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Thursday, December 27, 2007

Truckers and Gadgets

Many people in the electronics business fail to realize just how much truck drivers take to gadgets.  Truck drivers are mobile, traveling across the country without the luxuries of home and they need every mobile advantage they can get to make life on the road safer, healthier, happier and more comfortable.

They also have a long history of using mobile technology to best advantage from using CB's to portable refrigerators to DC inverters, you name it.  These days they are more likely to use a laptop and an air card along with a sturdy mobile phone and a good loud Bluetooth headset.

The point of this is that distribution companies, brokers, logistics and shipping companies should recognize the technical capabilities and early adopter tendencies in truck drivers when it comes to electronics.  Many firms have resisted the adoption of route optimization and GPS tools up until recently expecting push back from their drivers, but the reality is that the drivers will take any technology that works and makes then operate better.  They are the last ones that want to face up to Murphy's law or anything that slows down the freight.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's true! I used to drive a truck. My late husband drove one until he was diagnosed with cancer. Look on the back of a truck cab and you'll see a "chimney" thing with a small sphere on it. That tracks the truck everywhere and allows for communication between the driver and the company via satellite. Yes, truckers love gadgets!

Unknown said...

:) It is definitely true. My father and grandfather were both truck drivers and for several years my father ran a CB retail and repair business as well.

Plus, when I was in the military part of my job duties included driving a truck myself (then when we got where we were going I had to setup the offices in the swam or desert or wherever and start processing intelligence). :)

But it is definitely true and conditions in a truck are very tough on gadgets. Definitely a good way to tell a durable gadget from a cheap product.