It's five o'clock on the day your company expects a crucial shipment. All Epes trucks have used in-cab satellite communications systems for a number of years, Nazim said. At Epes Express, which specializes in hauling expedited shipments for companies that need goods moved immediately, all 25 trucks have Qualcomm communications systems, he said. Each truck has an on-board computer that is linked via satellite to a large mainframe computer at the company headquarters, he said. The system also includes a satellite tracking system so Epes officials can always pinpoint the trucks' locations.
Dispatchers can instantaneously send messages or even directions to drivers.
When drivers reach a destination for a shipment they punch a key on their keyboards, automatically sending a message to the company computer indicating the truck is there. That also lets the company dispatcher know instantaneously that the truck is available for another job, which leads to more efficient operations, Nazim said. The system also helps Epes operate more cost-effectively because truckers don't have to find a phone several times a day and call in to check messages, he said. However, she says the system is designed for use by trucking companies of any size. Seventy percent of those using it have less than 100 trucks, she said.