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There's a new tablet app just for big rig drivers

There's a new tablet app just for big rig drivers

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There are 3.5 million professional truck drivers in the United States. That’s a lot. Naturally, the trucking industry was one of the first to adopt things like in-cab nav systems. But One20 thinks it can do better, with a new platform and social network aimed directly at truck drivers.

The company believes it can deliver a superior tablet and phone experience to truck drivers, claiming that most prior mobile devices and apps have been designed more with the fleet in mind — that is, tracking vehicle locations and time on the road, rather than making life easier for the driver.

One20 is two things: first, it’s a mobile app for Android or iOS that includes truck-safe turn-by-turn navigation (keeping drivers away from low bridges or weight-restricted roads), point-of-interest locations that cater to big rigs (big trucks need big parking lots), and discounts for shopping at certain stores and restaurants, as well as ratings and reviews from other One20 users. The truck-safe navigation alone is an impressive inclusion, as those systems can be fairly expensive.

Second, there’s a $399.99 Samsung Galaxy Tab E 8-inch tablet, which will soon be available at 1,500 truck stops across the US. It includes the One20 app, and an AT&T data plan good for 10GB of data for $79.99 per month. Samsung and AT&T announced the new device this week at the Great American Trucking Show.

Except when we pass them on the highway, many people don’t give much thought to truckers. But back in 2002, trucks moved 64 percent of the value, 58 percent of the tonnage, and 32 percent of the ton-miles of all the freight in the United States — almost 16 billion tons of goods. It’s a huge industry, and if we can keep the truckers happy, maybe our shipments will keep coming on time, too.

At least until the drivers are replaced by self-driving trucks.