Kinetic Computer Corp., Billerica, Mass., has jumped into the trucking communications sweepstakes, competing against the likes of Qualcomm, PeopleNet, Motient and Terion.

On Friday, Kinetic Computer’s president Vinit Nijiwan announced the company’s Internet-based, fleet management system called eTRUCK has completed beta testing and is now commercially available.
According to Kinetic, eTRUCK is aimed at fleets of under 500 trucks, most likely in the LTL or private trucking markets. Based on Kinetic’s Windows-compatible, touch-screen PC/Piranha onboard computer, eTRUCK provides real-time messaging between driver and dispatch over the Sprint PCS network. The system also tracks engine condition, state fuel tax, driver hours and performance.
Dispatchers view messages and truck positions at password-protected Web sites where truck locations are displayed on vivid, detailed maps provided by MapQuest, the Internet map company. The system runs Windows CE, which makes it compatible with most major business software and easily adapted to the specialized needs of individual users, particularly in the private fleet markets.
eTRUCK does not require major upfront investment. The hardware is leased instead of sold and the software is rented on an ASP (Application Service Provider) basis by Kinetic. A computer and an Internet connection are all that is required at the dispatch end.