If you have not been an Over the Road (OTR) truck driver, been married to, or been the child of one, then trying to get a good grasp of exactly how different their lifestyle is from the “average person” is almost an impossibility.
Simply going to the bathroom or taking a shower is often challenging for these modern-day road warriors. In the not-so-distant past, the thought of connecting to WiFi while on the road or at a truck stop was an idea akin to something from a futuristic alien movie. However, today, in most instances, trucks stops do provide drivers with WiFi to some extent.
While some trucks provide WiFi to drivers for free to keep in touch with their families while on the road for extended periods, others do not, forcing them to purchase plans to use the service, this has been a common practice for truckstops many times over the decades in regards to other services. Wifi seems to be another lucrative business for them to cash into at the driver’s expense.
The Best Options for Getting WiFi at Truck Stops
This is a vast and varied subject and has many deciding factors involved. Today, some onboard truck equipment can connect drivers to WiFi, but it is mainly for the driver to contact the company.
Another option drivers may use is simply using the WiFi on their phones or turning them into a hotspot. The primary issue with this option is that the connectivity speed and quality of service are often lacking, significantly depending on the type of reception you receive in the area where you are located.
Several other options are available to truck drivers who want to be connected to the WiFi for activities requiring more bandwidth and better connectivity. Those options will vary from truck stop to truck stop.
Hotspots, MiFi, and Boosters
As mentioned previously, many truck drivers use the hotpot built into their wireless devices (phones, etc.) and can hook up decent WiFi service from there.
However, when you are looking to watch a movie or play a game, something that takes more bandwidth, then the WiFi will run slowly, so it is time to look for alternatives unless you enjoy the “buffering circle of death.”
- MiFi, which is short for “My WiFi,” is similar to a hotspot. The main difference is that it can often support up to five devices at a time.
- A WiFi Booster is another option for OTR drivers to have reliable WiFi at truck stops. Essentially these bad boys help to shrink or eliminate dead areas where you have no service at all.
Both of these features often come with costly monthly plans, so you will need to decide if the service they provide is worth the price.
Truck Stop WiFi Subscriptions
Most of the major truck stops across the country have WiFi subscriptions that drivers often take advantage of to stay connected.
These subscription plans can range from $4.99 for four hours of WiFi to $20.00+ for a monthly subscription that can be used at any of that one brand of truck stop across the nation.
While the $20.00 option might sound like a “no brainer” compared to its $4.99 for four hours counterpart, however, that might not be the case at all.
If you have a dedicated route that puts you at that particular brand of truckstop often, then this $20.00 per month option might be great. Mathematically, it makes more sense than spending $1.00 per hour for WiFi. However, if you will not be back through that brand of truck stop for the rest of the month, then the $1.00 per hour option makes more sense.
And, think about this, if you have a $20.00 per month subscription at several different truck stops, that amount really adds up, and you will be wasting money each month.
A Final Word on Truck Stops and WiFi
Truck stops are leaps and bounds above where they were at the turn of the century in technological advances. However, those improvements do not necessarily mean the driver will get away from the truck stop without spending an exorbitant amount of money for something they may not need.
There are many viable options to get WiFi into your truck at a truck stop. They range from using the free, slow WiFi provided by the truck stop, using a personal hot spot or MiFi or a signal booster. There are even options to purchase subscriptions at truck stops for a variety of prices.
However you opt for WiFi in your truck at a truck stop, you do it because you want to stay connected to your friends and family, or you want some normalcy in your life by watching a movie or playing a game. But the fact that you even HAVE an option would amaze many retired truckers from days gone by.