At IntercomsOnline.com we occassionally get requests for an intercom system that works on a truck scale. Customers want a system truck drivers can use to communicate with the people in the truck scale office.

There are several problems with this application that many installations share. One is that when a truck pulls up on the scale, they can stop in various places so where do you put the intercom? Another is that different size trucks use the scale so what height do you put the intercom?

There are usually a lot of obstructions such as concrete or even railroad tracks in between the office and the scale so it may not be possible, or cost effective, to run wire between the intercoms. Most installations therefore require a wireless system.

Another problem is that when a driver in an 18-wheeler pulls up, their mirrors will keep them from getting too close to an intercom so their arms won’t be long enough to press a button to activate the intercom.  We get requests for a wireless intercom with voice activation capability, but this system doesn’t exist due to the problems it would have. The noise from the truck would keep it transmitting so no two way communication could exist. Any system also has to be fairly loud to overcome the noise.

If you can run wires, one system that works fairly well is the Aiphone Access Sentry. If you combine it with some sort of an alert device to let you know a truck has pulled up, you can activate the remote unit to start talking to the driver. The driver does not have to press a button to talk back.

If you need a wireless intercom then there really is no getting around having to get the driver to push a button to talk. We do carry a motion sensing intercom that alerts you when a truck pulls up, and it lets you listen in to the area around the intercom, but it doesn’t have the volume needed to overcome noisy trucks.

If you can get away with one way communication then you could install a Wireless PA System. The wireless PA system lets you broadcast voice messages over a loudspeaker to the driver.

You could combine the wireless PA with a Wireless Call Box to give you two way communication. The driver could get out of the truck and press the button on the call box to talk to you. If you have AC power where the callbox is installed, then you can put the call box in intercom mode so you can call out to the driver. Otherwise you would have to wait until the driver presses the button on the callbox so it wakes up from its battery-saver mode.

While there is no perfect solution, if you have the budget there is a solution. The wired solution is cheaper to purchase up front if you have the wire installed. While a wireless solution is more costly, if you factor in the cost of installing wire, it can be much cheaper.

Below is a picture of wireless PA system and its components.