Drivers Relaxing, de-stressing while watching favorite sports, dramas via satellite TV

TheTrucker.Com

Mar 27, 2018

Life on the road comes with many challenges. There are schedules to meet while remaining in compliance with Hours of Service regulations, weather-related issues, and unforeseen delays loading and unloading cargo. More recently, the new electronic logging device mandate is causing more downtime than ever before.   If getting the job done isn’t hard enough, maintaining a connection with family while on the road adds to the stress of what’s already a highly stressful job. Today, for a steadily growing number of trucking companies, part of the answer is to provide as many of the comforts of home as possible for drivers.   One of those comforts is in-cab satellite TV.   Des Moines, Iowa-based TMC Transportation has been installing EpicVue satellite TV in tractors since 2015.   EpicVue brings more than 100 channels of DIRECTV programming into the sleeper compartment, meaning the drivers can watch at the same time as loved ones at home and text about the show, or communicate with other drivers on the road about how their favorite sports teams are doing during the big game. Drivers can also record shows and view them later during their down time.   One of the first TMC drivers to try EpicVue was James Ashton. The Florida resident, who works in TMC’s boat division, says he often watches satellite TV while waiting for oversize load permits to go through various state permitting departments.   With governments red tape, “It could take 10 minutes to eight hours,” he said. “Waiting around can be a real time killer. Watching TV during delays keeps me occupied. You could go crazy just sitting there and thinking about the time.”   Because he’s on the road two or three weeks at a time, Ashton also watches his favorite college football team, the Florida Gators. “I haven’t missed a game this year,” he said.   Tyler Ferrell, a TMC driver from Missouri, admits he was hesitant at first to have satellite TV installed in his company truck. Now he’s a firm believer. “I didn’t know how much I’d use it,” he said. Ferrell often leaves the system on while he’s sleeping so it can record shows he’ll watch later, during breaks and while waiting at shippers’ facilities.   When he was delayed recently for 5 1/2 hours, for examples, he watched a South Park marathon. “It definitely takes me away from being anxious to get loaded ,” he says. “You can kill 30 minutes a lot better watching TV than staring at your phone or out the window.”   Ferrell also watches satellite TV with fellow TMC drivers. As a former hockey player and a big fan of the St Louis Blues and the sport in general, he and other drivers often watch hockey games and other sporting events at the same time and text or talk about the what’s happening, boosting camaraderie and the human element.   Until he began driving a truck during the week and over some weekends, Aaron Claeys, a TMC driver from Illinois, and his wife always enjoyed watching their favorite TV shows together. “Before I had EpicVue, Michelle had to record them and wait all week to watch them with me,” he says. “Since I began using the satellite TV system, we can watch them at the same time and talk about them on the phone that night or the next day. With EpicVue we still have that connection and I don’t feel as isolated.”   Mandated 34-hour rest periods are “the most boring weekends ever without EpicVue,” Claeys adds. “Leaving the truck stop is sometimes an option, but that’s not possible in many remote locations. An individual driver doesn’t get to choose what to watch on truck stop TVs but I can watch whatever I want. EpicVue benefits drivers. It’s a win-win and everyone’s happy.”

The new EpicVue+ includes live and on-demand TV, a fleet-centric channel, and more ways to educate and engage with drivers while on the road.

  In-cab trucking entertainment and communications provider EpicVue unveiled a new platform that combines DirecTV with fleet communications and driver training solutions—without the need for satellite hardware installation.   The new EpicVue+ was announced here at the Truckload Carriers Association’s annual conference at the Gaylord Palms Resort outside Orlando. EpicVue+ delivers DirecTV’s live and on-demand premium content, a dedicated fleet channel, and includes an interactive training platform that can be branded by carriers to provide exclusive content to their drivers.   See also: Making drivers feel at home on the road  

“With EpicVue+, our popular EpicVue experience has evolved, eliminating expensive hardware and lengthy contracts—and includes far more than just TV,” said Lance Platt, EpicVue CEO. “Our revolutionary new platform, designed specifically for truck fleets, is unlike any other available to the industry because it lets drivers enjoy the comforts of home entertainment while also keeping them connected with their carrier.”

 

Platt said that EpicVue+ is easy to install in tractors. He added that the solution promotes “job satisfaction and stronger employee connections while enhancing their ability to attract and retain drivers through entertainment, education, and engagement.”

 

Previous EpicVue on-the-road entertainment offerings required a satellite system to be installed on the back of cabs and a five-year commitment from fleets, Platt told FleetOwner. The new version relies on internet connections through mobile, WiFi, or broadband and a less-expensive system that connects to in-cab TVs.

 

As a bonus, Platt noted, drivers don't even need to set a DVR to make sure they don't miss their favorite shows. "Instead of forcing drivers to think about what they are going to record, we provide 100 channels of content," Platt explained. "We record every one of them for them. So now they can stop at any time and  go back and watch that game or that news event or whatever it is. And they don't ever have to worry about missing something because they were doing their job."

 

What EpicVue+ offers fleets and drivers

Platt broke down more details on EpicVue+ offerings:

 

Entertainment: EpicVue+ allows drivers to watch TV in their trucks with more than 100 channels of live programming from DirecTV’s Advanced Entertainment Platform with premium content from networks such as Showtime and Music Choice and a library of on-demand content. Drivers also can watch content on-demand, so they won’t miss their favorite shows because EpicVue automatically records every channel it offers.

 

Education: EpicVue+ provides a portal dedicated to training and education to help implement best practices and reinforce compliance. Fleet operators can easily manage content distribution or enable access to online driver training from partners such as CarriersEdge.

 

Engage: EpicVue+ includes a custom home screen branded for each carrier and a dedicated fleet channel to distribute company announcements and fleet news, promote incentives to reward drivers for performance, and acknowledge standout employees.

 

EpicVue+ can be self-installed, but the company also offers professional installation options. EpicVue also handles technical problems. The system and service are available without a term commitment and on a per-truck rate.

 

Platt said he’s most excited about the dedicated fleet channel on the EpicVue+ service. “The ability to engage drivers and showcase your company culture is invaluable, and it’s something we have been working on at the request of our customers,” he said. “We’ve been dedicated to the process of putting this package together, so needless to say, it's with great pride that we are able to finally offer it.”