In this article I’ll talk about security measures that are available to you to secure your laptop against theft and unwanted users tampering with your files.   No one wants their “stuff” being tampered with or their computer stolen.  So take some action to safeguard your “stuff”.

Okay, first lets talk about the term Operating System and exactly what it means.

Operating System - Also abbreviated as OS.  This is referring to Windows Vista or XP, or Mac OS X, or Linux Distributions such as Ubuntu and SUSE.  This is what all your programs operate in, your operating system or OS.

If you are like most truckers and have your laptop with you in the truck, you will want to set up an OS password on your computer.  This will protect anyone from being able to enter your computer without the correct password including you.  Also be sure to change this password from time to time.  Don’t just create the password and then never change it.  To protect your information, you should be changing your password at least once every 6 months unless you are paranoid.

To set your password in the OS

As your computer is booting or starting up, begin mashing F8 very quickly.  This should gain you access the Admin account in Windows.  This is also booting into safe mode.  Set your password and be sure to pick a password that you will remember or jot it down someplace safe in case you forget it.

Now that you have your password set, train yourself to lock the computer every time you are away.  For those of you running Windows, it would be the Windows key + L (selected at the same time).  This prevents anyone from messing with your laptop while you are at the buffet getting yourself something to eat.

There are also physical measures you can implement to keep your computer safe such as locking cable tethers or computer safes that would be mounded to your truck.

A cable lock will cost you about $40.  Locking your computer with a cable that attaches to your truck seat or something permanently part of your truck insures your computer isn’t going to grow legs if left in your truck.  Unless the thief really wants your computer and comes prepared with bolt cutters, the cable can pose as an obstacle to a quickie grab-and-run thief.

 

 

 

 

Then again a computer safe that is mounted to your truck protects your computer and is out of sight of would-be thieves.  These can cost you about $100 plus time to install.

 

There are also vehicle laptop mounts that hold your computer in place, provide access to your computer while you are behind the wheel, help cushion the motion of your truck for your computer, and mount to your seat bolts.  Something bolted to your truck is again less likely to walk off.   There is also added security in having your computer attached to this type of system, locked tight and bolted to the floor of your truck. Cost will depend on the style, your computer brand and security features you want.

 

 

Any measure you decide on will help safe guard your computer from growing legs is better than nothing.  

And remember, your laptop can always be replaced and your programs reinstalled on the next computer.  Your data that you have on your laptop concerning your business is sometimes a little harder to reproduce unless you faithfully back up your data.  There are several methods to backing up your data.  One is an external hard drive with enough capacity to handle all your data.  Another method is to a flash drive, again large enough to handle your data.  These can be found anywhere electronics are sold and will vary in price.

Do yourself a favor and do something, anything you are able, to safeguard your computer and your data.  After all, this is your business data you are protection and your livelihood.

Easy Truckin is brought to you by Easy Trucking Software. We hope you enjoy it.

What do Billboards and Trucking have in common

This past year has been a brutal one for everyone.  From storm damage to sky rocketing fuel costs to a slumping economy.  And don’t even get me going on the stock market.  

History is an indicator of financial cycles going up and down.  We are in one of those cycles right now and we need to get creative and think outside the box to survive.

Being creative with your business is something to consider in todays market.  Two guys, Brad Hawley and Bryan Thompson out of Birmingham, started their own business called Blacktop.  

What Blacktop does is sell outdoor advertising on the sides of trucks, a rolling down the road billboard.  Pretty clever if you ask me.  Blacktop will contract with trucking companies to place ads on their trucks to create a moving billboard.  Pretty clever idea and if Brad and Bryan in Birmingham can do this, why not you too.

If you are an owner operator or company driver, this is an idea you too could capitalize on in your area.  Sitting around thinking about how bad things are doesn’t put money in your pocket or food on the table.  As a trucker you need to think outside the box, as they say.

If you are an owner operator, perhaps there are businesses in your area that are starting to expand their market and you could help get the word out.  Check them out and ask for their business.  Go in with a plan and some idea of how much money you would want to display the advertising. 

Even if you are a regional hauler, I’m sure their are businesses in your hauling range that would be interested in listening to this idea.  Even a local outdoor sign advertiser would be a great place to start and let’s not forget about political campaigns.  

