where do truckers access Internet??
Cathlene Casebolt
Internet? Is it from home when you're not on the road? Or are there
places on the road where you can access your Internet account to post
messages to the newsgroup, send e-mail, etc.?
any help is appreciated. I'm trying to figure out how Internet might
take the place of Ma Bell to a certain degree to help alleviate
enormous phone bills!!
Thanks. Have a fun day, mates!
Scott Moscrip
Truckstop (a load, truck, and bid posting system on the
Internet) (URL:http://www.truckstop.com/) we have been
encouraging companies to correspond by e-mail instead of fax
and to allow the internet to help them establish a more global
presence.
If all truckers and trucking companies were on the internet,
then products such as the Internet Phone would replace
standard telephones and your telephone bill would be
practically nothing (approx $30 per line).
=================The Internet Truckstop==================
Scott Moscrip
800-203-2540 (voice-U.S. & Canada)
208-278-5097 (voice-Mexico)
208-278-5571 (fax)
=============== http://www.truckstop.com/ ===============
Bernadet
the plug-jack type. You can just plug'n'go. Also, there are modems which
work from the receiver. They got awful reviews when they came out, so
they can be both tempermental and hard to find. But they're probably
better than nothing, and the good news is that if you find one it'll
probably be deeply discounted (but slow, since it's old).
TruckNet
road.
Excuse me for a late response, I just caught this thread.
I think it is apparent to everyone with a futuristic view of Drivers and
the Internet that someday soon...we will have access to the Internet at
the truckstops. Between new RJ-11 jacks, touch screen kiosks and wireless
PCS/Cellular...
drivers will have access to info on the Net. The question is: How soon?
There are some great possibilities in the works, right now. One major
truck stop
chain is capable of offering Internet access in 85+ locations. All they
have to do is run one connection to there Frame Relay Network to the
Internet and install the Kiosk version of Netscape on their existing touch
screen kiosks. The kiosk is already fitted with coin-op/card features.
I think this whole high tech thing for drivers will move pretty fast, but
it may be the newer generation of drivers that embrace the new technology.
CZ
Craig Zwiener
TruckNet
417-887-4996
http://www.truck.net
aero...@ccia.com
> Hi everyone. I'm curious about how all you truckers out there access
> Internet?
I have read a few things recently about some plans for satellite-based ISP's.
The equipment would be along the same lines as the 18" dish DSS receivers
that are becomming a popular alternative to cable TV. However; these are
receivers-you cant transmit. A system such as this would be great to have in
the cab. Maybe something along the lines of the company satellite links now
used by some carriers could be adopted for internet? The technology is there,
just stay tuned...
A few online providers also offer an 800 number for access from a pay phone
or hotel room, assuming there is a data port available from the phone you are
using or you can replace the phoneset with your modem cord. Of course this
is not *really* toll-free since you pay more for your online time versus calling a
regular access number. The difference is who is paying for the call (you are).
Generally, calls to an 800 number are more expensive in cost per minute than
what you can get from a discount no-surcharge calling card.
If you find yourself in a part of the country that does not have a local access
number for your provider, use a discount no-surcharge calling card to call an
access number out of the state you are in. In-state calls are more expensive
by calling card. (contact me if you would like an application for 17.5 cent per
minute no-fee card, end of sales pitch).
I've seen an ad from a modem company with a picture of a bikini-clad woman
lounging on the beach with her laptop plugged into a Motorola flip phone; she's
sending an e-mail. What could the message be? Probably "Honey, send more
money". Cellular is very expensive!
Eric Friedebach
PO Box 64
Monaca, PA 15061
voice 412-728-6191
fax 412-728-2031
Harvey S. Warnick
writes:
What you're talking about is an acoustic coupler. You just strap it
onto the reciever of the phone, and plug in into your modem port. We
have yet to successfully get it to work on a payphone. Although, it
often works on the table phones you find at truckstops.
Our coupler will usually work at speeds set up to 9600 baud. If it is
a noisy line, sometimes we have to knock it down to 4800. (If we have
to go any lower, we just give it up and try to find another phone.)
Though, of course, most preferable is just taking the table phone off
the wall and plugging our modem directly into the jack.
Harvey S. Warnick
Rachelle A. DeMunck-Warnick
Harvey S. Warnick
Nielsen) writes:
>One question I have is how much is someone willing to pay for 800
>access to the Internet?
>Also, if you were a trucker, had unlimited access to any local
>numbers, and than had 800 number access for a fee, would that be the
>best way to go. I have been looking to do something like that, as we
>are now in 5 cities.
My husband and I have a NetCom account. It does everything you list:
web, newsgroups, email access, telnet capabilities.
The monthly charge (for virtually unlimited hours) is $19.95. They
have numerous local numbers across the country. (Though not nearly
enough.)
