May/June 2004

Exel, the international freight and third-party logistics giant, is the driving force behind a real-time vehicle tracking system that has been rolled out in mainland China.

The system is based on Exel's Universe Land Transport Management system, which was developed by the group in Singapore. Now it has gone live in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, and is expected to be extended to Chengdu by the end of the year.

It provides real-time wireless transmission back to base of delivery "milestones" such as freight pick-up, proof of delivery and order instructions to the driver. There is also a track and trace capability. The system uses various communications channels including the Internet, intranets and wireless.

According to Ng Kim Hung, Exel's IT director for the Asia Pacific region: "We chose China because of the acute need for the system, especially in domestic distribution. Drivers here typically have long-haul journeys through remote areas, so safety and security are paramount. With heightened security awareness as a key focus in today's world, there is an acute need for a highly efficient track and trace system."

 

He says China's telecommunications infrastructure is "excellent, and world-class" - something that helped make the roll-out possible.

Exel has designed the system for easy replication and adaptation to different markets and geographies. It runs on a Chinese language platform, and data is translated to and from English in real time where necessary. The company says it could now be rolled out in any part of the world in two to six weeks.

In the UK, Exel once owned Isotrak, which is now an independent high-end tracking and fleet management specialist, and still uses its systems extensively. It has also adopted other tracking technologies as appropriate.