Elite Logistics Tracks Teens

Staff On May 21 2001 - 6:00am

FREEPORT, TEXAS — Elite Logistics announced that its PageTrack 2 automatic car locator will become part of a national program to help teenagers drive safely.

The PageTrack 2 is a GPS-based vehicle tracking system that has been on the market for approximately one year and is sold to retailers through two-step distribution. It currently has about 5,000 users, according to Raul Gaitan, Elite Logistics general sales manager.

Elite said it will join with distributor Track-A-Teen to offer the PageTrack 2 GPS/two-way-paging-based vehicle tracking system to parents who participate in a new Track-A-Teen safe driving program.

Under the program a teen places a bumper sticker on his car that says "How's my driving?" inviting other drivers to comment via an 800 number. All reports are then forwarded to the parents. Track-A-Teen, founded by two mothers who want to help save teenagers' lives, currently has 3,000 clients and is rapidly growing.

Track-A-Teen will begin selling the Page Track 2 to parents who sign up for the program. The system can be wired into the door lock or an alarm system and then it will notify a call-in center in the event of a break in. Users can also call the center to unlock the doors if they lose their keys. Users can also access a Web site via a user name and password and track their vehicle via mapping software. In the event of a theft, users can also, via the Internet, send a command to disable the starter. The next time the vehicle ignition is turned on, the car will not start.

Elite Logistics also plans to introduce a "plug 'n play" version of the PageTrack 2 that does not require installation. The current PageTrack 2 has a suggested retail price of $799 with tracking packages running an average of $5 to $6 per month. The self-install version is expected to sell for less than $799.