ALK Technologies Inc. and PeopleNet Communications have announced an agreement to provide turn-by-turn driving directions to drivers

over PeopleNet’s mobile communications network.
The companies said that the ALK|FleetSuite Condensed Driving Directions module will be integrated with PeopleNet’s g2x Wireless Fleet System. The agreement was announced at the ATA Management Conference & Exhibition in San Antonio, Texas.
The service appears to offer an alternative to driver directions supplied by Maptuit Corp. over Qualcomm communications systems.
According to ALK’s announcement, when a driver requests directions PeopleNet will pass the vehicle’s current position and destination to ALK, which will provide driving directions that PeopleNet will send back to the vehicle. The system will utilize ALK technology in New Jersey and PeopleNet systems in Minnesota, providing network redundancy.
PeopleNet's g2x Wireless Fleet System integrates GPS-based location tracking, two-way voice and data communications and Internet-based fleet business tools for dispatchers, drivers and shippers.
The ALK Condensed Driving Directions module offers customized, automated directions, including nationwide and street-level truck-specific driving directions compatible with any onboard communications system. The directions are reduced to the lowest possible character count and can be sent at a rate of thousands per hour.
ALK’s Driving Directions module is part of ALK|FleetSuite, a set of tools that uses the company’s industry standard PC*MILER product solutions. Incorporated in the ALK|FleetSuite offering along with Directions are Tolls, ETA/OoR and Mapping modules. The Tolls module helps customers determine whether it's more cost-effective to take a toll route, or a non-toll route with a few additional miles, before routing the vehicle. The ETA/OoR module keeps vehicles on the most efficient route and provides shippers and receivers with accurate arrival times.
The Mapping module provides views of a vehicle’s exact location when it is reported out-of-route and enables users to view locations of multiple trucks based on real-time GPS information.
ALK is based in Princeton, N.J. PeopleNet is based in Chaska, Minn.
For more information visit www.alk.com or www.peoplenetonline.com.