MOBILE COMPUTING APPLICATIONS: Logging Truck Trips and Status
Initiated as a proof of concept for the applicability of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) within Rockwell, the vertical application "Truckin" has now been deployed, in support of the transportation department of Rocketdyne. Truckin provides a form-based entry for the data required of the truckers, and also communicates the data to Windows spreadsheets.
This Newton based application allows the truckers to easily log their daily trips as well as their vehicle status; both of these forms are federal requirements. In addition, this log and maintenance information is comunicated to the PC workstations at Rocketdyne, for use as the basis of accounting and for tracking both Program Critical Hardware and Hazardous material; this was not possible with the paper-based forms. Both the Teamster drivers and their management are very pleased with the application.
This interaction with Rocketdyne is expected to be only an initial effort in the area of vertical applications. Within Rocketdyne, the transportation department has additional interest in providing PDAs for their other areas of responsibilities; in addition the Environmental Safety department has indicated interest in the use of PDAs for freeing their analysts/inspectors from their desk environments.
Other possible areas of applicability for PDAs could be
- as they are currently commercially available as "communication assistants",
- as value-added items for Rockwell businesses developing PCMCIA type applications such as GPS and wireless messaging, or navigation tools,
- as a continued base for vertical application development, for custom solutions specific to Rockwell businesses.
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