How much time?

There is just something about a vehicle with "character," that is really endearing. Doubt that there has been one built since late '60s, that actually developed character.

 

When I was at FedEx Freight, we had the Intermec scanners (I think they're still using them, but a newer generation). They we're notorious for crashing, freezing, or wouldn't hold a charge. For awhile, we still kept "hard cards" as backups so at least we could write our pickups and deliveries. Then corporate got rid of them. If a scanner crashed while we we're out, at the end of our day when we went back in, we would have to log into another scanner, and sit at a table entering everything. It could take up to a half hour if you had a busy day.

 

Did your scanners operate by cell service or qualcomm?

UPS Freight I think uses qualcomm. Everything that was scanned was seen at dispatch, so there were no worries about crashing or backups. Everything was communicated through the Diad Scanner. All your deliveries, pickups, lunch breaks, etc. was through the scanners. Even the forklifts on the docks had scanners too. Computers on every forklift with scales to weigh pallets as well.

The scanners we use are cell based. It runs off of AT&T and it sometimes tends to crash. Why they chose AT&T is beyond me, since we have a contract with Verizon. They're even considering giving the HCR drivers scanners as well, which should be interesting to see what happens.

 

We initially had AT&T as well, must be a default provider. We switched to Verizon and got *slightly* better coverage, especially with the variety of terrain we have here in the Pacific Northwest. We still had crashes, and often they were either regional or system-wide. Typically they could last an hour or so until the FedEx help desk (running joke, "Please, stop helping us!") could fix the problem. We also had our breaks, lunches, equipment changes, trailer drops and picks, messages, etc. in the scanners, and from what I was told, our messages could be read at corporate.

 

New bid run I'm on now has me bumping docks with FXF and other LTL guys. I tend to see your guys wear a scanner pouch like we do. It's a lot smaller than what UPSF used. Those things were HUGE and HEAVY. You had to make sure your pants belt were tight, otherwise they'll drag your pants down.

 

Most of us never wore the scanner pouch, it was too uncomfortable in the seat. If we carried it at all (like we were supposed to), we usually just put it in the cargo pocket of our slacks.

 

Same here. I only use the pouch once I'm at a stop.

I don't really see any other LTL guys use scanners like we do. Or maybe I never really looked.

 

Dayton Freight has a scanner attached to the Qualcomm in the truck. The good part is that it never gets in the way and you can never leave without it.

 

Is Dayton Freight a regional company? I don't see Dayton around my area. No Saia either.

I really like the new bid run I'm on now. It has me P&Ding on the first half of my run, then short distance Linehaul on the second half. All the stops I got have time limits on the Scanners I'm using, but it doesn't work sometimes because the AT&T signal tends to drop a lot for some reason. I think @JReding was right about the Scanners using AT&T as a default provider.

We got a couple drivers retiring soon so I might bid on the Yard Jockey position because the Scanners are becoming a pain in ### now.