Do i need to get a cb?

While you are with another driver, training, you won't need one. Once you go solo, think of it as a necessary tool, for keeping track of road conditions and as mentioned dealing with some customers. It is not unusual for a customers recieving or security people to use the cb to give instructions over the cb. You don't need a fancy one. I use a Cobra 29 Bluetooth, as it also doubles as my hands free device for my cell phone.

 

You need one when you go solo. You would not drive with a blindfold on (I hope!) and a CB helps make you aware of what is beyond your field of vision: traffic problems, junk in the road, or another driver alerting you to a problem with your rig like a light out or flat tire. Don't leave the yard without one. (I'm starting to feel like Karl Malden.)

 

You absolutely do not need one, but they can be helpful. They would be more so if you didnt have to turn the squelch way up to block big-radio'd idiots, repetitive truck wash advertisements, cb shops, etc.


And if you have an android smartphone you can see interstate traffic backups 60 miles in advance & know exactly where they stop & start. If you don't have one already, that would come way, way before a cb.


PS. keep your receipts -- both are tax deductable.

 

My "smarter than me" phone had nothing on the backup 65S @ mm104 in TN last week, but my CB sure did!! My CB has "saved" me lots of times over the years.


Sent from your iPhone via my Galaxy Nexus!

 

I could not imagine being without mine.

 

I got mine as a gift cobra 29bluetooth nice little starter radio. Although it dont gotta be bluetooth it could be regular. Just got it boost up last week I gotta get separate mount and antenna for it for my cascadia. What kind of antenna would u guys go with? Hijacking thread for a minute.....

 

You don't NEED a CB...and the majority of the time you won't be using it because you will be sick of hearing how everything is Obama's fault or the guy with no panties will be at every truckstop or the guy selling his smoke in West Memphis but the few times that you need up to the minute weather conditions or how to get around a traffic jam, you will be glad you have one. And if you go to Asociated Grocers in Kansas City, KS if yoi don't have a CB to listen for your door assignment you have to sit in their little security office till they get around to giving you a door

 

Your best bet to have one would be for the customers that use them. Oftentimes I've found (especially at large grocery warehouses) that if you don't have a CB, they will require you to sit in the driver's lounge while you are waiting for a door, waiting for bills, waiting for unload, etc. You then need to ask yourself...."If I'm going to be in one location not doing anything for 4+ hours, do I want to be trapped in a small room, or do I want to go lay in my bunk?" I don't know about you but I'd prefer the latter.

They are also just generally all around helpful tools. They can come in great handy when you are maneuvering in crowded areas such as trying to back to a dock, trying to back into a parking spot at a truck stop, or other trouble areas. Having a working CB can be the difference between a safe back made much easier by vocal assistance, or taking the hood off somebody else's truck. Now I know I'm going to get the "Well if you get out and look you should never back into anything." Thats partly true but, we've all had those nights where you just want to get parked and shut down, and taking 30 minutes to back into a space while GOALing every 2-3 feet is just not practical. Its nice to have somebody say "You are clear on your right side just keep coming back slowly."

Unfortunately yes, you will get to hear all the ash and trash that comes over the radio by every wannabe disc jockey, radio rambo, and amped up idiot that just wants to annoy everybody because he can. It can make things frustrating at times but the benefits of cb ownership do outweigh the nuisances. I personally would make it one of your first purchases when setting up your company truck. As has been said before though, don't spend an entire paycheck on the darn radio. I've seen newbies at my company do that. They are on student pay and they spend several hundred dollars on the biggest radio they can find, expensive antennas, and all kinds of goodies to go with it. All on a company truck. Simple is best. A base model 40 channel of any brand without modifications will serve the purpose that you need. I would recommend finding one that has the NOAA weather channels if your truck dash radio does not receive them. All the other bells and whistles can wait until you have made enough money to decide you need a toy.

 

I went my first couple months without one. Now that Ive had it, it does come in handy. The customers that use them will take your cell number and call you. They are not an emergency for your first day, but I would get one sooner than later.
With my cobra 29 in a cascadia, I use the mount from I80 truckstop that replaces a mirror mount screw. And for an antenna I use the K40 4 ft with the adjustable tip. Was $27 at Pilot for the antenna and it works pretty well. Im sure theres better but Im happy with the setup.

First thing I heard when I got mine runnin was, "where dem workin girrls at?" I am amused by stupid people so it can be quite entertaining when you get to a rowdy ts.

 

I agree with all this EXCEPT the part about backing. Its ALWAYS practical to GOAL, and how can I trust the guy who is telling me its clear on the right side is the guy sitting in the truck whose bumper I am about to take off and not some driver who just Thinks I'm clear