If you are a company driver, bring the idea up with someone that does advertising in your company.  Explain the concept and ask for the credit if they use the idea.  The word “credit” here could translate as extra cash for you.  The company would have some connections and may see it as an opportunity to partner with another businesses to make a little more money besides load hauling.  This could be a win / win situation for you and your company to make some extra money.  

Let’s face it, you cover a lot of ground with your truck and trailer and there are companies out there looking to expand their advertising in a cost efficient way.  You could be the one helping out another business and yourself in the process.

If you would like more info about Blacktop or to see how they do things, visit their webside www.blacktopmedia.com.  

 

So, what do billboards and trucks have in common…….

As Bryan Thompson said, “You’ve got blank space riding up and down the road every single day that is a great background for advertising that isn’t being utiliz     

Easy Truckin is brought to you by Easy Trucking Software. We hope you enjoy it.

While I was web surfing the other day, I came across a website called 12V Auto Tech.  They had this handy little portable stove the size of a lunchbox called Stove To Go.  It plugs into any 12 volt receptacle and provides you, the road warrior, with some other options for quick hot meals.  Take left-overs and/or sandwiches along from home to heat up on the road.  Buy canned stews or non-refrigerated prepackaged meals to heat up or even some frozen meals.  It looked to be a pretty versatile item that didn’t take up much space either.  

The Technical Specifications are:

• Operates from any 12 volt DC power source
• Will reach and maintain cooking temperatures of 250 to 300 degrees
• 190 Watt Output during start up
• 100 Watt output during cooking
• 4 pounds
• 10.5” X 6” X 8”

This website also has an Oven To Go that can cook, bake and warm up food.  This too would plug into an 12 volt receptacle.   Another pretty handy gadget for being on the road and short on time to eat.

They also had a listing for Tools, Accessories, Radar/Laser Detectors, Lighting, Cleaning, Package Deals, Cooking, Coffee, Outdoors, Safety, Comfort, Emergency, Cell Phone Adapters, GPS Receivers and Accessories, Power inverters, Hands Free Sets and Replacement Parts.  Pretty interesting website, especially for anyone that travels or camps out.

In this day of pinching every penny until it screams, you do what you need to and can do to cut costs on the road.  Bringing food from home or shopping at home to get a better price and buying in quantity to save money on favorite foods can also help.  When you are on the road you are at the mercy of stores and restaurants that are within walking distance or have parking available for your rig, which leaves you with a limited selection and sometimes higher prices.

Life is just too fast paced and you end up running, literally, from getting unloaded to getting loaded again and hit the road.  Not much time left in there to eat.  Having the option of stopping at a wayside or parking area of some kind and heating up something to eat takes less time than looking for and stopping at a restaurant.  This can be especially true when you are under the gun to get to your next destination quickly.

Now I’m not saying don’t stop at that favorite truck stop to talk with other truckers and take a well earned break.  You need to do that too.  I’m talking about the time when you are just too rushed and you still have to eat.

An empty stomach makes it extra hard to concentrate on driving and staying focused.  Stay safe out there and take good care of yourself.  Some planning on your part before leaving home can save you money on the road.  Select food items that are single serving size so you don’t have leftovers that may need refrigeration and don’t forget about having plenty of fresh fruit on hand too.

 

Easy Truckin is brought to you by Easy Trucking Software. We hope you enjoy it.

 

Summer is winding down and before you know it Winter will be here with cold weather.

Just when you think you are getting a break from having to run the air conditioner in your truck it will be time to begin running the heater.  

Some states are getting really tough with their idle laws and running your truck to keep cool or stay warm may be an issue you’ll need to address.  Here are a couple things to consider to help yourself.

For keeping yourself warm you may want to install thermal curtains in the cab and sleeper to keep the heat in and the cold out.  Putting a little more insulation in the cab and sleeper can’t hurt either.

Bunk heaters are also very popular and run on auxiliary power.  Using auxiliary power for heating in the Winter or cooling in the Summer saves on your fuel consumption and keeps you comfortable.  But we are talking Winter here and before going out and buying a heater, you’ll first need to decide how long you idle your truck engine to heat your cab or sleeper.  

