CB, a dying truck driver tool, what y'all think??

Its rare I have to turn radio off for nonsense, occasionally I'll turn the RF gain down to avoid a conversation more suited for a telephone call.

I'm lucky to have a dedicated run where you can share info with the same guys every night/morning <--- It wasn't always like that. It took a month or more of calling out bears, traffic info, and telling a few jokes every night, before I started learning folks by their handle. Now 8 months into this route you could ask where "so and so" is tonight and the chatter begins until you find the driver is running 40 miles behind.

One night I followed a FedEx driver into truckstop, passed him nearly every night, and twice watched him stay on the big road when it was all over the air to get off. Handed him a cheap radio and Vise-grip antenna setup... told him give it back if he doesn't use it, or when he can afford his own. He 'Empty Pockets' offered it back next week, sporting a new cobra 29. That same radio is on its 4th loan to a friend we call 'Chewy'. WOW is all I can say, the power of kindness pays off x10! <--- If I never see that radio again it was worth every cent.

If your ever on the midnight train between Chicago, Indy.. Holler "Whoop, Whooop" your sure to get a response! (just try it)

I've been blessed with this run that I have so many friends to talk with and look forward to my job every night.

 

I have had my truck and likely my life saved by the cb. Snow storm in southern Manitoba. Suddenly on coming truck hollers at me that there is a truck across the road ahead. I had time to brake before an almost certain collision. To Rodemedic I suggest you get go spend some money to get your cb fixed so you get the constant help that is there if you are listening. And use some common sense. Don't be part of the problem by turning your own radio off. Its like seeing litter beside the road and then throwing your last three days worth of garbage out because everyone else is.

 

CB saved us sitting in a 10 mile traffic back up because of an accident today near Atlanta . . . among other things already the past two days (just headed back out yesterday morning).

 

I stop listening to the CB, its the same ole thing... Obama, Mexicans and the pretty lady. Hell , I don't have any antennas. If its an accident up a head, I just get in the lane with all the big trucks. If ask by the shippers or receivers if I have an CB, I tell them no and give my phone number to them.

 

I hope I don't hurt feelings out there but the good old days are gone I've been driving for many years to be exact for over 25 years and the driver today are 1 either foreign are don't speak English,2 are fresh out of driving school and don't have a any Idea about driving expect what they teach them in school. I run the rocky mountains and the passes every day it amazes me these big company's send some rookie over the mountain with heavy loads and no Jake brake and have seen time and time they loose it or smoke brakes so bad they just quite when and if they get to the bottom which I have giving drivers rides to next truck stop because they have quit and left truck where it stopped. just thought I would voice my thoughts.

 

I run into plenty of situations where I'm glad I had a radio and it was on. Sometimes a tire doesn't blow out, it just gets a nail and slowly loses its air, then eventually comes off the rim. You're not going to hear that, and if it's on the inner, you're not going to see it either.

You can't see or hear the lights on the back of your trailer, nor the ones above your windshield (unless your truck is white, and unless they all start flickering or go out)

Live traffic is not infallible. Most of the time it's accurate, but I've gotten heads-up on the radio on things that just happened that live traffic hadn't picked up yet, and it saved my ###. That's happened more than once.

 

I have been to more than one shipper who flatly refuse to call, and stipulate that no CB means wait in the lobby for a door assignment. In fact, I was at one yesterday. A couple people without CBs did not wait in the lobby, and they (shipping) got more than a little cranky, calling on the CB for anyone who could see XXXXXX truck XXXXX number to tell them to back into door XX.

I guess a lot of people don't realize that with landline phone service, depending on the local carrier, long distance calls costing more is still a thing.

 

Just think it is a piece of the truck that is never going away,it would not be used in some trucks but it will be used in other's.Again it is not going away neither is your music radio if nothing else it keeps your ##### awake.

 

I don't see how people without a CB survive these shippers that use the radio heavily. You're right, the do get agitated if they can't communicate with you.
I love the CB. A very necessary tool. I say we advocate having it and responsible use of it.