.