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Short Line Data Systems Inc. ROCS Update – September 2006
Website: www.sdsrocs.com
Greetings –
It’s hard to believe that the summer is over. It seems like a couple of days ago that I was writing to you just following Memorial Day, and now it is Labor Day weekend. We have been on the road in the last month, and we’ve also been busy adding new features to all of our products and getting ready for installing systems at customers. We are also getting ready to head off to the ASLRRA Southern Region meeting in Knoxville next week, and the Central/Pacific Meeting in Austin at the end of the month. Well, let’s get into the updates.
ROCS Version 10
We have been doing some final testing on the NextPath communication system, and we should have all messages done on the receiving side shortly. It is our current plans to incorporate receiving messages through NextPath for all users, which should improve data quality, and use email sending of data for ROCSMobile users, and those users who might need it for other reasons.
The automatic scheduled communications system is still undergoing beta testing, and we have been working on increasing the reliability and making sure that all messages and events are transmitted within the event reporting guideline times.
ROCSDispatch
The deployment of the GCOR versions of the ROCSDispatch has gone smoothly, and we have continued doing the small tweaks that always follow installing the system at new customers.
One new feature that has been added to all user systems has been the ability to print out a Form D or Track Warrant directly from the View screen, which has saved great amounts of time and steps for the users. We are also working on email distribution of Track Warrants or Form Ds, and this will be incorporated into some other projects that we have in the works right now (see below).
ROCSMobile Lite
Following the request of a current ROCS customer, we have decided to develop ROCS functions for a Blackberry mobile device. We will be offering switch list reception, editing, and transmission on the device, as well as in-cab reception and printing of Waybills and Forms D/Track Warrants. These tools will be available under the ROCSMobile Lite banner (Fruity Pebbles got vetoed by my wife and the legal department). Feature development is already underway at the M&E, and we hope to be announcing the customer for this new package soon.
PET ROCS
We haven’t forgotten the newest member of the ROCS family. When development started on the system the plan was to get a working ticketing and reservations system up and running, and we would add additional reports when the need was found for one. We have kept to that plan, and in the last month we have added new screens and reports for tour packages sold and how they heard about the train. We have also continued to add reliability improvements, and the type of improvements that usually start with the statement, ”you know, it would really be nice if we had…”
ASLRRA Meetings
As we mentioned at the start of this update, the ASLRRA regional meetings are just around the bend, with the Southern meeting starting next week in Knoxville, the Central/Pacific meeting in Austin at the beginning of October, and the Eastern meeting in Lancaster during the third week of October. If you have the opportunity to attend any of the meetings, you should, as the ASLRRA has put together a first class educational program, and the social events give you a great opportunity to meet with your peers (and your friendly suppliers).
If you can’t make the regionals, start making your plans to go to Baltimore for the Annual Meeting and Exhibition in April 2007. We visited the hotel for the meeting a couple of weeks ago, and it will be a spectacular site for an Annual Meeting.
Well, that’s all for now. This update is a little short, but we promise to be back next month with a full slate of news about the ROCS family of products.
For those of you reading this update on Sunday or Monday, enjoy the rest of your Labor day weekend. For the rest of you, Summer’s over.
Stay safe,
Steven Friedland President
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