According to Verizon Wireless, one of their fastest-growing user groups is the trucker population. In fact, according to a survey conducted by CCJ sister publication Truckers News, more than 80 percent of truckers use wireless phones regularly – to call home, contact dispatch and/or access the Web on the road.
Additionally, more than 60 percent of those surveyed say cell phones have done the most compared to other technologies to make their jobs easier. For these reasons, Verizon Wireless says it is targeting the trucking industry heavily by using truckstops as distribution locations. Since instituting its truckstop program in late 2008, the company says it has added a high volume of new lines to the business.
With 12 truckstop locations in Illinois and Wisconsin, usage numbers show that more than 40 percent of the truckers who have Verizon Wireless phones are opting for $99-plus plans, and 25 percent are using wireless air cards, allowing truckers to access the Internet or share files at DSL-like speeds no matter where they travel, according to the company; month over month, sales continue to increase by as much as 80 percent.
