Whether the senior truck driver has already started to carry a computer like a Global Positioning System (GPS), or remains the last of the real road kings of the highway, technology has become part of the trucking industry and not just for the office personnel. Besides pointing out how technology is used to dispatch the next load and how loads can be tracked wherever the truck moves, the driver is the last of the corporate trucking industry to consider having his/her own computer in their rolling office, let alone to believe it a necessity.

The driver does need to know how to get the job done with the least amount of tools or resources using only a broad National arrangement designed to note major commercial routes, and the regulated Driver’s daily log. Everything else besides how the load is dispatched is calm able to be done by pencil, paper, and calculator. The reason for the driver not fully taking advantage of the electronic tools is basically based on the work enthusiastic in maintaining records, and the trucking environment (I’ll only mention a little about the environment aspect at the tail end of the article). To expect the driver to start recording Bill of Lading’s, submitting receipts, and show a ledger of the weekly work alive to would seize time, training, and to build an expectation that the driver is a corporate worker (minus the dress pants and tie).

But technology is creeping into the Driver’s cab in the form of dispatching and status of loads, and one known company actually advertises and is using the “paperless log”. One trucking company has used the Satellite system to get as much technology into the truck to complete the form of communicating and recording the daily tasks of the driver, where the driver starts his day by receiving the load through satellite communications, communicates any questions, problems or details for that job; then, after Inspecting his equipment, uses the same computer to go from line 1(off duty) or line 4 (Working not driving) to line 3 (driving). These lines are part of the truck driver’s daily log, which is mandated by federal law to show a record of the driver’s activities from inspections to breaks, fueling, and scaling, and throughout the driver’s work day activities. The bright part of this is that this one corporate computer satellite system also tracks the hours of the driver, and sends and automated message to the driver, letting him/her know that they are in violation of hours, and to contact the corporate dispatcher.

Another company uses a similar satellite system that does not detail the driver’s logging day, but does send an automated message to the driver when he/she has driven a clear amount of distance out of the directed route that was initially sent when the driver was assigned the load. This actually alerts the office in cases of hijacked loads, if not, to have the opportunity to find out why the driver strayed so much from the proscribed route and if the load will aloof be delivered on time. Some say that the satellite system will even send an alert message to the corporate office in the event of a truck rolling over.

This only covers the how technology is used between the driver and office, depending on what the company has decided as the “tools of technology” built into their business understanding to keep track of the obligations to the customers and the Department of Transportation. But the driver has the luxury of exploring the use of technology to enhance his/her beget level of comfort, primarily when living in a truck for days, weeks, and even months at a time. For the over the road driver, this is their second home. Along with filling the cabs with some “home-like” conveniences of a television, VCR or DVD Player, cooler or mobile refrigerator, the personal computer is becoming the next form of “keeping up with the times”. Promoting the use of a notebook computer as a tool for the truck driver still has hurdles to overcome, since electronic devices are still costly for the worker who gets paid by the mile rather than salary/hourly wage.

The wave of consumers are progressing though as everywhere the driver goes, there is advertisements of wireless service available at the local truck stops. One of the most recognized personal devices is the “GPS”. Using the most favorite GPS as advertised by Garmin and Magellan, for example, can occasionally be seen in the windshields of trucks, limos, and once seen in a commercial passenger bus. The simplest versions offer the basics of finding the shortest/quickest route and the estimated time to arrive, but leaving the truck driver to still alter the route to accommodate the truck and avoid those roads limiting or restricting such travels. Technology is recognizing this, and upgrades or more expensive versions of the mobile GPS are available to include routes of restrictions built in at a higher price.

Those who use it, consider it a device you launch favoring not as a replacement to the trucker’s Rand McNally Road map (one of many business mapping companies), but as a comfort of navigation that does most of the work, tracking time and distance. Satellites systems still depend on signal, and those using it will tell you that the dependence on a GPS is about 95%, where the other 5% is unexcited noticed by the driver that the GPS lost signal by constantly trying to recalculate itself, and other tell tail signs the user becomes aware of. Those who spend it would still defend it by saying it was not money thrown away. I won’t say anyone would consider it an investment, since it is not something that a driver couldn’t continue going without, but it does enhance the comfort of having a map that helps track that time and distance.

