Comtech says IntelliTruck is an affordable telecommunications system for fleets and individual vehicles, the company’s first foray into commercial vehicle tracking. Its communication technologies underpin the U.S. Army’s two major mobile tracking programs used by its combat armament groups. In both cases, Comtech provides worldwide satellite coverage for secure data communication.

IntelliTruck is said to streamline the reporting requirements imposed on truck owners and drivers by the Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010), but it goes beyond compliance. 

IntelliTruck’s web-based back-office application generates multiple reports around driver safety, behaviour, fuel consumption and vehicle condition. By exploiting the new information, truck operators can adapt and prioritize tractor and trailer usage and maintenance on a real-time basis, Comtech says.

Priced to make such sophisticated technology "accessible to all fleet owners," IntelliTruck’s Electronic Onboard Data Recorder is fully compliant with new FMCSA requirements.

Cost-saving benefits are said to include the ability to read all available vehicle databus types, reducing the time and errors associated with manual recording of driver logs and other information. As well, communications paths include cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth and satellite, with the system continuously evaluating and automatically choosing the best path for communications to reduce operational expense.  

The system’s open, applications-friendly design is said to mean that it can host different applications and receive software upgrades over the air, enabling fleet managers to run applications remotely without having to haul in their vehicles.
The official release of the system will be in early 2011, though in the short term fleet owners may be interested in participating in a trial. If so, they should contact Comtech through its website.