load offers by text message

[LDB]

Panther has a new system now that sends load offers over the cell phone by text message. There is a small fee plus the text message. There have been some complaints about the fee. I can understand people not wanting any more expenses than possible but I really like this system. One thing that some may not have thought of is how long you can keep the load info. With the QC you can only keep so many messages for so long until they start to drop off. If you need to go back to confirm miles or fsc or whatever you have it in the text message. I'd like to see them add number of pieces and weight to the provided info as well as the zip codes for shipper and consignee. It's good as is though and it's worth it to me for the convenience as well as the more permanent record of loads run.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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[greg334]

Why should there be a fee?

Is this a one time price or per message?

 

[lanier1]

Someone told me FedEx was offering the same service but I haven't inquired about it yet. Been meaning to just forget.

 

[davekc]

There may be a fee depending on your phone plan. It is free on mine.
We have unlimited text messages. I would think others have simular plans. Others do have limits but you likely would have to be doing numerous runs daily to exceed the character numbers.








Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[LDB]

The fee is charged by QC for sending the message out SMS in addition to satellite. Panther isn't charging any fee I'm aware of.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[davekc]

What is the QC charge? The SMS messages I have now are free?
It should be mentioned that this is an optional program, and not mandatory.





Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[Turtle]

It's a nominal fee. Meaning, in name only, meaning virtual, meaning it's essentially barely noticeable and hardly even there. Meaning, somebody besides me should have to eat it.

 

[zman3k]

We started orientation today and that subject was brought it up. The way I understood it is that the only fee that'll be assessed is the fee that service provider charges for incoming messages. My personal provider charges $.10/incoming message, which I hate b/c all of the text messages I get are unsolicited ones, even if they are from friends, but I'm not a big "texter."

 

[LDB]

My understanding is that qualcomm is going to charge a $5 monthly fee for the service plus whatever your cellular carrier charges for messaging.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

LOL Turtle... you got it, bud. Enough nominal fees and we're nominally broke.

"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas

 

[davekc]

Zmack.........even with a load every business day you would pay a couple of bucks. If you are running every single business day, a couple of bucks is pretty affordable.







Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[greg334]

Ok I find this something that Panther and FedEx should just tell QC lets make it free.

I mean I know the technology used is cheap - meaning that sending messages from the system is a zero cost to QC.

 

[LDB]

I agree it should be included at no extra charge. For that matter the weekly fee for the qc should be no more than $25 at most since that's what Landstar is able to supply it for. That means at the more common $35 weekly most charge the text messaging should be no extra charge but come out of that extra $10 a week.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[terryandrene]

I was involved in a beta test of the Qualcomm telephone about two years ago. The fone was used in concert with the Mobile Communications Terminal(MCT)in our trucks.

We would receive a run offer simultaneously on the QC fone and the MCT. The offer appeared on the fone in the same format as the MCT and we would depress a reject or an accept button to indicate our choice. When we got back to the truck, all the run info would be available on the MCT. I thought it was a great tool to help avoid lost loads due to being in a poor signal area for our Qualcomm pager.

A telephome call does the same as the text message, but like most folks, I like to read and absorb the run info rather than be hurried into a decision by an information challenged dispatcher. Our only cost for this service was the necessity for a GPS enabled telephone and whatever the text message charges of the telephone service provider.

 

[redytrk]

FECC has been sending alerts by text msg for several months now. Little detail is givin except the run number. You must then call in or return to the truck to get the details. It is free except for the fees inposed by your cell carrier. In my case I choose to increase my cell phone bill by $10.00 a month that gives unlimited usage. With out signing up monthly I think they charge .10 per msg.

I think its great. The QC wont wake me up,but the cell does.You have to watch areas where Cell coverage is poor,or the text msg will never arrive.

 

[silverdollar]

When I was with Emery Exp and Menlo our charge for q-com was $15 week.

 

[nightcreacher]

fed ex has same service,talk to your c c,when you get run offer on c link it also comes over your phone,this way you wont miss offer

 

[nightcreacher]

zmzn
you can have text msgs blocked,just call your cell company,of course if you to them as i did,I get 500 msgs month for free.

 

[pelicn]

I don't want to try an read all the load info on my cell phone. I liked FedEx's way of sending an alert to the phone that an offer was sent. I wish Panther would do it the same way.

 

[TeamCaffee]

We have the text messages for the load offers and the only change we have is from the phone company. We do not use our phone to text message at all so have found it is just as cheap to just pay extra for the messages we receive from FedEx. The service is great and we would have lost a load if not for it.