Mr. Trapp then picks the most lucrative loads, saving hours over calling agents individually. Mr. Trapp enjoys visiting motorcycle and classic-car Web sites for his entertainment and has dabbled in online purchasing. But he is having mixed success with the wireless Web. Many of the places he travels don't have cell-phone service, and those that do aren't without problems. At a stop near Indianapolis, Mr. Trapp tries to access the Web with his cell phone and laptop, but finally gives up after electrical interference and an incoming cell-phone call wipe out the connection.
Trucking companies believe it's only a matter of time before such problems are worked out.
As cellular networks expand their coverage, Landstar and U.S. Xpress are testing new cellular phones that receive, send and display Internet messages. Drivers insert a modem card into their laptop to communicate with satellite dishes installed at the stops from anywhere within a half-mile radius. PNV is also working on the human element. It's sending a special truck and trailer, called the Technology Road Show, to truck stops around the country to give truck drivers live demonstrations of the Internet. Search our database of more than 30,000 entry-level jobs and internships.