Must start another GOOD SWIFT thread...

[MGASSEL]

Originally Posted by InMyDreams

i'd think (and this is my plan) that just about every truck stop would have wifi. and if they don't today ... they will soon. same with shippers/receivers ... so you can get on real quick when you're being loaded / unloaded. it's been my experience that while traveling on the road for work i can usually just pull over next to a business w/ an unsecured wireless network (software helps me find these) and get on really quick. all starbucks, etc. have them too. unless truck stops are behind the times by about 5 yrs they ought to have them.

but what do some of the guys that actually drive have to say? can you get wifi out there? sure would beat 60/mo.

Alot of truckstops you will have to pay for the wifi service.
Now if you have a sleep inn or any other motel close enough you may be able to get their free wifi.
Shippers and recivers do not have wifi for truck drivers.
Some rest areas in select areas had free wifi.
I would not suggest using free or pay to use wifi too much because of hacking problems. People can hack into your system and steal all of your personal info including credit card numbers.

[desert_son]

Originally Posted by Redcoat wife

Thanks 6pak. He has a list of things he wants when he gets his own truck. The CB is definitely on there along with the cooler, TV and DVD player. He's not a gamer so no PS2 needed. How about internet? He's wanting an air card for his PC but don't the truck stops and terminals have wireless? Which is more economical? The $60/month for an air card or whatever they charge you to get online at the truck stops and terminals? I know the Flying J's have a deal a year for $150 but I couldn't find any more info on the other truck stops. Do you have enough opportunity (down time) to get online if you are NOT at a truck stop to justify getting an air card anyway?

I already pay Sprint $60 a month for broadband internet in our RV. I have a 6 watt cellular router and a Netgear wireless. The system cost me almost $3000 to have it installed but I can get broadband internet from just about everywhere and I ain't switching to anything else. Got too much invested. It just kind of grates on my nerves to have to pay for two internet subscriptions and I'd rather not if I don't have to.

Ya'll are the experts out there. What do you think about getting an air card? Definitely needed? or can get along without one.

If he has enough points on his Road King (TA) or frequent fueler (FJ) he can get free wifi. If not the price is $1.99 for 1 hr, $4.99 for 24 hr, and I think $20.00 for 1 month these are continuous hours.

[brinkj23]

Almost every truck stop has wifi internet available. Most will vary on prices from chain to chain. Flying hook is 4.95 per day, same at pilot and petro, i think. Ive only seen one truck stop with free wifi and that was the Joplin MO petro. I have seen a few shippers that have wifi and ive hooked up on em getting loaded but those are far and few between usually they are secured. Notice some rest areas will have wifi to. But at 60 a month for internet not sure if its worth it,, although i would like to have internet every night.

[doubledragon5]

If your lucky and are near a hotel/motel you could get onto theirs free. Most are not secured and it helped me when money was a little tight..

[6pak4-two]

Originally Posted by Redcoat wife

Thanks 6pak. He has a list of things he wants when he gets his own truck. The CB is definitely on there along with the cooler, TV and DVD player. He's not a gamer so no PS2 needed. How about internet? He's wanting an air card for his PC but don't the truck stops and terminals have wireless? Which is more economical? The $60/month for an air card or whatever they charge you to get online at the truck stops and terminals? I know the Flying J's have a deal a year for $150 but I couldn't find any more info on the other truck stops. Do you have enough opportunity (down time) to get online if you are NOT at a truck stop to justify getting an air card anyway?




I already pay Sprint $60 a month for broadband internet in our RV. I have a 6 watt cellular router and a Netgear wireless. The system cost me almost $3000 to have it installed but I can get broadband internet from just about everywhere and I ain't switching to anything else. Got too much invested. It just kind of grates on my nerves to have to pay for two internet subscriptions and I'd rather not if I don't have to.

Ya'll are the experts out there. What do you think about getting an air card? Definitely needed? or can get along without one.

I do the Sprint thing works well for me as far as truck stops wifi they have it it costs but the air cards works anywhere I find a signal. Look for a computer that has a webcam that way you can see each other helps to stay close even 2000 miles away. I can do the wifi thing but not always able to tap in. As far as being online I'm at walmart in Searcy AR. wait'n to unload doing this post you always have time to go online. If you look into wifi at a T/S you would have to do 3 or 4 T/S as you don't no where you will be able to park for your 10 the aircard is your best bet. Good luck.

