Only 25 Days Until INTERSECT '08!

If you haven't registered yet for INTERSECT '08, RouteSmart Technologies’ premier learning and collaboration event (September 7-12, 2008), now's the time to do it! We've finalized the agenda, and the conference will be a fantastic event.

Our post-conference training sessions are filling up rapidly, and August 14th is the hotel reservation deadline. After this date, we cannot guarantee availability or price.

Register now and join us for an experience like no other - learn from your peers, be the first to hear exciting new product announcements, and wear a bib (as we show our appreciation to our clients with a real Maryland crab feast and dinner), all at the same place!

Special Session on In-Vehicle Navigation and Communication

Join us for a new topic session that's garnering a lot of buzz in the industry - GPS navigation, tracking, and in-vehicle communication. Led by two of our valued partners, ESRI and Routeware, the session will focus on how you can realize even more on-route benefits using this complimentary technology.

Complimentary Conference Registration for All RouteSmart Clients!

This year we’re going to make it easier than ever for you to attend. For every RouteSmart for ArcGIS® primary maintenance subscription you have, you will receive one complimentary registration to INTERSECT ’08! We've sent conference vouchers to our primary contact for your account. If you haven't received your vouchers yet, please contact us immediately.

An important topic at this year's conference is on how route optimization can help with your efforts to reduce skyrocketing fuel costs and address sustainability or "green" issues. We'll offer several client case studies that showcase successes and best practices on tackling these issues. We'll also be joined by this year's keynote speaker, Mr. Lee Epstein, Lands Program Director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation promotes smart development and land use, and through their educational programs and advocacy they seek to preserve a national treasure and key component of life in Maryland and the surrounding states.

You don’t want to miss this! Over 70% of our attendees have been to 2 or more RouteSmart conferences. Register now! Make this one your first, or make it your fifth, but make sure you’re there.

INTERSECT '08 July Registration Winner

July's registration contest winner is Erin Collins, from The Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester, New York. Congratulations, Erin! The Democrat and Chronicle will receive two complimentary nights at the Loews Annapolis Hotel during Erin's stay at INTERSECT '08.

And now for this month's contest! Sign up before August 22, 2008, and be entered in the drawing to win a complimentary 10-hour eXpert Services bundle! You must register for and attend INTERSECT '08, use this award before September 7, 2009, and you must be an active RouteSmart client to win. Don't miss your chance. Register today!

Resources and Routing

Two topics that have been all over the news and widely discussed lately are the escalating cost of fuel and the impact of fuel consumption (vehicle use) on the environment. Average U.S. gas prices are topping $4.10/gallon (for regular, unleaded fuel as of 7/9/2008) and going even higher in other parts of the globe. Organizations are feeling constant and increasing pressure to be responsive stewards of their resources and to reduce their carbon footprint. Regardless of our beliefs or opinions on these issues, we are all affected by them. The pressure is on to do more with operational resources while maintaining and enhancing service levels.

RouteSmart Technologies, Inc., is interested in learning from and sharing with its clients how these issues are being managed through the application of route optimization. To align RouteSmart products and services to help address the route planning challenges brought on by these issues, we’re commissioning an initiative to collect and share information on best practices and results in the following content areas:

• Current budgetary impacts of rising fuel prices
• Internal and external pressures to demonstrate efficient and responsible use of resources
• Reporting or other requirements needed to effectively model the impacts of these issues on operations
• Routing strategies used and results achieved
• Key metrics used to establish a benchmark and track progress toward achieving goals
• Communication to the market regarding efforts taken and results achieved in efficiency gains and improved resource management

We want to know how these issues are affecting our clients and how we can help. We're starting today by asking you to e-mail us your thoughts on the above issues. We plan to discuss these topics at our upcoming Users' Conference, INTERSECT '08, and to follow up with a formal survey in the fall.

We want to hear from you. Please send us an e-mail and tell us what you've done or how your organization is being challenged by these issues. We will compile what we've learned and plan to share the information in an upcoming series of articles in future issues of SmartDirections.

RouteSmart for ArcGIS 9.2.5 Available August 15th

RouteSmart Technologies, Inc., announces the next update to RouteSmart for ArcGIS, version 9.2.5, available on Friday, August 15, 2008. New cycle-day balancing features (for the Utility industry), new reports, and Windows Vista and ArcGIS 9.2 SP#5 compatibility top the list of features and enhancements.

"The cycle-day balancing features in RouteSmart for ArcGIS 9.2.5 allow our Utility clients to more easily model cycle day changes that adhere to industry limitations on the number of days a customer's read can change," says Doug Hill, RouteSmart's product manager for the Public Works and Utility markets. "We'll also include new cycle day and geocoding reports, as well as an updated look for all existing RouteSmart reports."

"RouteSmart clients can take a first look at the new features and enhancements at our upcoming INTERSECT '08 conference in September," Hill says. RouteSmart for ArcGIS 9.2.5 will also be the official release version used during the post-conference training at INTERSECT '08. Our first "What's New in RouteSmart for ArcGIS" webinar will be held on Wednesday, October 1, 2008, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, ET.

Changes to our license key require us to reformat your existing USB license key, which can be accomplished remotely. Keys formatted to work with previous versions of RouteSmart for ArcGIS must be updated to take advantage of new licensing functionality in version 9.2.5. Clients with automated nightly routing systems will receive a replacement license key(s) in the mail to ensure system continuity.

Clients interested in receiving the 9.2.5 update should contact us to schedule an upgrade session.