Transcore, operators of DAT Services among other trucking products, has taken a major leap into satellite communications.

Parent company TransCore Holdings Inc., Hummelstown, Pa., has purchased assets of Vistar Telecommunications, providers of GlobalWave satellite tracking services.
Vistar’s GlobalWave is a well-established asset and trailer tracking service with fleet customers in North America and is currently used by the U.S. military in Iraq.
According the Transcore announcement, Vistar will continue operations from its headquarters in Ottawa, Ont. Canada and will comprise the new TransCore's Satcom Development Center.
Besides DAT Service and transportation software products, Transcore offers automated toll systems and AmTech RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) products for freight and yard management, among other applications.
"The addition of satellite communication technology is a vital element of our strategic vision to provide end-to-end visibility for commercial and government applications," said John Worthington, TransCore's president and chief executive officer. "By integrating RFID and satellite technology, we create a powerful market differentiator."
TransCore expects to offer fleet, rail, intermodal and shipper customers complete supply chain systems, as well as a secure chain-of-custody solution for homeland security.
The company intends to offer its trucking customers services such as automated fuel tax reporting, remote equipment monitoring and two-way communications. TransCore will also reach out to maritime markets and compete in developing satellite-based tolling.
Transcore’s Commercial Services Division, including DAT Services, is based in Beaverton, Ore.