Safety Information

THE INTERNET is one source that suppliers use to provide information about safety products. Following are sites that have information about a variety of equipment for employees and vehicles.

Whether the need is safety lighting, environmental issues, or technology information, the sites are the place to visit.

Searching for other safety-related subjects can also produce web sites that can be useful for finding safety products.

Grote Industries, Madison, Indiana, has made it easy to communicate with the company through the Internet. The site is designed for quick navigation and geared to assist original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), fleets, and aftermarketers.

Grote manufactures and markets lamps, mirrors, wiring systems, and reflective accessories.

Six major sections and numerous subsections are available, including technical information.

An unusual offering is a clipart section that displays 100 images that can be downloaded by retailers for use in advertisements, direct mail pieces, flyers, and posters.

One subsection includes charts for Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for trucks, buses, and trailers.

For product information, including mirrors and lighting, wiring and retail packaging and displays, users can click on the product catalog section. Grote representatives can be found by clicking on a map to find those who are listed with their respective markets.

Truck-Lite, Falconer, New York, features its three new low-emitting diode (LED) products. The company has made web site ordering available for the convenience of its distributors or original equipment service clients, according to company information. The site has a long list of questions and answers covering product and regulatory issues.

Hi-Lite Safety Systems Inc, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, has a site that describes the company's product, a visible turn, brake, and tail light system.

The 10-page site provides a description of the light product, facts about truck accidents, why insurance companies offer premium reduction for Hi-Lite customers, and background information about the company.

A light-emitting diode (LED) signal lamp is featured on the site. An emergency back-up system also is part of the product. It automatically shifts to a flashing mode should the vehicle jackknife, be hit from the rear, roll over, or be otherwise disabled.

One page on the site lists accident statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

International Truck and Engine Corp posts a web site to keep truck owners up to date on environmental issues, activities, and topics related to diesel power. The Chicago, Illinois, company developed the site so that vehicle owners can keep track of diesel emission issues that affect their business.

The site centers on International's Green Diesel Technology system aimed at meeting emission regulations. The site links to environmental news updates, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Air Resources Board of California.

DBI/SALA, Red Wing, Minnesota, has an online catalog that lists all of the company's products. Specializing in fall protection and rescue devices, the company supplies its products worldwide.

In the production section, pointing at an item such as a body harness will display the item. Click on the photo and further information is provided.

The company also offers a training center in fall prevention. SALA training features a hands-on environment that enables the student to be trained in lifelike applications. The various structures within the training facilities include scaffolding, communication towers, confined spaces, sloped roofs, fixed ladders, catwalks, rebar walls, cement forms, and steel framework.

Two proprietary technologies, accident control and anti-jackknife system, are the focus of STS Systems Inc, Bellingham, Washington. The systems mechanically limit the amount of rotation of the tractor relative to the trailer.

The site is a good location for finding trucking accident statistics and what the company calls a national strategy for preventing jackknifes. In addition, a links section leads to several safety-related sites, including the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

Arsenault Associates and Fleetcommunity Inc have announced an alliance agreement to provide advanced maintenance management technology to Fleetcommunity.com members at special members-only rates.

Fleetcommunity is an opt-in e-mail community for fleet decisionmakers to facilitate the exchange of ideas and best practices among its diverse membership. It acts as a conduit to bring its more than 575 fleet members information they need to manage their fleet better.

The two companies have developed an alliance program to bring technological choices to Fleetcommunity members: they can now choose to install and run Dossier³² software on their own computers, or they can elect to run their fleet maintenance program over the Internet. Special pricing is available for Fleetcommunity.com members.

Prophesy Transportation Solutions, Inc announces its new Dispatch Users Group for dispatch customers. It was created to keep up with users, to assist them in the use of their product, and increase communication between Prophesy and its dispatch customers.

The company has also created a newsletter to be published regularly to keep customers informed about the product they are using and to encourage communication toward improvements. The newsletter includes information on new features and about enhancements currently in testing and soon to be released. Advice is also provided on how to use the Prophesy Dispatch program.

A dedicated e-mail address dispatch — [email protected] — has been set up for the Dispatch Users Group to contact Prophesy to offer suggestions or comments about the newsletter, dispatch products and services, or anything else.

DecisionLink Inc, through its wholly owned subsidiary Intrex Data Communications Corp, has signed an agreement with a major chemical company to provide it satellite communications services and hardware. This will allow the company to offer a Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) solution using the Orbcomm satellite network for data transmission.

VMI helps vendors to understand customer usage patterns, thereby improving precision of shipment scheduling and optimizing forecasting for production and purchasing. Inventory at the customer site is remotely monitored regularly, and shipments are scheduled based on actual rather than historical usage.

Data are presented to the customer on a private web site and offer benefits such as making bill reconciliation a more efficient process, lowering administrative and labor costs, eliminating emergency shipments, and reducing the amount of inventory in the supply chain.

NEXIQ Technologies Inc has acquired Diversified Software Industries Inc (DSI), which is 40% owned by Motorola Inc, a communications and electronics technology provider. DSI is an independent software solutions developer, based in Coralville IA.

