Abstract: A telephone call may be made to a remote vehicle, such as a long haul truck, located in an unknown cellular telephone cell in a remote service area. The remote vehicle is provided with a cellular telephone, satellite data communications system and a position signal receiver for a system such as LORAN-C or Global Positioning System (GPS). If the control center desires to initiate a voice communication with the remote vehicle, the control facility transmits a voice communication request to the remote vehicle via a non-voice data communications satellite. The position signal receiver receives data from the LORAN-C or GPS transmitter indicative of the current geographic location of the remote vehicle and transmits the data to the control center via the data communications satellite. At the control center a computer with a data base identifying the geographic extent of relevant cellular telephone cells uses the location of the remote vehicle to identify the cell in which the remote vehicle is presently located.

Abstract: A system for monitoring, reporting, encouraging and rewarding proper operation of a vehicle from a fixed location including the appropriate selection of speed sensor, tacometer, fuel flow sensor, gear shift position sensor and brake pedal pressure sensor coupled to a performance monitor which compares the information from the sensors with predetermined acceptable ranges and issues an excess report when the sensed signals exceed the predetermined ranges, a receiver/transmitter for transmitting the excess report to the fixed location where a decision regarding whether to issue a driver bonus reward is made and communicated back to the receiver/transmitter which is coupled to a printer, display/keyboard on board the vehicle for printing a bonus check or notification reward in response to the determination received from the fixed location.