What do Truckers Want?

Discussion in 'Trucking Electronics, Gadgets and Software Forum' started by TechTruck, Sep 18, 2011.

  1. TechTruck

    TechTruck Bobtail Member

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    Sep 18, 2011
    New York
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    Hi all,

    I am in my late twenties, I am a technologist (I build web and mobile based technologies) and I am the brother and friend of both truckers and freight brokers.

    My question is, what technologies do you wish you had with you on the road? I can build most anything, and wish to help the trucking community.

    Some examples:
    - GPS tracking and route-optimization
    - Best truck-stops; this could be curated by friends in your network
    - Fuel prices
    - Origin/Destination of haul information
    - Log book

    Anyone that gives me feedback will receive whatever I build for free -- although, I plan on giving away the technology for free anyways.

    Thanks a lot!
     
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  3. MacGyver.

    MacGyver. Light Load Member

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    Apr 6, 2010
    minnesota
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    Satellite internet that works where ever the truck is.
     
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  4. Aztech

    Aztech Light Load Member

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    Feb 17, 2010
    Townsend, DE
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    Elevation gps tracking. Tracks points along a road that displays in a 2D platform-based view that shows the elevation along the next 'x distance' along the road your on.

    Id imagine it would take a lot of work, getting points every 100 or so feet along every road. Sounds like something Google could cook up as far as getting a database together. Would be nice on a laptop to run aside Copilot. Would definitely help save fuel since we know when there's a grade coming up and what size it is.

    Something like this: (i dont know how to post a picture sorry)
    http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SULMOYQP

    I guess the next thing after elevation gps would be integrating it into the truck and creating a "Smart Cruise Control", that knows when to lay off the gas when going up/down hill since it knows what elevation is coming up. Imagine the fuel that would save.
     
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  5. smarttowers

    smarttowers Light Load Member

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    Jul 6, 2011
    New Mexico
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    Good idea and don't think there is anything like this already out there. It would not be as difficult as you think, the key would be getting the application run by many people updating a database. This is probably something that could take up significant storage so probably would be best used real time instead of installed.

    As for tying it into a "Smart Cruise Control" that idea I don't really like. Something about a vehicle increasing its speed without user input doesn't settle well with me.
     
  6. dave26027

    dave26027 Road Train Member

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    Sep 10, 2009
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    I want sunglasses that see through passenger's blouses. I'm willing to pay big bucks for it.
     
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  7. Aztech

    Aztech Light Load Member

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    Feb 17, 2010
    Townsend, DE
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    Good point about the storage space (as well as the cruise control thing). It would take up a lot of space, but the only way we would be able to retrieve the info is from data service from MiFi (if the driver has a wireless Internet device, and is willing to pay a lot for data), or by preloading a few roads at a truckstop, but that would cost a lot of time and the hastle & cost wouldn't be worth it.

    It shouldn't take up too much space. I'm willing to give more than 10gb for it. I have no idea how much space it would realistically take though. It depends on the distance between points. Every 100 feet is more accurate than needed, 500 feet is good, 1000 feet may not show smaller hills and will make the image on the screen bad looking from all the long lines when zoomed to 1-3 miles or so. Not showing small hills isn't a big deal.

    All I really want is interstate roads, and some US highways. State, county, and backroads arnt important to me. I'm hardly on them and it's a waist of space. And with all the traffic, curves, stop signs, and stop lights that come with them, I won't be saving much fuel anyway.
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2011
  8. Mark Kling

    Mark Kling Technology Contributor

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    Statesville, NC
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    Freightliner has this in their new trucks that have build in GPS...

    mark
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 26, 2011
  9. smarttowers

    smarttowers Light Load Member

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    Jul 6, 2011
    New Mexico
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    Freightliner has this in their new trucks that have build in GPS...

    mark[/QUOTE]

    WOW, remind me to stay out from in front of those Freightshakers. I think this is a really bad idea. If a computer is doing the acceleration without all of the proper input its a accident waiting to happen. Plus it opens Freightliner up to lawsuits for the accident if the vehicle was increasing the speed when the driver wasn't in control of it.
     
  10. Hardlyevr

    Hardlyevr Road Train Member

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    Jul 30, 2009
    Mapleton Depot,PA
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    aerial photgraphy is great for looking at the locations where you may be loading or delivering, BUT everyplace looks flat in the photos, when you get there and it's carved into the side of a hill, it's a whole new ball game. I wish there was some kind of 3D or better way to tell what a place really looked like.
     
  11. Beer Runner

    Beer Runner Medium Load Member

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    Nov 2, 2010
    Canada
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    I would buy that and pay a monthly fee for it.
     
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