May/June 2005

A new telematics and tracking systems supplier with a long track record has sprung into being following a management buyout last year at the transport management systems division of Psion Teklogix.

The new business is called TMS2 - a name that picks up on the TMS abbreviation used by the operation in its Psion days. Among the driving forces behind it is former Psion Teklogix executive Vipul Palan, who is commercial director.

A full portfolio of GPS-based location, tracking and related management systems is being offered, all on the basis of hosted, Web-based services requiring no software or dedicated resources at the user end.

The company has created a snappily-named portfolio of offerings such as i-Track for the main real-time tracking system, i-Trail for a trailer management version, i-Nav for a turn-by-turn navigation system, i-View for an actual-versus-plan analysis system, and i-Sign for electronic signature capture.

 

There is also a remote-alarm "panic button" system called Driver Protection, which is activated in case of attempted vehicle theft or other emergency.In this case dedicated hardware captures information about vehicle location for accurate analysis.

Generally the company is putting its initial emphasis on features rather than technology, and is not majoring on specific hardware or software in its publicity. It does say it will be working with partners such as Psion Teklogix itself, along with NCG (a leading commercial vehicle installation company) and Key3 Partners (a transport and logistics consultancy).

"We examine a client's requirements in detail to propose an optimal solution," says Palan, "whether this requires one of our standard modules or bespoke development and customisation.No two of our client solutions are the same."

Existing users cited by the company include paper products supplier Antalis, vehicle rentals operator Petit Forrestier, and Derbyshire County Council.