[Orangetxguy]

Originally Posted by acslam

Completing CDL school in a couple weeks, no previous OTR experience, here's what I'm looking for:

Truck Mods: I have a laptop, GPS, cell phone, etc - I want these things mounted in the truck directly accessible and viewable to the driver, IE my laptop IS my gps and I need to be able to see/run it while driving. Want them jacked into the stereo system as it's got my music collection. Most companies seem to be okay with this, but CFI in particular made note that I wouldn't be able to install the stuff myself, it'd be done by their guys. Is this one of those things where they're just going to tell me "no" when I go to have it done?

I'm surprised someone hasn't mentioned this to you. Maybe they haven't because using the laptop and the qualcomm, have become habits for so many drivers out there.

Who told you , that you need GPS to drive a truck? There are signs for every highway that you can read, to inform you how to get where you need to be. In fact...a GPS does not know which roadways are closed to trucks. Many many roads, especially up where you are, are closed to trucks over certain gross weights or over certain axle weights. You will miss the signs advising you of these restrictions, if you are looking at your gps when you approach them.

You can have that laptop in the truck, you can even have it mounted where you can reach it. However, you need to understand, that if that laptop is open and viewable, while you are in motion, you can be charged with several different CMV violations. The worst one would be reckless driving, which could land you in jail.
More and more weigh stations, are using the cameras that are part of the Pre-pass system, to call trucks into the scales, simply to issue them just such tickets. I have listened to drivers, in the last 3 weeks, talk about getting tickets for not having their seat belts fastened, (one even posted here), for having open laptops, and one driver, just last week, got a reckless driving ticket for having his television on.

In this day of High Tech, City's, County's, and State's are using every advantage, to generate revenue.

Yes, you can have it in the truck..but you better be damn sure you don't endanger people's lives, for your own convenience.
Something you might think about, while you are finishing up with your CDL program.

[inmate1577]

Well.....
I havent heard of anyone getting a ticket for having an open laptop in their truck and it would be pretty hard to get a reckless charge based soley on having an open laptop unless the driver was swerving all over the road and causing a hazard. Cant say it wont happen, but thats the first I've heard of it.

If that was the case, the cops would issue tickets to every driver with an open bottle of pop or bag of potato chips on the dash as well. As far as seatbelts go, its just plain stupid not to wear a seatbelt. Years ago before there was a seatbelt law, I got into an accident and went face first into the steering column at 40mph. I've not driven without a seatbelt since.

A GPS is a helpful unit and I use mine primarily for finding that last street that I need to turn onto. I set mine to look 1/4 to 1/2 mile ahead so I know when that street is approaching. Most new GPS units have a live traffic updates which cover construction and accidents as well. Its prevented me from getting lost or missing those tiny, tree hidden street signs, especially in the South. Though it doesnt take the place of the eyes, but looking at a GPS is no more dangerous than diverting your attention to search for the street where you destination is located.

SNI has recently shut off the qualcomm systems while the truck is in motion. I guess one driver rolled his truck trying to read or type on the thing, so now the rest of the fleet suffers for someone elses stupidity.
But looking at every law and restriction in this industry....we all have to suffer for someone elses stupidity.