Do Truckers Still Use the CB Radio?

Back in 2007, we wrote about how the CB radio was alive and well in trucks across the country. Since then, we’ve seen the introduction of even newer, improved mobile technology, including significantly more advanced smartphones, GPS tools, and telematics. Now, as rising generations enter the industry, many 21st Century truckers ask if they should bother to include a tool that saw its peak in the 1970s and 80s. It’s a fair question, so again we ask, Do Truckers Still Use the CB Radio?

After all these years, the answer still seems to be a solid “yes,” drivers do still install and talk to each other with the CB radio, even if they may use it a little less than in years past. Just because the radio is often forgotten, doesn’t mean it is unnecessary, especially when CBs serve as a fallback option for emergency communication. In fact, there are a number of reasons that the radio is still relevant:

1. CBs remain the fastest way to spread information about traffic, hazards, or weather to other drivers in the area.
2. CBs are still the best way to alert another driver if you spot something wrong with their truck as you pass by.
3. Many areas, particularly in Western states, still have faulty cell phone service, leaving CBs as a trucker’s only method of communication in an emergency.
4. Some terminals still rely on CBs for official contact.
5. Using the CB is free, making it infinitely cheaper than a mobile data plan.
6. Collecting, fixing, and using CBs can still be an engaging and fun hobby.

So far, the CB radio is sticking around, with as many as 50% of truckers still using the device. The technology’s endurance is a testament to its ongoing usefulness on the road. But we’re curious as to your perspective from behind the wheel — Do you still use the CB radio, or have the channels all gone quiet? Will the CB radio survive the digital revolution, or is it going extinct? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!