EDMONTON, Alta. – Truckers Pal kiosks are sprouting up at truck stops across Canada, providing drivers with an easy way to check weather and road conditions, e-mail family and friends or find a load for the backhaul.

The kiosks, owned and operated by Global Access Media, are user-friendly, featuring a touch-screen for easy navigation. Even truckers who aren’t familiar with computers can operate the kiosks and download invaluable information about their next run.

Routes and maps, local services and road conditions can all be viewed free of charge. The information is updated hourly.

For a small fee, drivers can print directions, surf the Internet, send e-mail, play games, download coupons or call anywhere in the world using the kiosks’ VIP phone service.

The Truckers Pal network is already up and running, with five kiosks operating so far. They’re located at truck stops in Windsor, London, Woodstock, Cardinal and Bradford.

In May, five additional kiosks will be installed and five more will be up and running in June.

The network will be expanding to 25 Canadian truck stops by the end of the year, says Dave Fenn, spokesman for Truckers Pal.

Other cities with truck stops to be equipped with a Truckers Pal kiosk will include: Edmonton; Red Deer; Hamilton; Kingston; Sudbury; Regina; Kamloops; Calgary; Toronto; Niagara Falls; Cornwall; Thunder Bay; Saskatoon; Halifax; Lethbridge; Ottawa; Winnipeg; Vancouver; and Kitchener.

Some truckers may be familiar with the kiosks, as a trial version was installed at several truck stops about a year and a half ago.

Those kiosks developed a loyal following, attracting between 11,000 and 20,000 users each per month, says Fenn.

He says the new kiosks are a big improvement.

“They’re much better looking units with a much cleaner Internet connection,” Fenn explains.

“They’ll also be easier to operate.”

Another feature the new kiosks will offer is the ability to send faxes.

“That’s something we’ve never had before and it’s very important because it saves drivers up to three hours if they can fax their documents in before crossing the border,” says Fenn.