iTech: Got Your Ears On?

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nce upon a time, citizen band radios were as much a part of the gear in a trucker’s rig as his Ray-Bans and coffee Thermos. Being without one on the road was unthinkable. A CB was a trucker’s lifeline to the outside world.

It’s different now. Most trucks still carry CBs, but few drivers use them as often as they once did. Truckers say cellphones, wireless Internet connections and the ability to receive local traffic and weather updates on satellite radio has lessened their dependence on CBs.

They also say they avoid CB conversations because bad language amounting to verbal road rage is now so common.

But many agree that unless a new technology is developed that allows truckers to talk cab-to-cab with other drivers, CBs will remain a fixture in truck cabs for years to come.

This article appeared in the April/May edition of TT's iTECH supplement. For the full story, see the April 18 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.