Do truckers use the CB anymore?

It was a good thing years ago. Especially when running with one or more others, really made the trip go by faster, helped ward off boredom. I got tired of the rudeness, and constant stupidity. Haven’t had a CB hooked up for 15 yrs. or more. I have a brand new one, bought it about 15 yrs ago. Maybe I’ll hook it up, see if it works.

 

Try Waze traffic App. Don’t follow the detour unless you know it is truck friendly, but it is real time most of the time. I run it all day every day and I rarely go anywhere I need a map. I do travel through two cities daily that can have terrible backups, but there are several routes to get through each city.

 

When I ran teams, the other driver had a cb. All I ever heard was various vulgarities and other stupid stuff. I never used it. I've been alone now for 8 years and am very with not hearing anything. Google maps will show where the back ups & detours are.

 

Only time I hear chatter on the CB is when there’s two idiots arguing at the truckstop or when there’s heavy traffic around.

 

I do often like to talk #### about guys taking a 30 in the fuel island or just parking there to get lunch.
I am probably one of the guys youve heard arguing !

 

WOW.

This is a truly disheartening thread to read.

Yeah, I used to be exposed to a lot of foul language while riding along in the Big Truck, at which point my father would simply cut it off and shake his head.

Guess some things never change.

Still have one in his old pickup replete with antenna.

When I was driving it from Tennessee (where his buddies had a memorial get together) was being screamed at by one trucker to “GET the F OFF!” while he kept joking about a truck wreck with a potential dead trucker up ahead and how “THAT will teach Yellowline not to speed, hahaha!” This was right when speed limiters were starting to be installed, I think?

Other truckers were clearly upset and disturbed while this piece of human excrement took great joy in the injury/death of a fellow driver.

That all aside, what happens when these Waze or Google maps apps glitch and/or cell phone reception goes out!?

Sometimes so-called progress is not so progressive.

Or maybe I’m just getting to be an out-of-touch Millennial…

One thing that I’ve noticed with the advancement of technology is that when the system fails, like at a truck stop, you can’t pump fuel, they can’t operate registers, everything is DOWN. You’re stuck and you’re…well, you know.

Guess that’s why I’m a fan of backups, manual and otherwise.

 

Obviously the explosion of the CB craze in the mid-70's was due to the Arab Oil Embargo and the subsequent 1974 decree forcing a nationwide max 55-mph speed limit. It was crucial for truckers to be able to tell each other where the 'bears' were. Now that speed limits are more reasonable and with the advent of Waze et al, the CB is no longer the best way to ascertain where the 'bears' are. Thus the diminished radio traffic. Nevertheless, CB is an invaluable communication tool for the professional driver. There is no viable substitute

 

Yep I remember. I was a young electronics student and we all had radios WAY before Smokey and the Bandit. I grew up in Appalachia and we all had radios in our cars so we could communicate who was having a keg party lol

 

Theres nothing more fun in trucking than you and your buddies running down the road and talking #### on the cb... Also if u ever running the night shift and start getting real tired. Talking on the cb to someone will keep ya going.