We consistently use their 800 number access, and that is less than
$5/hour.
This is best deal we've seen yet.
TruckNet
>I have read a few things recently about some plans for satellite-based
ISP's.
>The equipment would be along the same lines as the 18" dish DSS receivers
>that are becomming a popular alternative to cable TV. However; these are
>receivers-you cant transmit. A system such as this would be great to have
in
>the cab. Maybe something along the lines of the company satellite links
now
>used by some carriers could be adopted for internet? The technology is
there,
>just stay tuned...
Hughes Corporation is responsible for DSS, but they are also working on
wireless applications in other areas. The problem right now with DSS as
an ISP in a truck cab situation is the "Upstream". The DSS needs a
permanent
fixed upstream feed to give you PPV movies. This same upstream on the new
ISP based dishes is what has to be resolved. If Hughes can address this
with
their new wireless technology, we may very well see remote "cab" Internet
access with the 18" dish. The "Downstream" or download capabilities are
rated
at MBPS. One report claimed 1gig in a "few" seconds. Wow...how about
downloading an interactive real time map of LA during rush hour.
Craig
Garry Ricketson
: I have been following this and have seen more an more information about
: truckers, etc.. I have seen sites go up like www.truck.net etc.. One
: As you travel around much, I guess it would be best that you had more
: local numbers. Our local access is $18.50 per month, unlimited, and if we
: were to do an 800 number service, it would be around $8 per hour.
: Like I said, we are looking in to doing this, and as we expand our market
: place, more people will be able to get on the net when they travel.
: --
: Christian Nielsen cnie...@vii.com,CN46,KB7HAP
: Vyzynz International Inc.
: Phone 801-568-0999 Fax 801-568-0953 PS :)
--Not to start a price war, but cris, (concentric nnetwork) is 5.00
an hour for 800, I certainly would not pay more, and have not heard
of lower rate, the problem on local servers is alot of the truckstops
are outside of the loacl dialing area (city limits),.
I talekd to our company, and qualcom, about getting it where we
could send and receive e-mail, but they said cost is to high, all
though qualcom said they were "working" toward that. ......but
right now they charge by the letter, for stuff between driver
and dispatch, it can add up, I got in trouble for sending "long"
sometimes not very nice notes to dispatch!...and they let me
know about the per letter fee, ...also said any unneccessary
stuff in the future would be charged to me...at the rate they
said, a message this long would cost abt 25.00, I guess if you
had several hundred drivers all sending long ,unneccessary notes
they could "break" a company in about 10 seconds!..hummm!Hey
guys, "we want higher pay, or we will all send 1000000 word
messages at once over and over til we get it !" HEE!.....
I think they would shut the satellite down....
Garry Ricketson http://www.cris.com/~garryr/
gar...@cris.com
sl...@ebtech.net
>>One question I have is how much is someone willing to pay for 800
>>access to the Internet?
>>Also, if you were a trucker, had unlimited access to any local
>>numbers, and than had 800 number access for a fee, would that be the
>>best way to go. I have been looking to do something like that, as we
>>are now in 5 cities.
There are two ways I use to access the "net". At home, I
subscribe to a local Internet Service Provider.(ISP) The ISP charges
$ 20.00 per month which includes the first 30 hours of online time
free. Each additional hour over the 30 will cost me 50 cents an hour.
You just can't beat that.
On the road, I am an owner/operator and do all of my own
accounting. I do this with "Simply Accounting" on an IBM Think-pad.
It has a built-in 14,400 modem that can run up to 19,200 baud. For
accessing the "net" on the raod, I subscribe to America Online. (AOL)
Their fee's are steep compared to local ISP's. $ 19.95 per month and
it only includes five hours online. Additional hours cost $ 2.95 per
hour. The great thing about AOL is their COVERAGE. They have local
access dial-up lines EVERYWHERE. If you see a stop-sign and a cow
standing in a field, AOL has a local number for that place. While I'm
on the road, I only use the net for sending/recieving e-mail and
occasionally sending/recieving files (as attachments to e-mail). This
helps limit my on-line time while I am on the road.
Ryan, aka "Slick" , The Tanker Yanker from Leamen.
(Circle-C, the biggest, and the best. Can't touch THIS! )
TruckNet
>them (cheaply) into the truck cabs that is the stumbling block now.
--
>##### |\^/| Colin R. Leech
---
How come it always comes down to $$$?
I read a new article about Ka band and the 26 in dish, it appears as
though
DirecTV is serious about offering Internet access in the near future.
------------------------------------------------------TruckNet------------
-------------------------------------------
"Serving The Entire Trucking Industry"
http://www.truck.net 417-887-4996
cr...@truck.net
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
Ken Lake
>I've seen an ad from a modem company with a picture of a bikini-clad woman
>lounging on the beach with her laptop plugged into a Motorola flip phone; she's
>sending an e-mail. What could the message be? Probably "Honey, send more
>money". Cellular is very expensive!
