Do you know what this means?  It means that fleet owners have a more simplified process of gathering information from their trucks and save money as well.  As the article states;

“Qualcomm’s Service Fleet Manager mobile resource management system uses GPS technology to give fleets visibility into their assets and provide an immediate snapshot of critical vehicle information through a web-based interface.”

Earthtimes.org wrote an article about the MRM/Driving Behavior Solution, and interviewed Norman Ellis.  He is quoted as saying:

“Mobile resource management and driver safety are vital issues to every local service fleet,” said Norman Ellis, vice president of sales, services and marketing at Qualcomm Enterprise Services.  ”GreenRoad’s unique driving behavior service offers a different dimension to our mobile resource management offering, enabling our customers to obtain more value from each of the two services.  We are proud to work with GreenRoad and offer the first combined mobile resource management and driving behavior service.”

If one of a fleet owner’s truck drivers takes risk that could hurt people or their truck, the information is instantly sent back to the office so that someone is aware and can take immediate action.  This is a wonderful program that may save lives.

Save money and have more access to truck information to protect from hazardous driving and mechanical problems.  That’s a win-win for me!

http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/news-detail.asp?news_id=69729&news_category_id=52

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/qualcomm-and-greenroad-to-provide,1205165.shtml

The FMCSA partly funded a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, which compiled the research and measured the time drivers took their eyes from the road to send or receive texts.

One of the first issues the article discusses from the report is the sharp increase over previous estimates. The study showed that text messaging is far more dangerous than many other driving distractions. Matt Richetel of the New York Times says that the report from the FMCSA is going to show that truck drivers are 23 times more likely to get into an accident if they are text messaging behind the wheel.

For the study video cameras were installed in the cabs of trucks for 18 months and the actions of drivers were monitored. The results were alarming. Tom Dingus, a director for the Virginia Tech institute said the study’s message was clear. “You should never do this,” he said of texting while driving. “It should be illegal.”

Another study was also conducted by the University of Utah . The University of Utah used simulation equipment rather that equiping live tractor trailers and used passenger vehicles in their study. Even when using a simulator, the results come back at 8 times more likely. The lower simulator results according to David Strayer, a professor who worked on the University of Utah report, may be related to the fact that trucks are tougher to maneuver and stop, and that college students might be somewhat better at multitasking.

The complete NYTIMES article can be found by clicking here.

The bottom line, Don’t Text Message While You Drive!

Richard Voss was an attorney who gave up the stress of his day to day life for the open road. Voss practiced law for 12 years before throwing in the towel. According to Voss, “There comes a point where you don’t sleep well, you get too stressed to do the job, and its time to stop.” 

In the article Voss described what keeps him interested. Voss said “a factory may not be interesting; but inside it is.” He also appreciates all the different things people do to make a living and is fascinated by their jobs.

In the article Voss gives a great message for other truck drivers to follow. He believes following his rule will make each day a good one. According to Voss “there is no stress in trucking unless you make it yourself!” Voss’s rule is when you go in to a location, go in with a smile and a good attitude. He says following this will prevent your day from going down hill.

This article goes to show that the business of trucking can be a good one to be in. Not all attorneys are looking to get behind the wheel, but this one choose cdl driving jobs and made an enjoyable career out of it.

The complete TheTrucker.com article can be found at: http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2009/7/31/Formerattorneyleavesstressbehindhitstheroad.aspx
The article was written by the trucker staff writer Barb Kampbell.

Workers in Seattle are not alone on the job hunt. In fact, Data from the Bureau of Labor
Statistics suggests that in the group age 50 to 64, over 2 million people may be unemployed and looking for work. Most are trying to make the most out of every application or job opening they find. Some have tweaked their resume and are exhausting every effort they can to find work.

A Quote from seattle job searcher Mike Draper, 55 said “I haven’t experienced age discrimination.” That should make older applicants feel more confident that they will find work. the article states that for many persistance, retraining, and flexability seem to be the best option. 

One industry that job seekers may be intersted in is the trucking industry. The industry as a whole is still hiring
qualified individuals and enrolling students into truck school. All statistcal numbers still point to even higher dmand for truck drivers in the future. Those job seekers that are 50 in older may find comfort in the truck driving industry. Large hurdles for many considering trucking jobs are family and community commitments at home. For many a perosn that is 50 and older many of those commitments may no longer apply.  A Truck Job can be a new career path for this stage in life for adults looking for work.

CR England CDL schools can train the unemployed for a new
career in the trucking industry. CR England also provides employment options after graduation.   

You can read more from the original article written by Pratik Joshi of the Tri-City Herald can
be found at
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_mature_jobseekers.html?source=mypi

There are a great number of good reasons for someone to become a truck driver. First and foremost among those reasons would be the great pay. Did you realize that most truckers, their first year out on the road, earn an average of $35,000 a year? And, that after just a few years out, those same truckers are making an average of $45,000-$50,000 annually? And finally, veteran drivers who own their own trucks make average salaries that are over $100,000 a year. What other profession can you get into, where the pay is that good?One other great reason to get into trucking??.. is the chance to see some of this great country of ours. How many states have you been to? Are you one of those people who haven?t been to very many places? Well, get into trucking and you will have the opportunity to explore America. See why most people consider this to be not only the greatest country in the world, but also the most beautiful one as well. What other country has sights like The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone Park, the Great Smoky Mountains, the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, New England in the fall, and so much more? Want to explore America? Become a trucker.One other great thing about being a trucker is the camaraderie that you feel with your fellow truckers. It?s a special bond, much like the bond that people who are in the military feel. You and your fellow truckers know that you are doing a job that is vital, Vital for the country. For without trucking, we would be in a heap of trouble. Do you have any idea how many products that you use, that are delivered by truck? The percentage of products delivered by truck is around 78%. So think about something that you use (car; food; pharmaceuticals; etc.) and there?s a really good chance that it got to you, by truck.Trucking is not an easy job. I won?t try to make it seem like it is. For one thing, you?re away from home a lot. But even that, you do have some control over. For example, if you?re the type who likes to be home quite a bit, there are truck driving jobs where the drivers are home every weekend, and in some cases, there are trucking jobs where the drivers are home every night. It must be noted though, that some of those jobs don?t pay as well as the long haul jobs do.Is trucking for you? Only you can decide that. If you think that it is for you, the first step is to enter a truck driving school. There are great schools located in every region of this country.

Why Become A Truck Driver?