Rand McNally Deploys TND™ 760 Fleet Edition to First Customers

Side-by-side comparisons and integration capabilities were deciding factors

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Oct 17, 2011, 09:00 ET

GRAPEVINE, Texas, Oct. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Less than three months after announcing its next-generation in-cab EOBR, the TND™ 760 Fleet Edition, Rand McNally is rolling out the game-changing device to its first customers.

As announced in early August, the TND™ 760 combines Rand McNally's award-winning navigation with a robust mobile communication system – all for less than $800. Integrated into a truck's on-board computer, the TND™ 760 sends and receives information via both Wi-Fi and cellular methods. The in-cab device is designed to be set up in less than 30 minutes and does not require the installation of a separate "black box" monitoring unit like traditional mobile communication systems.

The TND™ 760 also provides seamless integration to industry-leading transportation management system (TMS) providers. An interface helps maximize the benefits of a TMS already in place by utilizing information from Rand McNally's leading technology.

The first installation of TND™ 760 will be with Freight Exchange of North America (F/X) of Chicago, and will include integration with TMWSuite®, an enterprise transportation software application from TMW Systems that allows the dispatch system to send information directly to the TND™ 760. F/X is a North American Full Truck Load Carrier operating nearly 300 power units from its terminals in Southern California, El Paso, Dallas, and Chicago. Finding a mobile communication provider with integration capabilities was a key factor in the selection of the TND™ 760.

"We chose to partner with Rand McNally after an exhaustive demonstration process with every significant player in this space. The reality is Rand McNally earned our business by delivering a superior product; the fact that they are a 155-year-old American iconic brand and Chicagoland based is just icing on the cake," said Todd Bennett, President of Freight Exchange.

"The unit has the same functionality as the other solutions we reviewed, but is priced significantly more competitively. The units will allow me to manage my fleet with greater efficiency than we hoped for and we are excited to get them in use. We expect to be fully installed inside of 10 months," said Fred Alaimo, Vice President of Operations at Freight Exchange.

Last week, Rand McNally announced the integration into McLeod's LoadMaster® Enterprise and PowerBroker™ Version 10.3 applications.

"We have been very pleased with the market response to the TND™ 760. A number of customers and potential customers have shared that implementing our solution will result in annual savings of $800 on a per unit basis. Our solution includes navigation and Wi-Fi, features typically found in devices costing twice as much. Transportation companies anticipate generating savings along the value chain including cost of implementation, cost per unit, cost of services, and finally ease of use and adoption from the driver community," explained Jim Rodi, Senior Vice President, Mobile Communications at Rand McNally.

"Since joining Rand McNally in March, I have been challenging our product team to deliver the TND™ 760 before the end of this year. In late July at our Cubs & Clubs private customer event in Chicago, we demonstrated the device for trucking executives and then a week later announced publicly to the market our intent to deliver in early Q4. I am proud to say that our team has executed to that goal, something that is rarely achieved in this industry," Rodi continued.

Key features of the TND™ 760 include:

Hours of Service (HOS) - compliant
Email - text and form messages enable easy integration
Document delivery - can be sent via e-mail/messaging for fast action
Driver performance – more than 200 metrics collected from the vehicle
Navigation - new 2011 data plus posted speed alerts
Wi-Fi communication - reduces communication cost and enables over-the-air programmability
Single box design – minimizes the installation process and makes deployment quick and painless

Jones Motor Group of Limerick, Pa., also has chosen the TND™ 760 as its solution. Jones Motor Group is an owner operator-driven regional fleet.

"During the evaluation process of several mobile communications vendors, it became clear to us that Rand McNally not only has put a lot of thought and resources into the design and functionality of the TND™ 760, they proved that they could execute and deliver when they said they would. By combining navigation, email and Wi-Fi capabilities, Rand McNally has expanded well beyond the standard "black box"," said Ken Lacey, Vice President of Safety and Risk Management with Jones Motor Group. "Our technical team did a thorough side-by-side comparison of the TND™ 760 against industry leading vendors and hands down this device delivers unbelievable value and functionality under $800."

Rand McNally is showcasing its commercial transportation products, including TruckPC and TND™ 760, at the American Trucking Associations Management Conference and Exhibition, October 15-18, 2011, in booth #607.

The TND™ 760 has a per unit price of $799 USD, plus applicable taxes and monthly data plan. For more information on Rand McNally's mobile communications products, please contact 1-800-641-RAND (7263).

About Rand McNally – Rand McNally is the most trusted source for maps, directions, and travel content. Rand McNally's products and services include: Road travel review site www.BestoftheRoad.com; Interactive travel referral service, www.Tripology.com; America's #1 Road Atlas; and TripMaker® RVND™ GPS for RVers; IntelliRoute® truck routing software and navigation devices; TruckPC and the TND™ 760 Fleet Edition mobile communication solutions for the transportation industry; and the leading geography-based educational resources for the classroom. Consumers, businesses, truckers, and educators depend upon Rand McNally to help navigate today's world. www.RandMcNally.com

IntelliRoute, TripMaker and Rand McNally are registered trademarks and RVND and TND are trademarks of RM Acquisition, LLC d/b/a Rand McNally.

TMWSuite and TMW are registered trademarks of TMW Systems Inc.

LoadMaster® is a registered trademark and PowerBroker™ is a trademark of McLeod Software.

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About F/X -- Freight Exchange of North America (F/X) is a full truckload carrier serving all 48 states. F/X delivers full truck load services via its terminals in Southern California, El Paso, Dallas and Chicago as well as supporting NAFTA trade in Mexico and Canada. FX has been recognized by countless shippers as one of the premier full truckload carriers in North America, driven by our flexibility, responsiveness to customer needs, and our focus on safety. F/X is a subsidiary of Chicago-based Transportation Solutions Enterprises LLC. www.fxfreight.com

SOURCE Rand McNally