Category: Trucking News

SkyBitz Adds VP of Telematics Sales for Local Fleets

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Commercial Internet of Things telematics provider SkyBitz has hired Carolyn Rehling as its vice president of sales for the SkyBitz Local Fleets division.

Rehling will lead the company's growth within the expanding GPS fleet management market, and will be responsible for leading and building the SkyBitz Local Fleets sales team with a focus on delivering on SkyBitz's commitment to provide innovative, cost saving solutions and outstanding customer service, the company announced.

Rehling brings more than 20 years of executive sales experience to SkyBitz. She comes from First Data Corporation where she led the company's largest revenue sharing alliance and partnership with SunTrust Bank. Prior to that, she held the role of vice president of Sprint Business for over 17 years at Sprint Nextel, Inc.

SkyBitz is completing the integration of three major acquisitions under one flagship brand. SkyBitz now has four divisions, including Enterprise Fleets, Local Fleets, Tank Monitoring and Petroleum Logistics.

SkyBitz Local Fleets is the combination of the GPS North America and Reltima acquisitions. Local Fleets offers cost effective solutions for GPS fleet tracking and performance optimization aimed at sales, service and delivery fleets. SkyBitz Enterprise Fleets will continue to provide information management solutions for large unpowered mobile assets such as class 8 trailers, intermodal containers, and tanks.

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Uber Buys Autonomous Truck Startup Otto

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Uber is upping its efforts to expand from the ride-sharing market to commercial freight movement by acquiring Otto, the technology startup that's developing an aftermarket version of autonomous technology for Class 8 trucks.

Anthony Levandowski, who left Google's self-driving cars project to found Otto with other former Google employees, will lead Uber's self-driving efforts and report directly to Travis Kalanick, Uber CEO and co-founder.

Otto is already road testing a “suite” of sensors, software, and truck enhancements that could be quickly fitted on existing trucks.

Kalanick called Otto plus Uber “a dream team. Anthony is one of the world's leading autonomous engineers: his first invention, a self-driving motorcycle called Ghostrider, is now in the Smithsonian. Just as important, Anthony is a prolific entrepreneur with a real sense of urgency," he said in a post on Uber's website.

Otto, in its blog, said, “Together with Uber, we will create the future of commercial transportation: first, self-driving trucks that provide drivers unprecedented levels of safety; and second, a platform that matches truck drivers with the right load wherever they are."

Related: Commentary — Autonomous by Retrofit

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