By Catie Bloom, AAA Appliance Service Center, Parkridge, IL
I thought this might be helpful to members: These are apps that you can load onto tech devices to prevent them from using devices while operating a vehicle. With the new laws that are in effect here in Illinois and many other states these might be useful.
Canary: When a tech unlocks his phone while driving, this app notifies the field service manager, but doesn’t block the ability for drivers to text or check their phone.
CellControl: After drivers install a device under the steering column, the app detects when the car is moving and displays a blocking screen to prevent the driver from texting.
TextLimit: Field service managers can set a driving speed at which phone usage is disabled. But there’s a catch: managers can contact techs through “super-user” privileges, even if those features have been disabled.
Drive Safely: Instead of reading text messages and emails, field techs can hear these messages and use an automated response capability.
Drive Scribe: While this app doesn’t block the user from using his phone while driving, it leverages a reward system in which drivers receive points based on how safe they’re driving — and can then turn those points into gift card money.
Road Wars: This app turns safe driving into a game by awarding drivers virtual coins for good driving habits, such as obeying speed limits, and deducting coins for bad habits like texting while driving.
DriveMode: AT&T developed the app (which only works with Android and Blackberry devices) to send automatic replies when a driver receives a message while driving faster than 25 mph.
Textecution: This Android app disables texting and app use when a driver exceeds 10 mph and even alerts the field service manager if the app is deleted.
There are more out there. You might get techs removing these or if they own their own phones, it’s out of your hands… but it’s nice info.
