Satellite communications provider TMI Communications of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, has signed an agreement with Toronto-based Cabit Systems to develop new mobile communications applications for the North American trucking industry.

Cabit Systems will develop a suite of advanced packet data applications for trucking fleets using TMI Communications' satellite network. Packet data networks offer an affordable way to send "bursty" messages that range from 10-1000 bytes, sending or receiving every 10-60 minutes. This kind of communications works well for position reporting and short messages of under 125 characters.
Cabit will use readily available terminal technology like the Palm Pilot, PDT-100 satellite radios made by Atlanta-based EMS Technologies, and a host of trucking industry information processing applications, such as load matching, driver mileage logging and others.