Originally Posted by evers34

it helps to have a wireless card I know sprint and AT&t have them. You can also sign up for Flying J wireless service....not the best but works most of the time....many McDonalds have free wireless but have to be close to use it....Most newer laptops have a wireless adapter built in but you might want to consider a booster for the signal can be bought at many truck stops and radio shack...internet on the road is great for directions and google maps is nice...like was said in earlier post....is nice to be able to look at the roads and turns you will be taking to get to your locations...would highly recomend looking into it

Originally Posted by evertruckerr

That google maps and earth is amazing. I just got done using it to figure out how I'm going to get to the US Mint in Phili tomorrow. You know it's going to be a rough trip when your load plans tells you to slid your tandems all the way forward so you can make the turns.

Anyway, I pulled up the aerial maps to get a good grip on where I was going. I can also use the street view feature in most major cities and many smaller ones. When using this option I can follow along my route from the street view so I know what to look for when I'm doing it for real. For example, I checked out my routing that I was given on the qualcom going in and guess what I see:



Once I get past that I find an aerial view of the Mint. From this I can get a good idea of where I'm going, but still can't get a good enough view of the side of the building to see where I enter.



Now I go back to Street View so I can get a close up look. I did a virtual walk around the building and found two possibilities. Not perfect but at least I will know what to look for in the morning. Most likely the large door seen in the second shot, but I can jump out quick when I get to the guard shack at the first entrance to verify.

All I have to do is get into Phili for an 08:30 appointment with instructions not to arrive early. I could do without this load. It was a gift from another driver that brought it up to Virgina where I had to repower it because the Mint wouldn't give security clearance to the guys son who was riding with him for a little while. Lucky me.

;

I don't know how we ever did this truck driving thing without computers. It has made the job so much easier.

Originally Posted by emtepockets

Evertruckerr,
I knew i could count on you to convince me lol. i gotta get one of those. and that pic of the 13' overpass, yea that sealed the deal right there. i have seen that one too many times and oh the aggrivation it caused. so you did all of that with google maps then? do you have to have a speceal thing to be able to have access to the net like an adaptor of something. i know nothing, well very very little about laptops on the road. Any and all help or advice you give would be greatly appreciated and used. thanx in advance for the reply.

Originally Posted by Weazz

yes but the wireless at truckstops you hafta be at one... i can use mine anywhere,anytime..i dont trust a booster,havent heard much about them

Originally Posted by Weazz

yes but the wireless at truckstops you hafta be at one... i can use mine anywhere,anytime..i dont trust a booster,havent heard much about them

Originally Posted by emtepockets

Evertruckerr,
I knew i could count on you to convince me lol. i gotta get one of those. and that pic of the 13' overpass, yea that sealed the deal right there. i have seen that one too many times and oh the aggrivation it caused. so you did all of that with google maps then? do you have to have a speceal thing to be able to have access to the net like an adaptor of something. i know nothing, well very very little about laptops on the road. Any and all help or advice you give would be greatly appreciated and used. thanx in advance for the reply.

Originally Posted by Weazz

LOL Ever i think u can clear it...let some air out of the tires and drop the airbags...lmao

btw whatcha got going there? paper?

Originally Posted by evertruckerr

Nope, no paper. That's HIGH priority stuff and is transported under armed guard. I had what you might consider LOW risk freight. Penny blanks. 46,000# of them. A few were on the floor of my trailer. I found them while I was in a service plaza down the road pulling the 80 or so nails out of the floor of my trailer that were used to secure the large totes used for transport.

Originally Posted by evertruckerr

Nope, no paper. That's HIGH priority stuff and is transported under armed guard. I had what you might consider LOW risk freight. Penny blanks. 46,000# of them. A few were on the floor of my trailer. I found them while I was in a service plaza down the road pulling the 80 or so nails out of the floor of my trailer that were used to secure the large totes used for transport.