AT&T, WebTech Team to Help U.S Ports Improve Air Quality

AT&T Business Solutions and WebTech Wireless, a provider of location-based and fleet telematics services, have partnered to help the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach improve air quality.

 

The Port of Long Beach is one of America’s premier seaports and is said to be the “trail blazer” in goods movement and environmental stewardship. Also known as “America's Port,” the Port of Los Angeles focuses on developing strategic and sustainable operations that benefit the economy and the quality of life for the region and the country.

 

The partnership agreement calls on AT&T (News - Alert) and WebTech to provide a wireless vehicle tracking and monitoring solution that supports the ports’ Clean Trucks Program.

 

The initial phase of the tracking system includes the installation of 600 WebTech Locators in new trucks.

 

The Clean Trucks Program is a seaport air-pollution cleanup initiative that reportedly banned 10 percent of port trucks - or 2,000 “dirty diesel” trucks in October 2008. By 2012, the program expects to ban and replace as many as 16,000 dirty diesel trucks serving the ports.

 

To track newly replaced port drayage trucks equipped with low-emission engines, the solution has deployed WebTech Locators, using GPS and General Packet Radio Service technology.

 

Officials said that the devices send vehicle location and diagnostics data over AT&T Mobility’s wireless network to WebTech’s Web-based Quadrant fleet-management system.

 

Within the specified geographic boundaries (geo-fences) and data such as idling time and fuel consumption, Quadrant monitors miles driven. Officials said that this allows the ports to quantify the pollution avoided and also determine the cost-effectiveness of the program.

 

The solution is expected to facilitate the ability to have lower-emitting drayage trucks serve the ports.

 

“This initiative reinforces our commitment to provide innovative solutions that enable our customers to increase efficiency and productivity while also reducing carbon emissions,” said Denita Willoughby, vice president for external affairs of the Greater Los Angeles area at AT&T.

 

AT&T Business Solutions also has announced the availability of WebTech Wireless (News - Alert) from AT&T, a comprehensive wireless fleet management system that offers advanced tracking and security capabilities.