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Bidding to expand in the freight transportation and logistics markets, software maker Trimble Navigation Ltd. announced July 20 that it is acquiring privately held PeopleNet Communications Corp., the Minnetonka, Minn., provider of motor carrier on-board computing and mobile communications systems.

New York City is hoping to ease midtown Manhattan traffic congestion with new technology that will track the flow of vehicles and allow engineers to control traffic lights in real time, the Associated Press reported.

PeopleNet Communications, which makes integrated onboard computing and mobile communications systems for the trucking industry, will be acquired by technology firm Trimble Navigation.

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.

ALK Technologies Inc. said it has released its PC Miler 25 product line with new features, such as estimated arrival and departure times, to help users’ compliance with delivery schedules.

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.