Issued by NEXIQ will be 1.7 million shares of common stock in exchange for all outstanding shares of DSI. The acquisition gives Motorola 7.9% of NEXIQ's total shares outstanding — 1.9% on a fully diluted basis. DSI's operations will remain in Coralville, and DSI President James Griffin will report to NEXIQ President Jack Schang as executive vice-president — telematics services.

Quality Distribution of Tampa FL has selected TMW Systems' PowerSuite as its new enterprise management system. PowerSuite is the Windows client/server version of its enterprise management systems for trucking.

With more than 3,000 tractors, 7,500 trailers, and 105 terminals, Quality Distribution hauls mostly chemicals in the lower 48 states, as well as in Canada and Mexico, and generates approximately $600 million in revenue annually.

Implementation of PowerSuite at Quality Distribution is expected to be completed by third-quarter 2001. Currently, the company is operating the TMW enterprise system in conjunction with existing software used mainly for billing and accounting.

Sales and service information, parts catalogs, and other company literature from the Allison Transmission Division of General Motors is available at www.allisontransmission.com.

Visitors can browse select portions of the literature library via the Product Info navigation bar. Information can be accessed by vocation, transmission series, publication type, or language. The site, which also offers a search function, enables users to order hard-copy versions of Allison literature. To order, users download order forms and ordering instructions and make purchases via phone, fax, or e-mail. For users without Acrobat 3.0, a hyperlink directs them to a free download of the software. The web site also provides a sales and service locator, company profile and history, and Allison news.

ShipChem, provider of logistics management solutions for chemical and plastics companies, has announced an agreement with Albemarle Corp, a supplier of specialty and fine chemicals, to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of Albemarle's logistics and transportation services.

The evaluation is part of Albemarle's commitment to improve its supply chain efficiencies and provide better service.

J J Keller & Associates Inc has launched KellerOnline, an Internet site described as an interactive safety management tool. This site was launched after a three-month beta test that included more than 5,000 users.

KellerOnline integrates regulations generated by the federal and state governments with interactive tools and adds assistance from Keller's staff of regulatory consultants, who can answer questions on regulatory compliance and safety concerns.

Among tools that can be found on the site are software programs for determining correct facility markings; checking regulatory status of chemicals; and preparing training materials, written safety plans, and safety audits.

In a new partnership, International Marketing Inc (IMI) will bridge its Audit professional tire management system with TMT Transman vehicle maintenance software.

Users can share information within the programs, with only one data entry point needed for fleet maintenance and tire management. This will eliminate dual entry of such information as purchase orders, vendors, dates and prices of purchases, mileage, tire on/off vehicle events, and inventory data.

The Transman program is being redesigned to include data entry screens that will supply data to a database “bridge” that will be accessed by both Transman and Audit systems. Some of the data will be placed from Audit to Transman and vice versa.

Users then will be able to use both software programs and benefit from a single data entry point. Audit will report on tire information; Transman will report on vehicle maintenance information.

Comdata Corp has reached a three-year agreement with Petro-Canada to enable acceptance of Comchek cards at high-volume Petro-Canada Petro-Pass locations. This agreement will allow United States-based Comdata customers traveling in Canada to purchase fuel and oil at Petro-Canada's Petro-Pass automated fueling sites.

As part of the agreement, Petro-Canada will begin accepting Comchek cards at its highest-volume Petro-Pass locations, including those in Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Toronto.

KENWORTH Truck Co has introduced an enhanced web site containing extensive information on products, dealers, and services. The site, www.kenworth.com, features seven major categories — products, dealers, parts and service, driver's lounge, news and events, about the company, and merchandise.

The product section offers information by market segment, including for hire, medium duty, owner operator, leasing, private fleet, and vocational. The section also features a “virtual showroom” that provides a 180-degree view of truck models.

The dealer section has a locator for the United States and Canada. It includes dealer address and phone number, Kenworth PremierCare Program offerings, hours of operations, and key personnel. The section also offers a truck locator, enabling customers to search for new and used trucks available both at individual dealerships and within the dealer network. Basic search criteria cover make, model, year, vehicle type, engine make, and horsepower. The advanced search function includes categories such as sleeper roof type, rear axle capacity, and suspension type.

The parts and service section provides detailed information on the Kenworth PremierCare Program, including ExpressLube, Express Air Conditioning, PremierCare Connect, preventive maintenance, and fleet card. The company's used truck program and extended service interval option packages are also covered.

To meet customer parts needs, this section also has a service unit locator covering cabs, hoods, and sleeper unit inventory available within the dealer network. The SmartSearch cross-reference application, which contains more than 1.3 million part numbers, offers quick and easy searching for replacement parts for all makes of trucks.

In the driver's lounge section, drivers can check the latest weather from The Weather Channel and map their route with Mapquest. They can also check out Truckxchange, which offers a variety of goods and services to help make the commercial transportation industry run smarter and better.

The news and events section features the latest press releases, World's Best magazine feature stories, and speeches. There also is an archive.

About the company offers a detailed history since the company's inception in 1923. This section includes links to PACCAR, Kenworth's parent company, plus PACCAR Financial, PACCAR Leasing, PACCAR International, Kenworth Mexicana, Kenworth Australia, and DAF.

In addition, the site offers a merchandise link for online ordering of company logo items, including caps, jackets, shirts, and gifts and accessories.