People net & Qualcomm

We use Qualcomm MCP50, yeah it's junk.

Not sure what the point is. You gonna try to build something to compete with the big boys? If so good luck.
If it's decent you could market at small(ish) carriers and OOs.

The bigger companies will stick to what they already have.

 

Would be interesting to see the 10-20 biggest Carriers and see what they have.
I bet it will be almost all QC or Peoplenet.

 

Any system will have to be extremely tough. Between the truck abuse on today's roads, the heat in the summer when the driver is away, and the abuse of truckers in general, they will take a lot of abuse.

I only have experience with a few Omnitracs models. The technology is available and has been to create "iPad like" units for cheap but they haven't done it. I take that to mean they seem to have reached a good balance (for the time being) of functionality and durability and usability. But I have no doubt a certain amount of "modernizing" could be done here and there

 

I used to call the gps on the qualcomm Etch a Sketch lol

 

I know something must be "connected" to the truck to track a number of different things... But just move the driver facing stuff to an Smartphone App and I would be happy.

Send and receive communications via the app and then the Driver would not have to be in the truck. Log in and out via the app. Edit the driving logs via the App.... Etc.

It need not be overly complex and can rely on the "Bring Your Own Device" concept for those with Apple or Android phones and/or tablets.

For others, just leave the hardware in the truck. It could be used by those without a smartphone or used as backup should one have problems with using their Smart Device.

We already use our Smart Devices for Weather, Traffic, Mapping, etc... Might as well move this aspect of trucking to the smart devices as well.

 

your right they are out dated. they're expensive to. with the eobr laws, they electronics companies don't have to sell them cheap. so trucking companies are holding on to the old ones due to this. I have them in my trucks. there not mounted to the dash. a study done years ago. proved the color blue causes mental issues. and I know for a fact. that always watching a clock cause the same mental issues. among things!!!