What is HARS? It’s the system that helps keep you safe on the road and home one time.

HARS is the Highway Advisory Radio System and is responsible for broadcasting messages through an AM frequency that highway drivers can tune in to and access current information regarding traffic patterns and highway conditions.

Whether it be a construction delay, an accident, or even an act of god, such as a rock slide, the HARS helps keep drivers where they need to be and in one piece by alerting them to what their commutes their commutes have in store for them.

Today, one of our favorite long-time portfolio favorites, Nighthawk Systems (OTCBB: NIHK) announced a 75-unit order today from Quixote Transportation Technologies, Inc. for products to be used in HARSs throughout the country. NIHK’s PT1000 remote control boards having been reportedly going into Quixote’s HIS brand for more than 5 years.

QTT is one of two wholly-owned subsidiaries of publicly-traded Quixote Corporation (NYSE: QUIX). With trailing-twelve month revenues of nearly $138 million, QUIX is is the world’s leading manufacturer of transportation safety products and services. Going forward, its PT100 could become a very lucrative product line for Nighthawk in addition to its solid CEO700 and IPTV product offerings, if its relationship with Quixote continues to grow.

Commenting on today’s announcement, NIHK CEO H. Douglas Saathoff stated “We’re happy to continue our affiliation with the Highway Information Systems brand. The PT1000 is one of our core products that has proven to be reliable in mission-critical applications for many years, and that is why we continue to generate a large percentage of repeat business with existing customers every year.“

As the global economy worsens, company’s capable of saving their clients time and money by simplifying and automating costly and environmentally harmful processes will thrive while others fall by the wayside.

Three such companies are Green Printer, Workforce Software, and Autodesk Inc. Here’s a great read on these 3 companies:

Green Printer Inc. – While most printers struggle due to rapid decline of the overall print market, this environmentally friendly player has tacked on 2,100 new clients since its inception last June. The company has also, by its own account, saved its clients approximately 76,645 pounds of greenhouse gasses and 38,116 pounds of solid waste in its relatively short existence.

In addition to using recycled paper and non-toxic ink, the company’s proprietary licensed software allows the user to identify local printing venues to help reduce transportation costs.

Workforce Software, a leader in workforce management software and time and attendance systems, has experienced +200% revenue and profit growth over the past three years due to the success of its EmpCenter software suite in easing employer fears of employee telecommuting by developing automated reporting solutions that provide them with increased visibility and control over their remote employees.

Lastly, Sustainable Minds, a green product design software and information service company has recently partnered with AutoDesk Inc. to develop software solutions that forecast the future environmental impacts of their clients product design decisions and help customers develop new offerings while utilizing the “greenest” possible formulations.

In our own portfolio, I know that we’ve been harping on it lately, but, Nighthawk Systems Inc. (OTCBB: NIHK) offers a very compelling and timely automated solution as well. The company’s remote disconnect products enable the wireless connect and disconnect of virtually any electronic device from anywhere in the world. With energy conservation on the tip of the world’s tongue as of late, NIHK should benefit from the ability of its products to help save consumers time and money.

(U.S. Energy Consumption Projections to the right are based on data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration Statistics Center)

Another company that helps with energy conservation is Nighthawk Systems (OTCBB: NIHK). Their product suite is designed to remotely monitor and turn electronic devices on and off. In our opinion, Energy Education, Inc and Nighthawk should join forces in some capacity!