These days, information and commerce travel electronic roads, connected by the World Wide Web. Some of the attractions along the Information Highway are designed especially for truck drivers.
Internet watchers estimate about 182 million people in the U.S. and Canada are online. While experts disagree on the percentage of owner operators with Internet access, the numbers have more than doubled since 1997, researchers say. Many access the Internet through their own laptops or truck stop kiosks.
Road signs
The Internet is vast. How does a driver sort through available links to connect with sites of value to truckers? A few tips will make navigating more productive.
1) Search engines. The engines survey Web documents for key words or phrases. So when you enter your search topic — “using search engines,” for example — the search engine checks its indices for matches. The engine then lists the best matches for you to explore.
Popular search engines include Dogpile.com, a “meta-search” engine that searches 13 of the leading search sites; Google, hailed for its comprehensive coverage and high relevancy; AllTheWeb.com; Yahoo, the web's oldest directory; MSN Search, a Microsoft product; and Ask Jeeves, which lets you query by asking questions. This list is by no means comprehensive, but gives owner operators a place to start.
2) Search queries. The most common form of query is keywords. Although query techniques vary from engine to engine, certain basic techniques are likely to improve your search results.
For example, “truck” may bring up sites on everything from pickups to Class 8s. Use the plus symbol (+) to add words to narrow the search. Truck+ engine makes the search more specific. Adding “+EGR” focuses the search even more precisely.
Other symbols work on the same principle. The minus symbol (-) excludes words from the search. Quotation marks around the topic search for a phrase, not just individual words. The symbols can even be used in combination, such as “truck engine”+EGR.
Many engines use Boolean operators to refine your search. Use AND to include (truck AND pickup). Use OR to get at least one of the terms (truck OR pickup). Use NOT to exclude (truck NOT pickup). Other options include NEAR and FOLLOWED BY.
3). Vary. Use more than one search engine. Vary the word combinations in your query. And when the search engine turns up your results, visit more than one site.
4) Return. Web sites come and go all the time. Those that remain may be updated. Ones that were temporarily down or under construction may now be back in operation. So if you remain interested in a topic over time, conduct another search. See which web sites have survived and what new ones have developed since your last visit.
5) Expect ads. Many Internet sites rely on advertising to cover their costs. Banners, pop-ups and other commercials may clutter your screen. Be aware, too, that some sites may follow home. That is, the program deposits information called a “cookie” on your computer hard drive. The cookie “remembers” where you go on the Web. Cookies allow web sites to personalize pages with your name, your shopping preferences, fresh banner ads you have not yet seen and suggested content intended to be relevant to your interests.
Trucking sites
This article does not endorse of any of the sites, sponsors or advertisers mentioned here. It is by no means comprehensive. The intent is merely to point out some sites you might find in your own search.
The following sites have been grouped by type for handy reference.
1) Trucking associations. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) web site is www.ooida.com . OOIDA is an international trade association of more than 80,000 independent owner-operators and professional drivers in the US and Canada. At this web site, you can pick up daily news of interest to drivers, including the latest component and vehicle announcements, homeland security news, fuel surcharge information, hours of service bulletins and opinions from OOIDA experts.
The official site of the American Trucking Association is www.truckline.com. It offers broad coverage of national and state, security, safety, regulatory, legal and technical issues that affect trucking industry. Primarily geared to carrier interests, but a good one to see the big picture.
2) Trucking Portals. Be aware that some sites claiming to be portals are really advertiser sites. Unfortunately, the only reliable way to tell is to visit the site. Sites claiming to be portals varied quite widely, from those that weren't especially oriented toward trucking to some that were quite specific to drivers and their concerns. Often the site names are similar, so you may want to bookmark the ones you like.
The site www.truck.net lists jobs, loads, events, recruiting and a driver's roundtable, as well as the latest news. For those who like reading letters, comments and stories from other drivers, check out “The Insider, Off the Dash.”
Another site for good browsing is www.trucking.net. While not all links worked, this site did connect with other sites for accommodations, clothing, eating, insurance providers, phone companies.
We can see why a lot of drivers like www.layover.com. This site offers a special section for owner operators that includes tax tips and detailed discussions of how to be successful in business. It has sections on family concerns and information for the new driver. Other topics include weather, business directories, links for key news items by date and more.
In addition to traditional trucker topics, www.webtruckstop.com had some unusual twists. The Driver Lounge has links for Dr. Laura; a Travel Store with information on how to access audio, TV and driver tapes while on the road; and Ernie's Late Nite Diner with information on Trucker Buddy, Truckers for Wildlife and Disney sites galore.
Tech Stop section at www.truckpoint.com had some interesting software reviews and downloads.
Among the many sponsors and pop up advertisements at www.thetruckersplace.com, you'll find some very informative and different links including tips on avoiding a jackknife, women in trucking, trucking on the radio listings, national 10-codes, height/weight/length chart and tire chain information for key states.
2) Truck stops. All the truck stop chains and many independents have web sites to help you locate them and the services available. To quickly find your favorite truck stop by brand name, just type in “truck stop” in your search engine and pick it out from those that come up in the search.
To find a truck stop anywhere in the US for the state you're currently in: try www.deliver-it.com and click on “Truck Stops.” Select the state you're interested in from the drop down menu and a list of truck stop names with the highway and exit and phone number comes up.
3) Industry Publications. You can find an amazing number of online links to magazine web sites. Search on the title of your favorite magazine, or try www.truckingmagazines.com for a list to choose from. The site also has national news links that take you to current articles from MSNBC, the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times and other newspapers on line, a link for a weekly on-highway diesel prices posted by the government, and traffic information by state.
4) Personal support and industry relations. The name www.loads.org stands for Loved Ones and Driver Support. This on-line membership community offers help in maintaining relationships with those at home while you're out on the road, educating others about trucking and trucker.
The non-profit organization site www.truckerbuddy.org works to educate and mentor school children in grades 2-8. Founded in 1992, the organization matches classes of students with professional truck drivers who serve as pen pals. The Web site has the application, guidelines and newsletters about this interesting program.
5) Surveys. The Markinetics Owner Operator Panel is open to drivers with their own operating authority and valid commercial driver license (CDL). To join online, log on to www.takeasurvey.com and go to Join Panel.