road warriors

(cntext: Consumers will get voice mail on their PCs and all-you-can-eat phone service for under $25 a month, while businesses hand out mobile phones to road warriors so they can receive calls and e-mail just as if they were in the office. )

What does "road warriors" mean?

[Ouisch]

People who spend most of their work day on the road, in their car. They might be making sales calls, supervising different work sites, making deliveries, etc.

[BobK]

Originally Posted by Ouisch

People who spend most of their work day on the road, in their car. They might be making sales calls, supervising different work sites, making deliveries, etc.

I don't know whether this is a BE thing, or a prejudice of my own, but I interpret 'road warrior' as referring exclusively to long-distance lorry drivers ('truckers' to some ). This may be because, in far-distant days of extreme courtesy on the road, particularly among people in positions of power (lorry cabs), they were often called 'knights of the road'.

b

[Ouisch]

Originally Posted by BobK

I don't know whether this is a BE thing, or a prejudice of my own, but I interpret 'road warrior' as referring exclusively to long-distance lorry drivers ('truckers' to some ). This may be because, in far-distant days of extreme courtesy on the road, particularly among people in positions of power (lorry cabs), they were often called 'knights of the road'.
b

Many years ago, "road warriers" pretty much referred strictly to long-haul truck (lorries, if you must) drivers in AmE, too. But today, it refers to anyone who does most of his business from his car. I've noticed that the newer model SUVs and mini-vans have six to eight DC outlet plugs in the control panel now, the type where the dashboard cigarette lighter used to be plugged in. Only they don't include lighters in vehicles anymore, the outlets are for laptop computers, fax machines, automotive coffee makers, gaming systems (I shudder to think of someone playing Mortal Kombat while driving) and what have you. They also have extra cup and bottle holders so that the road warrior doesn't have to constantly stop and throw away his empties. It's a sad message, in a way: you never have to get out of your car! You can work longer and harder!