Lexon and Contract Express invest in Cancom mobile communications

Two more Ontario fleets have signed on with Cancom to reap the benefits of satellite communications.

Lexon Transport Inc a Gloucester, Ont.headquartered long-haul carrier, is purchasing OmniTRACS satellite mobile communications and position reporting systems.

Marc Gendron, general manager Lexon, expects OmniTRACS to allow them to automate dispatch and improve their ability to make “on-the-spot” decisions in dispatch.

"We estimate that within the first five years, the cost to operate Cancom’s OmniTRACS technology to be less than 2 cents per mile which will generate substantial savings in communication and operating costs,” said Gendron.

Lexon Transportation Inc. started in 1990 with one truck and 1995 expanded their operation to 6 power units. Today they have grown their fleet to over 25 power units providing long-haul service throughout Canada and United States.

While Lexon was new to mobile communications, Guelph, Ont.’s Contract Express abandoned a competitive system to sign on with Cancom’s communication system.

The full load and LTL transportation specialist serving the Canadian and US markets, winner of the 2001 Decoma Award for supplier of the year, tested a couple of other systems in the last seven years and neither of them lived up to expectations, according to Pat Seward, Safety and Compliance Manager for Contract Express.

“With the other systems support was minimal and the technology was at best unreliable, because of our lack of confidence in the previous technology we felt we had to call the driver to make sure he/she received the message. This lack of reliability can result in severe financial loses that are not easily recouped and can result in lost business that is not easily re-captured,” said Seward