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Continental Unveils 21st Century “CB Radio”

Continental's new VoicR application transforms the 40-year-old analog CB radio communication technology into a real-time, ad hoc voice-and location-based digital social network. VoicR enables subscribers to create short voice messages and broadcast them to other nearby users or on personalized “CB” style channels to users worldwide.

VoicR's “Internet of Everything” (IoE) style publication and subscription network opens up an unlimited number of user-defined channels based on user interests, including friends' lists, destinations, events, shared interests and specific services. Certain closed channels can also be used for business, public services or governmental use. Subscribers can choose to join public channels and listen to or respond to voice messages about upcoming travel events, conditions and activities. This information and more can be shared far beyond the broadcast range of traditional analog radio to help drivers stay safe and informed about the road ahead with the click of a button.

“At Continental, we are always looking for ways to improve the driving experience and we are excited to be the first to transform a vintage technology into a modern cloud-based social network using GPS location,” said Johann Hiebl, executive vice president of Continental's Infotainment and Connectivity business unit. “We think of VoicR app as CB radio 2.0. With an easy and safe user interface, it allows the driver to stay focused on the road while still connected to what matters most while traveling."

VoicR supports Bluetooth hands-free operation in vehicle and push-to-talk via the wireless smart button known as Flic button. Continental is also investigating the possible integration with existing CB radios and the implementation of the software into embedded automotive infotainment systems, the use on special products in the area of commercial vehicles, public services and fleet management. With the integration of VoicR on a next-generation fleet management tablet solution like Continental's Zonar Connect™, the ...Read the rest of this story

Q. Recently, because of a hardware failure, I had to replace the ELD in one of our fleet’s trucks. What do I need to do to make sure that driver’s records are up-to-date?

A. In the case of replacement — because of a hardware or other failure — or equipment reset, it's required that data or documents showing the driver's records of duty status (RODS) history in the vehicle be available. This data must include the driver's past seven days of RODS loaded either into the new or reset ELD or in paper format. This data must be readily available during a roadside inspection.

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Q. I know that my drivers are supposed to have supporting documents on board. What information should be in these documents?

A. The rules for the contents of supporting documents have been clearly defined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). They must include the following four elements:

  • Driver name or fleet-assigned identification number either on the document or on another document allowing the fleet to link the document to the driver. The vehicle unit number can also be used it if can be linked to the specific driver.
  • Date
  • Location (including name of nearest city, town, or village)
  • Time

In the case of a driver having fewer than eight supporting documents that include all four elements, a document containing all of the elements except “time” will be considered a supporting document.

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Q. During the course of the week, my drivers switch trucks several times. We’re using two different ELD solutions from different providers that are incompatible with each other, so there’s a high prob

A. It's the responsibility of the fleet and the driver to make sure that all of the record of duty status (RODS) information required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA), including hours of service (HOS) data, is available for review during a roadside inspection. In the case that a driver uses multiple, incompatible ELDs — e.g., the data file from one system cannot be uploaded into another — the driver must either manually enter the missing duty status information into the system he or she is currently using or provide a printout from the other system, allowing for an accurate accounting of the duty status of the current and previous seven days to presented to the roadside inspector.

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