Without diminishing a resourceful device such as the GPS, since it can be used not only at work, but also for play and adventure, I tend to like the all in one electronic device, the computer notebook (A.K.A., the laptop). The only downside to having a notebook that also can have a GPS mapping system is that it has to be placed and displayed on the passenger seat, or center mounting table, where the mobile GPS can be mounted to the dashboard or stuck to the windshield by a suction cup, expressing safety, where the driver is not looking away or distracted from the road, even through his/her thought, especially when that truck is challenging. Both the GPS, and the program versions do have audio (voice) that gives instruction to advancing turns, so there is no real need to see the scheme, but it is human nature to “need to see” and confirm where they are and where they are going, which is at the random turning points of their route, or more frequently when getting close to their final destination. But in either case, once set up, it is a “hands free” device.

The only reason I favor the computer notebook over the GPS has to only do with Designate. The mobile GPS runs in the hundreds, as does the notebook, and for a little more than fifty dollars, software that includes the GPS transceiver can be purchased and installed. Otherwise, I would possess both. For now the “All-In-One” machine is what I favor, but I personally am accustomed to the computer, recently getting into the Trucking industry, and leaving the corporate environment (a health care analytics company). So knowing what I can to organize records, communicate through email and PC-to-Phone, the wireless advantages, financial records keeping, and other personal enjoyments of the computer has already been established in my lifestyle. I jest and tell people that I am a “Computer Technician, who so happens to enjoy a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)”. Computer geek or not, it has given me the opportunity to notice the disadvantages to convincing the average driver they need a computer on board for personal affairs and comfort. Marketing a well built notebook, with the simplest necessities for the driver (and with the least amount of hassles regarding maintenance of the machine), and having it already programmed as a store bought product(ready to consume)has been a concept I continue to work on, and slowly, I am being obsessed with the idea, since this would enhance the driver’s second home lifestyle.

Taking the liberty of momentarily directing this portion toward a select group of readers, I would like to point out some of the inconveniences and downfalls to possessing the Notebook in a truck driver’s environment, and invite a new marketing strategy not yet fully tapped into. I can continue to write on how the notebook computer is as important to have as the truck’s steering wheel, but the product itself needs to be scrutinized, tested, and improved. Although the maintenance and care of the computer will be mentioned in the tail end of this article, adressing to the manufacturer, the biggest hurdle is building a machine that can handle the improper temperatures, and rough handling of the device. Every office knows that keeping the office environment temperature controlled is part of the responsibility of running a network full of computers. But the truck driver is indeed in a home, and that truck is his Office.

Extreme temperatures sound easily challenged by explaining the needs of building the cab of the truck to as close as room temperature (a guideline example) as possible, but the favorite truck driver is mandated to not run a truck at idle for any length of time. The idle laws nation wide limit a commercial vehicle to urge no more than three minutes. Whether this is actually directed at the trucking manufacturer of the Technology hardware division is up to who takes this seriously. And whether it is a compact cabinet, or computer controlled safety mechanism, extreme temperatures are not as easily said for the truck driver, stuck out at a loading dock, rest set, or on the side of the road; when fuel prices, and Idles Laws limit them. And, in some instances, the driver can be stuck at these places for hours at a time. Without giving out names of the products I have owned, three notebooks dramatically affected by this alone.

No driver wants to be sold on the idea of warranty, especially when it means waiting to get back to their domiciled homes before rendering repairs, and waiting the average repair time, which also means not seeing the machine until his next schedules time home. I have found myself running to the nearest retail store to purchase another notebook, in the middle of an assigned load, during the winter season (later I would need to simply replace the hard drive to my original machine; the cold startups must have corrupted sectors or something to that affect), meaning at the time, I possessed one notebook needing everything reinstalled, and one notebook holding all my records. Thankfully, I do know the needs of backing up records, but a few days records were still on the downed machine. Adversely, that new notebook failed (motherboard) during the next summer season (hot day in Illinois), and I was back to using the primitive notebook (already repaired, but again transferring my records and programs). The very first notebook was destroyed when using a cigarette lighter adapter, and when starting up the vehicle, the power surge burnt out the power circuit (motherboard), but I learned the importance of owning power inverters instead of directly plugging into the cigarette lighter.

