PeopleNet, a Trimble company and provider of fleet mobility technology, announced that it is providing real-time tracking of the 2014 Capitol Christmas Tree’s cross-country journey to the Nation’s Capitol in conjunction with its sister company ALK, a GeoLogistics solutions and navigation software. Using enterprise solutions for worldwide routing, mileage, mapping and visualization, PeopleNet and ALK will provide real-time tracking of the Capitol Christmas Tree as it travels from the Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota to the front lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
“Aiding in the transportation logistics of an 80-ft.-tall white spruce on a semi-truck from Minnesota to the Washington, D.C., is an exciting event for PeopleNet and ALK,” said Brian McLaughlin, president of PeopleNet. “We are proud to be a part of a 50-year tradition and are eager to utilize our asset tracking technology in a way that allows everyone to follow along and participate in the delivery of this year’s ‘People’s Tree.’”
“This year’s tour is only possible with the help of strong community partnerships throughout Minnesota and beyond state lines,” said Bruce Ward, founder of Choose Outdoors, the nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service, whose mission is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. “We’re grateful for the time and resources PeopleNet and ALK are providing to make this the best tour to date.”
The tree will be cut during a public ceremony Oct. 29 and will then be moved to Bemidji State University, where it will be prepared for the nearly 2,000-mile cross-country expedition. The tree will leave the Chippewa National Forest followed by a caravan of caretakers for the journey to the U.S. Capitol. More than 30 celebrations are being planned during the tour, culminating with the official tree lighting in early December. Seventy companion trees also will be provided by the Minnesota Christmas Tree Growers Association to decorate the inside of the U.S. Capitol building and other sites throughout Washington, D.C., in addition to 10,000 ornaments created by children and others from Minnesota communities representing the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.”
