System and method for communicating in a vehicle consist

A system comprising:

• a radio communication unit configured to be disposed onboard a remote vehicle of a vehicle consist that also includes a lead vehicle, the radio communication unit configured to wirelessly receive a radio control message configured to remotely control movement of the remote vehicle from the lead vehicle;
• and
• a non-radio communication unit configured to be disposed onboard the remote vehicle and to wirelessly communicate a status message to the lead vehicle, the status message representative of a status of one or more components of the remote vehicle,
• wherein the radio communication unit is configured to wirelessly receive the radio control message within a designated time limit such that the radio control message temporally coordinates a change in the movement of the remote vehicle with a change in movement of the lead vehicle, while the non-radio communication unit is configured to wirelessly communicate the status message without temporally coordinating the status message with the change in movement of the remote vehicle or the change in movement of the lead vehicle.