Another option is using your computer.

You will need a computer to take on the road with you and your family will need to have a computer setup at home. There are many advantages to having a lap top on the road with you besides just communications. You will be able to track your business expenses, use map routing software to find the shortest route, etc. I know some over-the-road truckers who spend well over $100/month on long distance phone calls to home. You could finance both computers for about that. Once you get set up your communications would be essentially free!

NOW Available - Another option. You can now use a WebTV unit instead of a computer. Advantage: Costs about $300 compared to over $1000 for a computer system. Disadvantage: You have to be able to hook it up to a TV. (This isn't a problem if you rent a lot of motel rooms, or if you get one for your family at home.)

$15.95 Unlimited Internet Access - Over 750 POP sites nationwide, meaning you will likely be able to connect via a local phone number no matter where you are.

E-mail

With E-mail, you will be able to send instant messages to your family. The great thing about E-mail is you both don't have to be online at the same time. They can send you messages and you can get them at your next convenient place. Same goes for sending them messages. If you get a chance to send them a message at 3AM, they will get it first thing in the morning when they wake up.

There is a great email program that's free to use. They even have a free 800# for areas outside where they currently have a local number to call. That means anywhere in the USA where you can connect your computer to a phone line, you can send and receive email. You don't even have to have Internet connection. It uses the Internet, but it is it's own ISP (in a sense). You can jot love notes to your honey, or keep a journal to send your kids. This can be done everyday anytime you get some free time. Then all your email can be sent when you find time to connect to a phone line. Request your free email software today! They will snail mail it to you and you can use it on any number of computers.

Use the Internet

The next step up would be for both you and your family to have Internet connections. This will cost you about $16/month each or $32 total. But it has many advantages over either the telephone or free email. Yes, you will have email, so the above still applies. But you will also be able to "chat" with your family. There's a great little program called Powwow that allows you to type "chat" to your hearts content. It even has a type of CB where you can actually talk to each other if you have at least 14.4kbps modems. Just imagine;

We've been talking about communicating with your family. The same applies for communicating with friends you have and friends you can meet through the Internet.

Sometimes it's good to get outside your normal sphere of influence. Since you're around truckers all day, talk with them on the CB, in the truck stops, at your terminals, etc. it's always nice to meet other people.

Using the chat programs available, you can meet and talk with people not only from different walks of life, but from all over the world! It's truly amazing when you think about it.