DULLES, Va., April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Orbital Sciences Corporation
(NYSE: ORB) announced today that its Transportation Management Systems (TMS)
Division, in partnership with Sanyo Trading Company, was recently awarded a
major international contract by Singapore Bus Services Ltd. (SBS) for its
satellite-based Automatic Vehicle Management System (AVMS) to track and manage
a fleet of 2,700 transit vehicles and equip 25 dispatch stations. The total
value of the contract was $19.5 million, with Orbital TMS' share totaling
approximately $13.0 million and Sanyo Trading Company's share totaling
approximately $6.5 million. Under the three-year contract, Orbital TMS will
provide and install the dispatch center system based on its ORBCAD-UNIX
product and Sanyo Trading Company will provide and install Orbital's In-
Vehicle Unit (IVU-300) aboard SBS' fleet of transit vehicles.
The AVMS will be integrated with Singapore's Land Transport Authority's
Enhanced Integrated Fare System and Bus Travel Information System to further
enhance the efficiency of the public transportation system in Singapore.
Using Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite technology, the AVMS is able
to bring about a fundamental shift in bus service management, schedule
adherence and asset utilization. The system will also enable SBS to deliver
service benefits to their customers while improving their operational
efficiency for the customer.
Mr. Cheng Lay Tin, Vice President of Corporate Communications for
Singapore Bus Services Ltd. said, "An in-vehicle computer will keep bus
captains automatically informed, in real-time, whether they are running on-
time, and allows them to regulate their speed accordingly to achieve the
scheduled interval between buses. When buses arrive on schedule, the number
of customers onboard will be more evenly distributed, offering a more
comfortable ride to customers."
Speaking for Orbital, Mr. David L. Mathisen, Vice President and General
Manager of the company's TMS division, said, "We are obviously very pleased
and excited to have won this very hard-fought and extremely competitive
tender. The SBS award is the result of a very deliberate international
strategy, providing us the opportunity to work with a progressive private
organization. It validates that our advanced vehicle management technology is
the proper solution for the stringent demands of international public
transportation systems."
Mr. Mathisen continued his comments, adding, "The same innovative
thinking, expertise and dedication to system development and performance has
already established Orbital TMS as the leading supplier of satellite-based
automatic vehicle location systems in the United States. Our goal is to
continue this momentum to establish and grow the Orbital TMS product line in
the international marketplace."
Orbital's vehicle management systems are currently used by 54 transit,
utility and state agency customers in the U.S., with units installed or
scheduled to be installed on approximately 18,000 vehicles. To date, Orbital
has captured approximately 85% of the contracts awarded for automatic vehicle
location systems in the U.S. public transit market. Orbital TMS generates
annual revenues of approximately $50 million and employs over 200 people at
facilities in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Orbital is one of the largest space technology and satellite services
companies in the world, with 1999 revenues of about $900 million. The
company, which is headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, employs over 5,300 people
at its major facilities in the United States, Canada and several overseas
locations. Orbital is the world's leading manufacturer of low-cost space
systems and products, including satellites, launch vehicles, electronics and
sensors, satellite ground systems and software, and satellite-based navigation
and communications products. Through its ORBCOMM and ORBIMAGE affiliates and
ORBNAV subsidiary, Orbital is also a pioneering operator of satellite-based
networks that provide data communications, high-resolution imagery and
automotive information services to customers all around the world. |
