CCJ

September 2015

Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal

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30 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2015 O ne of the great joys of the modern age is relaxing in front of the television set after a hard day at work, or catching the big game on the weekend. Up until recently, television has been a rare treat for drivers on the road. It's mostly been enjoyed in drivers' lounges – where program choices are dictated by majority vote as opposed to individual tastes – or on rare evenings when a driver checks into a hotel. But new advances in reliable high-quality satellite TV systems are allowing more drivers to catch their favorite shows in the privacy of their sleeper cabs. Also, more progressive fleets are viewing in-cab television as a shrewd way to attract new drivers and keep good ones. Why now? The adoption rate of in-cab satellite TV entertainment has grown signifi- cantly over the past couple of years, says Lance Platt, chief executive officer of EpicVue, an in-cab satellite TV provider. Platt says the overall market for live television service in trucking is dominated by the long- haul segment. "Long-haul drivers that are away from home for extended periods are most affected by quality-of-life issues that EpicVue is targeting," he says. "Prior to EpicVue, there was not a formalized program for fleet compa- nies to provide live satellite television to drivers, and therefore, very few drivers were able to benefit from the service." Nelson Roberts, director of fleet accounts for King Controls, says low- er prices and more reliable service have reshaped the in-cab television market. "Much like any high-technol- ogy product, the cost of the hardware has fallen significantly in the past 10 years," Roberts says. Drivers and fleets now can get a complete system for about $1,000, which includes a high-definition television, mount, mobile auto-aim- ing satellite TV antenna, HD satellite TV receiver, interconnecting cables and remote control. Perfecting the auto-aiming satellite antenna has allowed providers to offer a high-definition picture and sound in a sleeper cab at a reasonable cost, Roberts says. "Today, the satellites actually 'speak' to the antenna and tell it where the satellite is located, some as high as 22,000 miles in the sky, with pinpoint accuracy," he says. "This al- lows for the strongest possible signal combined with the best high-defini- tion picture anywhere in the lower 48 states." While satellite TV has been avail- able for years, the equipment never was designed specifically for the transportation industry until recent- ly, Platt says. EpicVue worked with a satellite dish manufacturer to reduce the size of the dish by more than 40 percent and increase its lifespan by several multiples as a result of more ruggedized equipment. But the real key, Platt says, has been the ability to deliver meaningful content at an attractive price point. Television service is typically north of $100 per month for the average user, but with a bulk purchase ar- rangement, EpicVue is able to deliver more than 100 channels of content – including premium channels such as HBO and Showtime, as well as NFL Sunday Ticket – for $49 per month. The package includes all necessary in focus: IN-CAB SATELLITE TV The cost of the hardware has fallen signicantly in the past 10 years. – Nelson Roberts, director of eet accounts, King Controls More fleets using in-cab TV to recruit, retain drivers BY JACK ROBERTS All the comforts of home

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