Postal Service to deploy wireless vehicle-management system

The system will be used to track vehicle use and bolster security

By Linda Rosencrance

January 19, 2005 12:00 PM ET

Computerworld - The U.S. Postal Service has awarded I.D. Systems Inc. a three-year, $4 million contract to deploy a wireless system for tracking and managing equipment at USPS facilities nationwide.
The USPS's Wireless Asset Net system will be installed at eight facilities at first, but it could eventually be deployed at up to 460 locations over the next three years.
"This wireless system provides real-time information for managing our vehicle fleet in a safe, efficient and cost effective strategy," said Postal Service Vice President Thomas G. Day in a statement.
The Wireless Asset Net consists of intelligent wireless devices installed on vehicles, a patented communication infrastructure and client/server software for access control, utilization analysis, real-time location tracking and an array of other functions, according to Hackensack, N.J.-based I.D. Systems.
I.D. Systems will customize certain parts of the system to meet specific USPS needs, said Scott Bombaugh, manager of material handling technology at the USPS.
The contract calls for I.D. Systems to provide turnkey implementation services and technical support. I.D. Systems chose Unisys Corp. to install the hardware and provide user training and a round-the-clock help desk.
The Wireless Asset Net system is designed to improve safety and security in Postal Service facilities by ensuring that only trained, authorized operators use USPS vehicles and by providing electronic safety inspection checklists, Bombaugh said.
The system is also expected to reduce maintenance expenses by automatically uploading vehicle data, reporting vehicle problems in real time and scheduling maintenance based on how much the vehicle is used rather than on a calendar basis, said USPS spokesman Jim Quirk. It will also help plant managers figure out the best time to replace vehicles.
The system is also designed to help improve productivity by ensuring that equipment is in place when needed and by providing management with unique reports on vehicle utilization, Quirk said.

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