Is it possible to do OTR trucking without cell phone?

Anybody drive OTR without a phone?

 

I'm sure there are some, but in these days it's hard not to have one. Back in the day, there were payphones everywhere, but it's hard to find one now. If nothing else, get a pay as you go phone. You will be glad you did

 

Back before the turn of the century nobody had one and life went on. But now with technology today you might as well take advantage of things. Besides communicating with friends or family, you can communicate with work and the various depts. You can communicate with customers finding directions. You can call 911 for accidents or drunk drivers. In conjunction with a GPS you can order food delivered while you are sitting. You can call shops en route and get on their waiting list. Drivers even communicate with other drivers to kill time or stay awake. The uses are endless.

Keep in mind using a cell phone while driving a CMV is limited to hands free which many use Bluetooth or when sitting still. Texting is strictly prohibited. Fines are $2750 for each first offense and goes on your CSA2010 score. Some places it can go on your MVR.

If you don't have one you can get by through training. Your trainer will have one. Many companies have satellite communications with the truck like Qualcomm or PeopleNet for your dispatching and trip info. They now incorporate elogs.

There's no excuse you can't obtain one. For example there are many places with free phones with paid time or a contract. Buying online at StraightTalk has free refurbished phones with a paid $30/$45 plan. They utilize 4 or 5 carriers now so you need to be selective on which one you buy and where. It all depends on zip code. You want a CDMA-V which is Verizon and it will give you the best coverage. If you are a heavy user with a smart phone than a contract might be a better option.

I miss the old days with phone booths lined up at truck stops. It was part of the job and never slowed anyone down. It created a trucking atmosphere. Today they think they are missing a dollar if they aren't doing everything while rolling. Cell phones are just a convenience. They can be a hindrance too with your dispatcher waking you up and stuff. You can't hide anymore!

 

OP(Original Poster) For the "Student"
I didn't think anyone would answer this, I thought that they would all not have a means of communication to say something in here, But What Condo said is absolutely the truth, I remember when my family and I would travel and we would always stop at the Truck Stops, I remember the Phone booths and there would be drivers lined up and then there would be the one in the booth that you wonder how he got in there and better yet who is going to get him out of it! I'm talking about "Bubba" He eats a XL Pizza for a snack! yeah that guy, But you can get a cheapo phone and start out that way, Your deal says you are a "student" What are your plans to get in here? There is a wealth of knowledge to be had on this Forum, Of all the seeral Forums on the Internet there isn't a better one then this one!. Take Care come back often. Take care Be Safe when you get out here, It may be me that you slow down for!. Thanks.

 

Yep I drove several years with out a phone. But why would you? And I don't miss the lines or the need for change. I remember my dad would call home collect person to person and tell the operator he wants to speak to so and so we would say he wasn't home but did he have a number for the call back when he got home dad would say can you have him call me at ###### lol

 

I really wouldn't think it's worth debating whether you could, it's just so easy and useful to have one that it's downright foolish to go without one. Many/most companies expect/require you to have one.

 

When cellphones started evolving nobody could really afford one. It was an item for the rich. Lucky drivers got a company paid cell phone the size of a walkie talkie hardwired into the dash. Eventually as prices dropped and cellphones took off then the companies started expecting drivers to buy their own. Very few now will supply a phone. Those are a few small companies without satellite communications that still dispatch across a phone.

 

Exactly, why even consider it, seems a little silly.

 

I heard through the rumor mill that Obamaphones are free.

 

IF you work for a Company with Qualcomm Peoplenet or similar...Satellite Communications you can get away with it.

Some smaller companies will require you to have one.