By the design, the Notebook I went back to, is eight years old, has a Pentium 4 processor, and has held up extremely well, minus the winter month, and currently needing the monitors hinge replaced. In short, when it comes to advertising the desires to owning a notebook, it’s hard to get passed the sturdiness of the notebook based on weather, road conditions, and personal handling.

Secondly, the marketing to the truck driver, road scholar, and even the road sales person, would be the basic simplicities of the programs. This includes when starting up the machine to use. Without narrowing down to the easiest operating system, instead to include the most complex, much of what needs to be recognized is the need to think “solid state” (turning on a light bulb by the simple flick of the switch). What the typical person needs is that when a computer is turned on, and gone through its open up processes, the basic choices of the needed programs are listed right there on the monitor. As the geek I have declared, yes, I have built front pages that give me access to the programs I need, and have even used the startup folder, and coded my computers to bring up programs when turned on. But that means the user has to tailor make the appearance, rather than it becoming something the manufacturer has considered. Software that can be marketed to make these changes is another option.

It sounds more like a complaint, but to corner this share of the market, it needs to be considered. To give the marketing world an understanding, and although the driver is petite in how long his/her day is, it is exhausting work. And, on top of that, the driver has a delivery that was preplanned, which includes just ten hours off, but eight of those ten hours needs to be sleeping (federal law), giving the driver only two hours to eat, shower, and if they choose, use the computer. When it comes to starting up, and even preparing to start out, searching for the programs to use no longer makes this a tool considered (too many clicking of the mouse can also be a hassle); and to have someone state that the user is or can be responsible to know how to setup the computer at startup sounds like schooling and education. Driver’s when working, do not have the luxury to peek the potentials of their machine, and would rather use something as simple as a cell phone to communicate, and a paper and pen to correspond and calculate on a “Solid State calculator”.

Many current users on the road find four uses for the computer; emails, Internet, video (movies), and games. The hidden fact is that the other resources to getting full use of the computer is already available, such as connecting to the Internet, mapping, shopping for supplies, Corporate websites (almost every trucking company has a web page designed for the driver to check payroll, change plans in health care, keep up with corporate affairs, and even one company has explored the idea of exercising quarterly safety meetings through their websites; not every driver has a computer though), and it only needs to become exploited and known. The basics to making this a marketing tool for the driver would be a machine robust to handle the daily uses, with the simplicity and appearance of a list of options (that expand to start up); to include simple clicks to their email, the locally installed maps for trucks, expense sheet, and a logging ledger that they can use to figure the future time available for travels and loads. Even considering expanding the operating system’s first use program to go through such options that assist in setting up email and alike can be explored to make this a more attractive purchase to the driver. By looking into it from the corporate user’s eyes, making a product that also creates the shortcuts and links to their network would be a marketing option.

Admittedly, I strayed too far from where this article was to go, but at the same instance, playing the role of an advocate can at times catch someone’s attention and lead to new ideas, and so, I leave it as a whole article. To those who thought the above is good reason to stay positive of having a computer in the outside world of travel, I refute this as an excuse and wish to point out that it impartial means running a computer takes a conscious awareness to the needs to maintain a working atmosphere for the expend of the machine. Looking wait on to when I was a Facilities Coordinator for that Health Care Organization, and advising to an executive few who faded laptops outside the workplace, one rule I stressed was that when traveling, and arriving to your destination, wait an hour to allow the extreme temperatures that the laptop obtained through the commute to equalize and allow the device to be used at the existing room temperature. The two destroyed machines were from me forgetting this rule (and due to laziness, decided to sit in the truck, rather than carry the machine inside the diner or truck end). The above may also be more of a challenge to the truck manufacturer to take in consideration for future designs, since they have already taken in consideration for compartments for TV, Refrigerator, clothing, and other comforts.

