iTECH: Have Dish, Will Travel

Satellite TV, Radio, Wireless Internet Reach a Growing Trucking Audience

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fter a long truck trip with his ear tuned to radio programming beamed down from space, Herb Schmidt, president of truckload carrier Contract Freighters Inc., was so impressed that he ordered all his fleet’s new trucks to be equipped with factory-installed satellite radio receivers.

The Missouri-based truckload carrier also is willing to cover the $10 monthly fee for each of its 2,300 company drivers to have XM Satellite Radio service on their trucks.

XM is one of two satellite-based, nationwide services competing to change the listening habits of America’s mobile radio audience. The other is Sirius Satellite Radio. Both offer scores of different programs, appealing to any taste, and nearly universal reach of their signals.

This article appeared in the February/March edition of TT's iTECH supplement. For the full story, see the Feb. 21 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.