Qualcomm Inc. The satellite system, which is integrated into J.B. Hunt's systems, lets drivers access payroll information, check E-mail, and report the status of their shipments and locations. Having the ability to communicate while on the road is important to the drivers, says George Brooks, VP of research and development at J.B. Hunt. Our drivers can communicate with friends and family from the cab, which is nice for them and their families. As Avis expands its wireless access and connectivity, Kinder says the goal is to have a customer turn on a cell phone after departing from a flight, and, through global positioning, Avis will have a rental car ready and waiting for the customer. Having wireless devices on trucks is important to supply-chain management, says AMR Research analyst Larry Lapide.
Wireless technology can also help drivers when their trailers or containers are lost or stolen.
J.B. Hunt is testing the use of wireless trailer tracking. Devices mounted on J.B. Hunt trucks use a global-positioning system to report daily on the location and capacity status of trailers. Because there's no incentive for a customer to report back to J.B. Hunt that the trailer is empty, keeping track of capacity status through wireless applications is important to the transportation company, he adds. Making the supply chain more visible by integrating with its customers' systems is the tactic that air-freight forwarder Danzas AEI Intercontinental uses to communicate with its customers. It's worth it to customers to be able to manage the data in their own supply chains efficiently by having Danzas AEI create a customized look into all the suppliers they use, Vargas says.