Nexterna Inc., a provider of wireless data solutions, has announced it acquired the assets of FreightQuest™, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cummins Inc., based in Windham, N.H. FreightQuest is a stand-alone freight dispatch and management solution that will be marketed as part of Nexterna’s FleetGo™ product line for the transportation industry. The FreightQuest management system combines global positioning system (GPS) location tracking, maps and driver/trip task lists with vehicle and resource availability screens to instantaneously provide information, on a specific vehicle or an entire fleet, for trip status and availability. Using the system's browser-based, drag-and-drop functions for scheduling pick-ups and deliveries, operations personnel can provide flexible, real-time dispatch capability without having to key data by hand. This saves time, cuts down on phone calls and provides accurate, up-to-date information that assists in dispatch decision making and proactive planning, according to Nexterna officials. The FreightQuest system runs on a Windows NT application server platform. Each truck is equipped with a portable Win-CE based vehicle terminal. A graphic touch screen provides a simple user interface that enables drivers to enter data and send messages without using a keyboard. The hand-held battery-powered terminal can also be removed from its cradle and used outside the vehicle. Using the terminal, the driver can obtain detailed information on each pick-up or delivery and customer account information. Other information that can be collected and/or generated includes: - Customer's signature - Time of arrival/departure - Time completion of loading/unloading - Exception reports (load damage, load refused, etc.) - Number of pallets delivered /received and the load weight - Load composition and space available in the trailer - Automated information on load status for customers - Web browser access for customer generated pick-up requests. “FreightQuest provides a much-needed solution for the LTL (less-than-truckload), private fleet and logistics markets, and is a perfect complement to our Mobile Resource Management solutions portfolio,” said Mike Hedge, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Nexterna. “With FreightQuest, drivers simply plug their portable terminal into an infrared dock at the central office in the morning and download their entire delivery schedule. Then the dispatch center can send additional jobs directly out to the mobile device on any truck throughout the day.” The current version of FreightQuest software has been field tested at LTL and intermodal Beta sites for more than one year with proven results, yielding measurable increases in operational efficiency and customer satisfaction, according to Hedge. "After its own extensive testing and quality review process, Nexterna is pleased to announce the general availability of the FreightQuest software, which will be marketed by Nexterna’s direct sales force," Hedge said. About Nexterna Nexterna Inc., based in Omaha, Neb., has more than a decade of experience in connecting customers to mobile resources –- their people, data, and vehicles, anywhere. Nexterna pioneered Mobile Resource Management (MRM) systems that include a suite of software products with in-vehicle technologies to help companies wirelessly extend the power and capabilities of information systems to mobile workers. The results, according to Nexterna, are more effective resource utilization and better decision support data, directly impacting the bottom line of its customer companies. The company currently serves clients in the field service, transportation and rail industries across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Nexterna is a part of Fenix, a technology holding company formed by Union Pacific Corporation. For more information, visit www.nexterna.com.