HARRISBURG, Pa — TransCore, a manufacturer of transportation-based RFID products, has purchased satellite tracking technology assets from Vistar telecommunications.

The multimillion-dollar deal allows TransCore to offer both major wireless monitoring technologies in a comprehensive suite of homeland security, fleet management and supply chain products. Vistar’s technical team will remain based in Ottawa and form the core of TransCore’s Satcom Development Centre.

Since its inception in 1994 as a dedicated business unit within Bell Canada, the Vistar organization pioneered the development of wide-area wireless data products and services. The company launched the satellite-based GlobalWave system that allows users to monitor, manage, track and communicate with remote and mobile assets from a Web site interface. With six ground control stations providing service to five continents, the GlobalWave network supports more than 20,000 users worldwide, such as the U.S. Department of Defense and Volvo Penta of the Americas.

“The addition of satellite communication technology is a vital element of our strategic vision to provide end-to-end visibility for commercial and government applications," said John Worthington, TransCore’s president and chief executive officer. "By integrating RFID and satellite technology we create a powerful market differentiator.”

Combining RFID and GPS systems will allow TransCore to offer fleet, rail/intermodal and shipper customers a complete supply chain visibility capability, as well as bring an all-encompassing secure chain-of-custody solution to the homeland security market, say company officials.
The company will be able to offer its nearly 28,000 trucking customers new services such as automated fuel tax reporting and remote equipment monitoring with two-way communications through its Linktrak service offering.

In addition, TransCore now has a means to approach the ocean transport and maritime fleet markets and will be able to compete with other companies developing satellite-based tolling, say officials.

Currently, coalition forces in the Middle East are using GlobalWave MT2000 satellite data communication terminals to track the transport of critical supplies. The terminal uses a built-in GPS receiver for precise tracking and supports two-way data transmission via geo-stationary satellites. The GlobalWave system provides on-demand remote monitoring of information such as load volume, temperature, pressure and voltage; produces reports on location and speed; and triggers a variety of alarms when sensor thresholds are exceeded.

About Vistar Telecommunications

Based in Ottawa, Vistar Telecommunications is a global provider of satellite-based wireless systems and equipment that permit customers to remotely monitor and manage mobile assets, such as trucks, trailers, boats, intermodal containers, and fixed stationary assets such as oil and gas well head and pipeline facilities, chemical storage tanks and containers. For more information, visit www.vistar.ca.

About TransCore

TransCore is a privately held transportation services company with 1,800 employees and more than 80 locations globally. TransCore’s 60-year heritage spans the development of radio frequency identification (RFID) at Los Alamos national labs to the United States first toll road and most recently the TagTeller kiosk, an ATM-like machine for account management and dispensing RFID tags.
In 2003, Engineering News-Record (ENR) ranked TransCore No. 48 out of the Top 500 Design Firms and No. 10 for firms that specialize in transportation. TransCore was honored with the 2003 Best of ITS award while four of its showcase projects were honored with Best in ITS nominations and three took the final honor. For more information about TransCore’s worldwide operations, visit www.transcore.com.