Smart Driving
D oes CB radio matter anymore? Has it lost its status as the No. 1 communication tool of the trucking industry? Some say the CB's charm and usefulness has declined since its heyday in the 1970s, when CBs conveyed an ide-alized trucking image that probably never existed except in the minds of moviemakers and songwriters. Others say CBs have been eclipsed by the Internet and cell phones, many pointing further to the more re-cent perception of the old tool as an X-rated plaything used by too many young and frustrated drivers who lack respect for themselves, other truckers and the industry. This notion mirrors a common picture of our society as one where manners and politeness are missing, all of which is made worse by a rough economy. It went from everybody ... stopping to help people, to yelling and cussing at you on the radio, says Jeff Koon, an owner-operator leased to Landstar Ranger from Pleasant Prairie, Wis., who's been driving for 20 years. Koon's colleague Bob Boykin of Payette, Idaho, a 34-year trucking veteran, says he can't stand to listen to the radio. Now it's nothing but profanity on there, he says. I have it on, but I have the volume turned all the way down. If I want to say some-thing they can hear me, but I don't have to listen to all the trash that's on there. Rob Vanderslik, a driv-er for Roehl Transportation from Gaylord, Mich., says he got so fed up with the language that he's twice re-moved his CB radio and flipped it into his sleeper berth. He reinstalled it after the first time, but today re-lies on his BlackBerry to contact customers and for its GPS feature. Many truckers say they use the CB radio mostly to check on traffic conditions and road construction. Mi-chael Morgan, of Wilkes Barre, Pa., who drives for the William B. Meyer agency of United Van Lines, says he hears drivers alert others to situations such as open weigh stations and bear traps where state police are looking for speeders. Sometimes smaller scales that don't have electronic signs will request drivers to tune in to a certain SMART DRIVING Though the FCC no longer requires a CB license and call letters, it still main-tains a few rules for the airwaves under its Part 95 Subpart D: The FCC encourages you to identify yourself with an assigned CB radio call sign; K prefix, followed by operator initials and residence zip code; name of organization or individual; or handle, an easily recognized ficti-tious name. You are prohibited from doing the following over CB radio airwaves: Promote any activity that is against federal, state or local law. Transmit obscene, indecent or profane words. Advertise or solicit sale of any goods or services. Transmit music, whistling or sound effects. Transmit word mayday unless for an absolute emergency. Advertise political candidates. Intentionally interfere with other CB radio operators. CB DOS AND DON'TS JULY 2009 34 TRUCKERS NEWS MAX KVIDERA Once-congenial CB chatter, some truckers say, is being replaced by frequently abusive and profane language Air Capitol: Wichita, Kan. The Apple: New York City The Bikini: Miami Bright Lights: Kansas City, Mo. CB Town: Council Bluffs, Iowa Cigar City: Tampa, Fla. The Friendly: Philadelphia Hog Town: Toronto The Nickel: Buffalo, N.Y. The Rubber: Akron, Ohio Shaky City: Los Angeles Smoke City: Birmingham, Ala. Windy: Chicago CITY HANDLES Fair or Foul?