There are two types of fuel-fired auxiliary heaters; coolant and air.  The diesel-fired coolant heater circulates truck engine coolant through a heat exchanger and helps reduce wear and tear on your truck engine.  Coolant heaters generally come in two different capacities:  light-duty and heavy-duty.  You will need to decide your heating needs depending on what part of the country you are running in the Winter months along with the heater’s capacity.  A general rule of thumb is when the outside temperature is 32 degrees, you’ll need 20 Btu’s for every cubic foot of space for a comfortable interior.  If you want things heated up quickly, you’ll want to consider a unit with a high Btu rating.

Diesel-fired air heaters draw air over a heat exchanger.  This method can preheat your cab or sleeper or provide supplemental heating when needed but NOT heat your engine block.  Air heaters burn from a half cup to full cup of fuel per hour of use and are good in cold weather but not extreme sub zero temperatures.

Heaters also have three types of controls: manual automatic timer or full-temperature.  A manual controller is just that, manual.  You control when the heater starts and stops.  The automatic timer enables you to warm up the truck and defrost windows all before you even open your cab door.  The full-temperature control is exclusive to air heaters and provides you with the greatest control over your cab and/or sleeper conditions.  You control the heaters’ fan speed and are able to regulate the temperature more accurately.  

Installation of an air heater is about 4 hours and a coolant heater is about 6 hours.  An authorized technician should also be used to avoid any warranty issues. 

So after all is said and done, you decide what is right for you and your budget. 

Easy Truckin is brought to you by Easy Trucking Software. We hope you enjoy it.

The other day I was at a 3 hour GPS class that gave me some hands on experience and I found these handheld devices pretty easy to use and fun.  Not only can you track and mark locations, it will also calculate mileage too.  I can see why these are so popular.

For a trucker, a GPS receiver can be a real time saver with finding where you are going and pinpointing a delivery point.  It will even calculate your miles of your trip.  

Of course you can buy any model you want, it just depends on how much you want to spend.  Remember, you get what you pay for, so go middle of the road on cost unless you can afford more.

Cost for a receiver is anywhere from $150 to $800.  Add another $100 for color.   A good middle of the road price for a good handheld is around the $450 range. 

The GPS runs off at least 4 satellites of a string of 24 GPS satellites that orbit the earth twice a day, so it needs direct access to the sky.  The satellites are positioned so that a GPS receiver anywhere in the world can receive signals from at least 4 of the satellites.  

Having the receiver on your dashboard is the best location and there are various ways of securing it.    Some can be mounted with suction cuts onto your windshield where others come with a holder for your dashboard.  The handheld model is the most versatile.

A GPS receiver is also used for hunting, fishing, vacationing, and surveying farm land for crops.

Okay, let’s talk some features of the GPS.

Common brand names are Garmin, TomTom, Lowrance and Magellan.

The more you spend on your device the larger your viewing screen.  These also come in black/white versions but you will probably prefer something in color to look at.

The largest viewing screen I’ve seen is approximately 7” with a base price tag of around $800.  You can also add on traffic, weather and radio to this one.   Again, everything has a price.  It just depends on what you will or won’t use.

All devices run on batteries and some will include a vehicle adapter or AC power cord.

Your GPS receiver can give you sunrise and sunset times as well as your bearing, and distance to destination, even velocity.

Mapping capability will give you general direction or street-level details depending on your path.  Map data can include streets, restaurants, etc.

 

When a destination has been entered into your receiver, it alerts you when you have arrived at your destination.

You can buy a GPS almost anywhere they sell electronics and be sure to buy from a reputable store.

Remember, all GPS devices are portable and an easy mark for thieves.  If you have this located in your truck or car, be sure to put it out of site in a glove box or under the seat when not in use and remove, if you can, the holder.  This is always a dead giveaway to thieves that you have a GPS device in your vehicle.  

There is GPS software for your computer out there too in Windows and Mac versions.  Again you get what you pay for so shop around to find what will work for you and fit into your budget.

So, bottom line….. when you are in the market to buy a GPS receiver, shop around and do your homework first on what you want and how much you want to spend.  Ask other truckers that use GPS for what brand they have and how they like it.  Getting more information can only help you in making a better decision for you and your business. 

Easy Truckin is brought to you by Easy Trucking Software. We hope you enjoy it.