[vickw]

If you go the air card route, make sure you ask your terminal for the information on vendor relations discounts. Swift has a deal with AT&T and Sprint. I know on the AT&T you can get the wireless card, I think the Sierra 3g, for free. You also get a monthly discount for being an employee, I believe its 14% for AT&T, and 10% for Sprint. (They also offer almost all AT&T phones at 50% off).

For drivers going solo, keep in mind that you dont want to stay home to long after you upgrade. Payroll cut off for trip envelopes is Wednesday into a terminal (before UPS picks up), to get paid the miles by the following Tuesday. You need to watch this until you have your required 20 BOL's turned in to qualify for the accelerated pay. I have seen drivers take 6-7 days off then not understand why they received a small paycheck two weeks later for the 3 days they worked before payroll cut off.

Wes

[InMyDreams]

Originally Posted by vickw

For drivers going solo, keep in mind that you dont want to stay home to long after you upgrade. Payroll cut off for trip envelopes is Wednesday into a terminal (before UPS picks up), to get paid the miles by the following Tuesday. You need to watch this until you have your required 20 BOL's turned in to qualify for the accelerated pay. I have seen drivers take 6-7 days off then not understand why they received a small paycheck two weeks later for the 3 days they worked before payroll cut off.

vickw, can you explain this more? what do you mean "upgrade"? can you go into more detail on this? sounds like somewhere where a noob like me could get into trouble.

[vickw]

I apologize for that. Sometimes I forget not everyone knows the terminology. Upgrade is when you go from a trainee with a mentor, to full on solo status. So your "upgraded" in classification.

Let me know if you have anymore questions

Wes

[MGASSEL]

Originally Posted by brinkj23

Almost every truck stop has wifi internet available. Most will vary on prices from chain to chain. Flying hook is 4.95 per day, same at pilot and petro, i think. Ive only seen one truck stop with free wifi and that was the Joplin MO petro. I have seen a few shippers that have wifi and ive hooked up on em getting loaded but those are far and few between usually they are secured. Notice some rest areas will have wifi to. But at 60 a month for internet not sure if its worth it,, although i would like to have internet every night.

I forgot to mention the bosselman pilot's usually give you free wifi Atleast all the ones that I have been to has.

[ragtopjr]

Originally Posted by 6pak4-two

I do the Sprint thing works well for me as far as truck stops wifi they have it it costs but the air cards works anywhere I find a signal. Look for a computer that has a webcam that way you can see each other helps to stay close even 2000 miles away. I can do the wifi thing but not always able to tap in. As far as being online I'm at walmart in Searcy AR. wait'n to unload doing this post you always have time to go online. If you look into wifi at a T/S you would have to do 3 or 4 T/S as you don't no where you will be able to park for your 10 the aircard is your best bet. Good luck.

When I started I did the search for free WI FI, so there I was driving all over hells half acre trying to get a signal that was usable instead of the important things such as eating sleeping and taking my dog for a walk!

So I really dont recommend that option.

I then got the Flying J Internet which works well as long as you have a good external antenna or can park near the tower.

That being said you are forced to plan your routes around places where the flying J Internet is provided or once again you are forced to either pay the $4.99/ day at the T/A or Idle Aire which is on top of the fee you have already paid to the flying J.

I also dont think this is for everyone, but certainly for a lot it works ok.

I went and subscribed to Verizon for both Phone, and Air Card and while it is more money it suits my needs much better, This was drove home back in march when I had left home early in the month and my cab card had just come out at the end of the month when I got home, and I forgot it at home with the other stuff from the office.

My first run was to denver which meant going right through wyoming which means I would need it to show the Port of Entry, I did not believe that an expired one with an explaination was going to cut it!

I called the office sitting on the side of the road BFE, and waited for the office to email me a copy of the cab card which I printed out and then put in my book, this not only got me out a very big jam (potentially), and gave me the piece of mind that in the event that I had to show that information I had it all right there!

If I had to start searching for a free spot to get internet, it would have been a huge time waster, if I had to wait for the first flying j I would have had to dodge the Port Of Entry to do it!

I will pay the extra money for the complete control of when I want internet I just get it, So far there have been few and far between places that I cannot get the Internet.

In my mind the air card is the only way to go.

2 drawbacks are maximum 5 gigs of transfer which for me is more then lots, but for some who download movies and such this will be used up in the first or second night.

And the fact that using it in Canada is astronomically expensive so as soon as I get near the border I unplug it totally so I dont get a suprise later on.

Just my two cents