We recently asked Joe Francica of Directions Magazine some questions regarding the upcoming Location Technology and Business Intelligence Conference. Here is an excerpt.

JRF: The challenge is to gain immediate credibility with sponsors. This is often a Catch 22 situation since the conference has never before been held. So, we demonstrated by way of a unique statement of goals and objectives, plus some personal selling, and an unusual perspective on how topics should be presented in each plenary that this conference would be different. The format is somewhat different as well with speakers giving case studies, and then having technology providers respond with a panel discussion. Then, we had to sell attendees to invest time and money into coming. The results will not be known until May 10th. But the combination of companies from GIS, location determination technology, and business intelligence, who are sponsors, plus those companies who signed on to present case studies, makes this a truly worthwhile event. All you have to do is look at the agenda.

JRF: Maybe. But we're in a different point on the technology adoption curve. That's what makes it different. Back in 1993 when the Business Geographics conference started, it was a milestone event. Software companies finally met demographic and geographic data providers and the next few years after that experienced a boom in the market. The same is true now as we enter a new era where companies are looking to leverage location technology in many different facets of their business to gain market intelligence and thus a strategic advantage. We're in a global economy and companies need a global perspective: international data, mobile workforces, enterprise interoperability across IT platforms and applications. Location is a major component of a company's assets; they need to start leveraging the assets better. That's where this conference will be focusing its attention. The CIO needs to be more aware of how location technology can be useful within major enterprise applications. We think this forum presents an opportunity for that discussion to take place.

March 2, 2004

Mark LaCore of the Voyageur Bus Company became the 1,000th user to register in the MP2Kmag Discussion Forums this past month. I asked Mark how he uses MapPoint and if he could share his experiences.

"That would be fine with me, but the truth is I don't yet use MapPoint! It's on order and I just checked online to find that it should be here today. I have been on the MP2Kmag site frequently to research mapping programs, and registered on the forum to better research some questions I have.

"I work for a bus contractor in Duluth, MN called Voyageur Bus Company, part of Minnesota Coaches, Inc. Most of the routes that we operate are managed by the school districts we service, using either Edulog or Versatrans routing software. However, there are 3 area charter schools and a Day Activity Center for handicapped adults, with about 800 students/clients altogether, for which we are responsible for all routing. Those routes have been handled using an absolute bare minimum of computer technology, and I have now been assigned the job of modernizing our systems for managing them. We do not need, nor can we afford, a full-scale routing program. After researching our options, I concluded that Access together with MapPoint, was our best bet for managing our student/client, stop, and route information. We also operate a motorcoach service that runs nationwide, so MapPoint will fit into that operation eventually, as well.

"For nine years - until January of 2003 - I worked as the transportation director for one of those local school districts, where I implemented and managed Edulog. It was time to get out of that line of work, so I quit to begin my own business designing web sites, newsletters, and such. I'm back in transportation with Voyageur only part-time to give me a steady paycheck. I have considerable experience creating school bus routes via computer, having also put Edulog into service in a school district in Colorado. Using Access and MapPoint will be a new experience for me, but it appears to be the best fit for our purposes at this time. The boss has been good, buying me a brand-new machine to do this on, and I'm looking forward to the task ahead."

If you see Mark in the forums, say hello!

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Articles

Steve Lombardi: I work for MapPoint group, my title is "technical evangelist", my name is Steve Lombardi and I cover all the mapping products: Pocket Streets, MapPoint Web Service, and the new MapPoint Location Server.

Steve Lombardi: Yes, anything mapping related I cover... so what we wanted to talk to you about today primarily was the Location Server - the new product for getting real time location from operator networks.