Ryder and Fieldworks in 3 Year Technology Partnership
28 January 1999
FieldWorks and Ryder Begin Three-Year Technology Partnership
Fieldworks Brings Its Leadership in Information Technology for Trucking to the Largest Truck Leasing Company in the World
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"Because of our turnkey solutions and dedication to implementation of 'common sense' technology in trucking, we were the vendor of choice for this national service bay program and for future IT solutions," said Roberta Herron, managing director of business development for FieldWorks' trucking business unit.
Future implementations could include communication solutions aimed at reducing vehicle downtime and incorporating the business functions associated with transporting goods.
"Ryder is deploying technology not only to streamline day-to-day business activities, but also to improve its customers' bottom lines," Herron said. "FieldWorks will provide 'common sense' packaging of the necessary enabling technologies."
Ryder will use the FieldWorks PC-based service tools in service bays to perform vehicle diagnostics and communicate with onboard electronics. Unlike other electronic service tools, which tend to be engine- or systems-specific, FieldWorks tools' incorporate technologies and software from a number of different engine and systems manufacturers and thus can service a variety of truck engines and systems. In addition, the FieldWorks-Ryder tool features a new universal communications adapter that allows service bay technicians to connect the tool to a variety of engine and system electronic control modules without the need for multiple external adapters.
The Ryder service tool program will roll-out to dealers and maintenance facilities in first quarter 1999.
Ryder is the largest full-service truck leasing company in the world and the leading provider of third-party logistics services. Its fleet includes more than 130,000 vehicles and 13,000 customers, including such well-known names as PepsiCo, Ace Hardware, Home Depot and International Paper. Ryder is FieldWorks' first customer in the truck leasing and truck fleet area. Most of FieldWorks' past business in trucking has been with vehicle and component manufacturers, including Navistar International Corp. and Freightliner Corp.
FieldWorks' trucking group provides information technology solutions and services to truck vehicle and component OEMs, fleets, and leasing and logistics companies worldwide.
About Ryder Systems, Inc.
Ryder provides high-quality logistics and transportation solutions throughout the United States and in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
About FieldWorks
FieldWorks is a worldwide leader in customer-specific computing solutions for demanding field environments. Its rugged, upgradeable mobile computing solutions connect field forces to enterprise networks and automate remote information gathering and analysis. With expertise in trucking, public services and government/military industries, FieldWorks partners with customers to develop, test and deliver total solutions: hardware and software as well as service and support programs. FieldWorks' quality system is ISO9001-certified.
Contact FieldWorks at: 7631 Anagram Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55344, USA Internet -- http://www.field-works.com Telephone -- 612-974-7000, 888-FIELDWORKS (343-5396) Fax -- 612-949-2791
Forward-looking statements in this news release, if any, are made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Certain important factors could cause results to differ materially from those anticipated by the statements, including the impact of changing economic or business conditions, the impact of competition, the availability of financing, the success of products in the marketplace, other risk factors inherent in the computer industry and other factors discussed from time to time in reports filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.