Years ago if somebody talked about tracking systems, global positioning or satellite radio transmissions, people would assume the conversation was about the space program rather than the trucking industry.
Even today, most people have no idea that drivers deal with a wide variety of space age technology — probably far more than the typical office worker struggling to manage one or two tricky functions on their desk computer.
The possibilities of satellite communications first came up in 1945, when Arthur C. Clarke, an RAF electronics officer and member of the British Interplanetary Society wrote an article suggesting how satellites could be used to distribute television programs. Remember that neither satellites or TV were in use at the time. Though he went on to write classic science fiction novels, including 2001: A Space Odyssey, his article was quite serious and grounded in reality. It took the Soviet launch of Sputnik, the world's first orbital spacecraft to bring those ideas to life, in 1957.
Over the years, NASA experiments and theories gave way to commercial use in 1997, when 13 companies got permission to use the skies for their own satellite systems.
The every day uses that have emerged over the last few years seem custom-made for the trucking industry. Take satellite radio, a luxury for the average city driver, popping into their cars for a few minutes at a time, but a lifesaver for long-haul truckers anxious for information and entertainment for hours on end. Global positioning systems are nice in a vacation rental car, but can actually save valuable time for a truck driver. The ability to track a vehicle's location may come in handy for a car owner in a spot, but it has profound impact on the daily functioning of the trucking business.
All of these tools have become standard for millions of drivers who may not consider themselves to be technology experts. This issue explores the incredible reach of satellite technology, as it continues to transform the workings of ground transportation.
