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When lives hang in the balance, the route to an emergency must be clear — and clearly communicated — to first responders. For firefighters and emergency medical technicians responding to such calls, getting lost isn’t an option. That’s where computer-aided dispatch systems come in. They incorporate Global Positioning System devices, digital maps and routing software to calculate the fastest route.

Despite LightSquared Subsidiary LLC promising major changes to its nascent broadband network, truckers and technology companies said they are not convinced the revamped system won’t jam Global Positioning System devices critical to freight operations.

Statistics on just how much money is lost annually to fraudulent fuel sales are elusive — neither the U.S. Department of Energy nor its Energy Information Administration maintains such records — but the industry is aware that it’s going on.

Technology that can detect from the roadside whether a vehicle is current on its registration and insurance has been launched successfully on a small island nation and could be expanded to save North American cargo fleets some time on the road and in the back office.

SkyBitz said its GLS trailer tracking system has been selected by regional dedicated carrier Brown Trucking to enhance the truckload carrier’s asset management.

New technology and a changing business environment are having a profound effect on the way transportation services are bought and sold.

Insurance executives said they strongly support electronic logging but that use of the devices by truckers will not automatically lower fleets’ coverage expenses because carriers’ overall safety records dictate rates.

BALTIMORE — Fleets that adopt electronic logging devices are encountering challenges from competitors who don’t use them and who poach their drivers and customers, three carrier officials said last week.

American Trucking Associations told the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that while it supports the agency’s proposal to require electronic devices to record drivers’ hours of service, it also is urging FMCSA to address important device design and performance requirements.