Are CB Radios still used to day?

lol i use my old beat up cb all the time i love it but the wifey was alittle annoyed come to think of it its time to get a new cb any suggestions?

 

Nextel phones, or others with push to talk, have also replaced CBs. Buddy of mine drives for fuel company and all their drivers have Nextels and BeDeep each other to chat.

I think it will be necessary to have a CB once I am driving, but like most I have read here I will probably just keep it off most of the time and listen to Satellite radio or i-tunes.

 

I wouldn't say a CB is "necessary", some shipper/receivers like to call you out on the radio when it's your turn, but not all drivers have CB's... and some places give you a little "pager" that will call you in.

Typically anymore, the most entertainment on a CB is the power switch... when you turn it off, the annoyances go away and you can be entertained by some other method.

Though on rainy mornings like today, it's a heck of a lot of fun to listen to the chatter... and as for the original premise of this thread, since it's spring break time, I heard one driver trying to get the others to clean out their mouths cuz his kid was riding shotgun for spring break. If anyone is ever offended by words, see my note above about the most entertaining feature of a CB.

 

Actually, there is an industry where cb radios are definitely mandatory. Try going into a material yard (sand/gravel/rock) without one, you won't get anywhere, especially with the impatient loader operators who all have CB's in their machines and are demanding you pull here, over there, etc etc etc. They have radios in their offices for checkout on the scales - you have to call your truck and it's number ahead of pulling onto the scale. If you don't - you're history, they will ream you a new one, pull that one out and install one from a donkey's $$$. Some of these local trucking companies pulling materials require you to have the CB on a certain channel while in operation as well. There is definitely a different kind of culture going on with those boys and girls!
lol

 

Add to that asphalt plants especially the ones with two or more hoppers. It's "Joe's construction behind the plant" and "Joe's construction rolling under".

Blue Diamond has a new system using key cards with all of the truck/driver/job#/PO#/job address ect... but you still need th CB while rolling in and out.

 

I stand corrected. Thanks for the education, guys.

 

I know the thread is a little old, but here goes.

I drive a dreaded 4-wheeler. I know, I know. I have been driving long road trips for over 15 years and used a CB radio for most of the trips. I can attest to the definite decline in CB usage by truckers in general over the past years. I will admit that I use the CB for speeding, safety, and to carry on conversations during long trips.

I find that for the most part (big-rig) drivers are at a minimum courteous with me and understand what I am doing. I do miss the conversations. After reading this thread, I would say that the decline in usage is fueled by many things: cell phone usage increasing, potty mouth operators driving good folk away, lack of necessity (drivers no longer speeding), other forms of entertainment/communication, and a new different generation of drivers.

Too me it is sad to see this decline. I do and will miss the conversations I have had on the long road trips. I do however appreciate the assistance with the bears and will continue to provide the same info and other safety/need to know information to the other drivers.

On another note, I am courteous and share the road with the big-rigs. I do see my fair share of jerk drivers both in trucks and 4-wheelers. I do not hold this against the rest of the group.

Have a safe drive and thank you for the information.

 

Back to the original poster's question. Try doing a radio check next time. Just because no one's talking, doesn't mean that no one's listening.

 

no doubt, I dont talk much on the cb but i will answer any question i hear about directions to companies,fuel spots, the dreaded bears or anyihng else I might hear and know the answer too. Occasionally I do chat it up if I recognize a truck on the road but rarely mostly just listen to scan 4 any usefull information.

 

If you drive a truck it could be your life line, Does a bear poop in the woods? Danny