Within just a few short years, Flying J has become one of the "first-choice" truck stops for Wireless Internet Access. The chain says that its "hot-spot" customers shoud receive a good signal within its' plaza building as well as over the entire parking area.
We live in a pretty amazing world.
Just a few years back, if you had a cell phone in the truck, you were wired to the rest of the planet, that is, if you didn’t mind putting up with dead zones and dropped calls.
Most of us still experience those technical failures occasionally, but we put up with it because of the convenience the mobile phone allows. Plus, the service is now so inexpensive that you can’t afford to be without it.
Wireless interconnectivity is another technology that is gaining popularity. According to a transportation resource, 21% of U.S.-based truck drivers carry a laptop on board and 14% use the Internet while traveling.
Connecting to the Internet, the ability to send and receive email, having access to traveler information such as weather and trip routing, or enjoying entertainment are a few examples of how wireless Internet access makes an expediter’s job more efficient and enjoyable.
Wi-Fi, short for wireless fidelity, is the new paradigm. The professional driver can now access the Internet from the comfort of his own cab if parked near a hotspot, or the booth of a truck stop restaurant where a good signal is available.
Wi-Fi is the name for wireless standards known as 802.11. The number stands for a family of specifications developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers that enable manufacturers to create compatible products that communicate without wires.
Ratified in 1999, these standards worked well with Ethernet, the dominant standard for wired networks, and quickly caught on. Wireless networks built around 802.11b popped up in restaurants, offices and homes, where they are often used to share Internet connections.
Of course, the trucking world was right behind the coffee shops and others in adopting the technology and today there are hundreds of these networks, or “hot spots”, in locations from coast to coast.
However, there are often some bumps in the road on the way to implementing new technology.
From a press release not long ago:
“Service Suspended at over 500 Truckstops Nationwide”
November 30, 2004 — “Scott Moscrip, CEO of Truckstop.net today announced that most current operations have been suspended pending litigation in the U.S. District Court in Idaho.”
“From August 2003 to June 2004 Sprint Communications engineered and deployed more than 500 Wi-Fi hot spots at Truck Stops and Travel Plazas throughout the United States for Truckstop.net.”
“Thousands of customers signed up and used Truckstop.net from the time the service became available and many reported problems connecting to Truckstop.net hotspots at hundreds of locations while having no problems at other hotspots.”
“Truckstop.net has been working with Sprint over the last 5 months trying to determine the source of the problems. It was determined that the problems were caused by the equipment that Sprint configured and installed and, as such, the Wi-Fi solution currently deployed at each Truckstop.net location would need to be replaced or reconfigured.”
“Sprint has not corrected these problems. As a result, Truckstop.net declared Sprint in breach of contract and on November 15th started litigation in U.S. District Court. Subsequently, Sprint terminated the Internet circuits to the locations effectively halting the service.”
Shades of Park n’ View! Included in those “500 Wi-Fi hot spots at Truck Stops and Travel Plazas throughout the United States” was a major truck stop chain, Petro Stopping Centers. According to a well-placed source, this cessation of service obviously put the company well behind its competition and there are no immediate plans to resume an Internet service.
But there are two major players still in the truck stop world:
With over 280 Hotspots across the country, Flying J says that it is “the leading provider of Internet Access and WiFi service in the Trucking Industry.” The company launched it’s service in 2003, and Flying J has hotspots at more than 160 Flying J Travel Plazas and at another 125 major truckstop intersections across the country.
Within just a few short years, Flying J has become one of the “first-choice” truck stops for Wireless Internet Access. The chain says that its “hot-spot” customers shoud receive a good signal within its’ plaza building as well as over the entire parking area. Located in the driver’s lounge and select booths in the restaurant you will find data jacks.
Flying J’s main competition is a company that says its over forty years of experience in trucking is combined with its experience in wireless technology to create communication solutions.
Presently, SiriCOMM Wi-Fi Hot Spots are installed at 255 Pilot Travel Centers nationwide as well as independently operated travel centers, truck fleet terminals, and select roadside weigh stations that feature PrePass.
SiriCOMM says that its initial installation includes 400 locations installed in truck stops along major truck-traffic routes. Its plans are to continue with its building projects until a minumum of 1000 locations are in place. This second phase will target those shippers, weigh stations, truck terminals — places that are frequented by drivers.
The various states are getting in on the wireless action as well. Texas has entered the field by installing hot-spots in 102 of its rest areas.
The system is due to be completed in October 2005 and will offer free Wi-Fi up to a limit of two hours.
Michigan has announced plans to bring Wi-Fi to its rest areas, 10 state parks and welcome centers, all for a modest fee. Iowa began a feasibility study last by offering Wi-Fi at selected rest areas, free of charge. Other states have indicated they will also bring Wi-Fi to the general motoring public as the technology improves and demand increases.
Who would have thought of it just years ago?
Pull into the truck stop of rest area, open the laptop and connect to the world. Yes, we do live in a pretty amazing world and it’s exciting to think of what’s to come.
