Used to be, one of the major headaches of being a long-haul trucker was the need to stop at pay phones to check in with dispatch. “Got a load for me?” “Not yet, call back in an hour.”

These days, if you choose the right company to work for, there’s no reason you can’t stay in contact with both your dispatcher and your family right from the cab.
Senior Editor Deborah Lockridge takes a closer look at communication tools offered by fleets to their drivers in the May issue of RoadStar magazine. In this month’s “Perks & Pay” feature, she writes about the benefits to drivers of mobile tracking and communications, with information about the latest offerings from today’s major players in the business. For instance, some fleets are using Qualcomm’s OmniTracs system to allow the driver to check on things such as their settlements and benefits, and even change things like health care coverage options and 401(k) investments via satellite. Driver e-mail is available through most of today’s systems, if the fleet chooses to offer it. Some systems also include mobile phone options. PeopleNet has started offering a system that uses a portable Personal Digital Assistant, such as the Palm Pilot, for the driver to communicate.
Telephones and the Internet are also covered. For more, see the May issue of RoadStar magazine. To find out where to pick up a copy or how to subscribe, visit www.roadstaronline.com.