>Eric Friedebach
>PO Box 64
>Monaca, PA 15061
>voice 412-728-6191
>fax 412-728-2031
I live in New Jersey. I drive locally in the phila area. I costs me
$2.50/$3.00 to call to New Jersey. Using my cellular phone it is only
$0.36. So I guess it make sense some times.
Blackhardt
unplugging a phone to plug in a modem for a laptop? I'm new to trucking
and have been seriously thinking about getting a laptop just for this
purpose.
Captdragon
> I subscribe to America Online. (AOL)
>Their fee's are steep compared to local ISP's. $ 19.95 per month and
>it only includes five hours online. Additional hours cost $ 2.95 per
>hour. The great thing about AOL is their COVERAGE. They have local
>access dial-up lines EVERYWHERE.
i think you mean {$9.95 per month for AOL} but the rests correct.
rergards
tony
DENNISKK7X
(Blackhardt) writes:
>Subject: Re: where do truckers access Internet??
>From: black...@aol.com (Blackhardt)
>Date: 2 Dec 1995 23:24:14 -0500
I am sitiing in the North Georgia 76 plugged into the jack with the phone
lying next to me. The reaction I normally get is that of interest and
wonder. "Wow that is cool" or like tonight "They are wonder gadgets
aren't they?" Have not had a complaint yet but sometimes the phones just
wont come off the wall.
jdobisch
>Generally, calls to an 800 number are more expensive in cost per minute than
>what you can get from a discount no-surcharge calling card.
>
>If you find yourself in a part of the country that does not have a local access
>number for your provider, use a discount no-surcharge calling card to call an
>access number out of the state you are in. In-state calls are more expensive
>by calling card. (contact me if you would like an application for 17.5 cent per
>minute no-fee card, end of sales pitch).
>
Perhaps you should check out Compuserve. Their 800 number is only 10 cents
a minute, quite a bit less than your card. And with Compuserve, you get
a direct PPP connection, and you can run any internet application
you want (POPmail service is on the way). This is a much cheaper solution
for drivers than a calling-card call back to an ISP.
Jeff Dobisch
jdob...@delphi.com
L R Johns1
>The question I have is how will the truckstop management feel about
driver
>unplugging a phone to plug in a modem for a laptop? I'm new to trucking
>and have been seriously thinking about getting a laptop just for this
>purpose.
I do it all the time. Sometimes I do get strange looks but nothing is
ever said. I of course purchase fuel, food, ect. and I do make sure the
phone still works afterwords. You might want to turn your modem down as
not to cause too much of a stur.
Regards,
Rick
aero...@ccia.com
>
> I live in New Jersey. I drive locally in the phila area. I costs me
> $2.50/$3.00 to call to New Jersey.
Good gosh, what kind of calling card are you using? Is this cents per minute
with a hefty surcharge tacked on?
<SNIP>
> Using my cellular phone it is only
> $0.36. So I guess it make sense some times.
only covered Cleveland, but also Akron and Canton Ohio. Now this was back
in the days when the equipment was so expensive it made sense to lease it.
The airtime was cheaper then, however. In fact, so cheap that I could call
Canton from Cleveland from my cell phone at a lower rate than a direct dialed
land line at times.
Eric Friedebach
aero...@ccia.com
Colin R. Leech
L R Johns1 (lrjo...@aol.com) writes:
> I do it all the time. Sometimes I do get strange looks but nothing is
> ever said. I of course purchase fuel, food, ect. and I do make sure the
> phone still works afterwords. You might want to turn your modem down as
> not to cause too much of a stur.
If your modem accepts the AT command set (most do), then the command ATM3
will be useful to have in your modem initialization string (or just add an
M3 in if you already have AT plus a bunch of other stuff there). This will
turn the speaker off while dialing, on when ringing, and then off once
connected.
--
##### |\^/| Colin R. Leech || Civil engineer by training
##### _|\| |/|_ ag...@freenet.carleton.ca || Transport planner by choice
##### > < Opinions are my own. Consider them shareware if you want.
##### >_./|\._< misc.transport.[misc|road|marine] are here! Ask for them.
dv...@ix.netcom.com
>
>Eric,
>
>Perhaps you should check out Compuserve. Their 800 number is only 10 cents
>a minute, quite a bit less than your card. And with Compuserve, you get
>a direct PPP connection, and you can run any internet application
>you want (POPmail service is on the way). This is a much cheaper solution
>for drivers than a calling-card call back to an ISP.
>
>Jeff Dobisch
>jdob...@delphi.com
NETCOM has 800 service for $4.90 the monthly fee is about $20 per
month for the whole Internet service.
Robert Levine
Full PPP for 15 per month. I haven't signed up yet, but it sounds
good.