DISH offers a pay-as-you-go subscription service that starts at $45 per month. This subscription is for the TV programming only; it does not include the hardware — the antenna, receiver, and TV. This type of subscription model may be attractive to fleets since they can shut off the service at any time such as when a certain driver or truck is inactive, says Sean Mccarthy, product manager for DISH.
Click on the image to see a photo gallery of satellite TV options for fleets.A DISH receiver costs about $150. Drivers and fleets have two options for a mobile satellite antenna. For a fixed-mount antenna, DISH uses the Pathway X1 from Winegard which retails for $499. For a portable antenna, DISH uses the Tailgater from King Controls which retails for $350.
If fleets purchase the equipment and subscription in bulk the price can change for both, he says. Fleets can also buy the equipment directly from the manufacturer — Winegard or King Controls — and then contact DISH for activation.
Long Haul Trucking, based in Albertville, Minn., specs all of its equipment with custom seats and satellite radio. This year it installed satellite television systems on all 100 company-driver trucks and pays the monthly service fees from DISH. The company was featured as a CCJ Innovator in July.
The company’s DISH incentive comes with a twist. If a company driver incurs a speeding violation or other roadside violation, the company-paid satellite service is deactivated for a month. It is reactivated only if the offending driver completes the next month with no violations.
As a result of its new policy, Long Haul already has seen its CSA scores drop in the few months since the systems were installed.
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To see a photo gallery of satellite TV options for fleets, CLICK here.