With all that aside, the exercise of a computer goes beyond just another option for the driver. It can be his/her lifeline to their family, friends, and social (personal) indulges. As mentioned, many Trucking Companies have a user sign in link, where the driver can manage his/her payroll and health care, and also keep in touch with where the corporate business is going. Critical down loadable files have become another resource on these Corporate sites, from the best suggested fueling locations, to division specific policies, and an adobe reader copy of the corporate rules and guidelines. Did I mention the exploration of on-line safety meetings being exercised? If this does become an option to be continued, other explorations such as including drivers in an on-line conference call would not be excluded. I know that brings mixed feelings on that option, since being directed to Corporate Headquarters for a meeting is rarely a good thing; but, if it means not trying to pull me away from available loads, or rerouting me; I’ll take a “chill pill”, a deep breathe, and go along with it.

To give you an idea of my inclusion of the notebook on a typical work day, I’d wake up, turn on the computer, and go do my “Pre-Trip” of the vehicle and load; while the computer went through its start up process. By the time I was back in the cab, I’d start up my email (which I depended on for personal reasons; my father and others kept me in touch about how my Grandmother was. She passed away from terminal cancer; I wasn’t the last to know), and start up my DeLorme Street Atlas 2007, which had my last route entered, and I only needed to modify with my last timed stop (and occasionally compare with my Microsoft Streets and Maps to contemplate my next stopping point for my next meal, or that ten hour break). While that ran on its own, I worked on my log book, occasionally going back to the computer to click on the GPS (tied into the intention program; by the way, the real enjoyable part of running the GPS from a computer is that it is done on a diagram format, which both programs listed Truck stops, restaurants, civil services like hospitals, police stations, Post Office, shopping centers, Rest Areas, and other points of interest – Wouldn’t list where the scales were though). Since much of my route was known from when the load was first assigned, that was the last time I looked at it, while driving, until I got to stop again. I smooth had other devices just as necessary, mainly my “XM Radio”.

It was important during the winter to hear the weather channel, and when heading towards certain cities, going to that channel to listen for construction, accidents, and weather related travel information. Primarily the XM Radio was my most frequently used device during my work time. The only other times I’d touch the computer was when the loads were first assigned, and completed. I was using a worksheet to keep track of the loads, recording all the specifics, times and dates, for referring support to at later dates (hey, I said I was a geek). After the work day, I’d finish my logs, work with my Map program to check if I was mild on a timely route, and if I was in an area with unpleasant TV reception, I’d catch up on current events, through the use of my Verizon Wireless card (which I had already heard on the radio, but not seen from my travels),check my emails; and on Fridays, take care of my finances on-line. Sometimes I’d get my niece on the Instant Messenger, and I’d do my best to pacify her to when she would be seeing me again. If I was approach a Flying J, I had subscribed to their wireless service, and give my wireless card a rest. At Pilots, and during the extreme weather, I hooked up to IdleAire (a service that supplies temperature, electric, local cable television, and Internet, for a nominal hourly designate. This is done by a tube that comes through the passenger window of the truck.). This service was ideal, where I could maintain the cabs temperature without running the truck, and enjoyed a faster Internet connection through this service. As I got better at my recaps(as opposed to taking thirty four hour restarts for a 70 hour available log), the time down was not as long, and any long correspondence was brought to a minimum (which also may account for why I only write from time to time to this website).

Consider this, a computer is like buying a house or a car. It has to suit your needs. You have to know what it can do for you, before it sounds worthwhile, and what it needs to do to make it worth while. And except for the conscious need to stay aware to treating the device with care as a fragile item in certain conditions, it can become a lifeline to family, and friends, and like I stated, the Corporate Website. You need to build a routine, but keeping up with your finances, and even maintaining a To-Do list of things needed done when you approach home, is something you have with you, instead of trying to remember all of this when you get home. It is your personal organizer that also supplies you with programs for a calendar of future events, which includes birthdays and anniversaries. There is always some program designed for an address book for important names, numbers and addresses; and the list of its potential goes on. It can be what links you from living your life in two separate worlds; the roadway and home. And finally, I’d like to point out that the corporate office is recognizing, monitoring, and accommodating truckers with the ability to link to their website; seeking uses to meet the needs governed not only by corporate policy, but to include the requirements of safety meetings by law. Truly, the corporate world of Truck Driving has linked the driver to be included in the name and meaning of the Corporate World, and this has become the Corporate office on wheels.

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