and I hear a lot of new guys that won't listen till they learn the hard way.....

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A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

I will give you a case in point for what can happen if you still think truckers atlas's are a thing of the past and older guys make more mistakes than you this is what can happen if you don't listen to the voice of experience. I followed company directions in to get this load. On the way out my GPS truck route, no U turns or unpaved roads showed that I could go out the other way a half mile on 30th st road and get on the highway I wanted. Would have saved me back tracking about 12 miles. I asked the shipper if I could get down that road OK to get on the highway. He said no, that is a dirt road that is washed out. If you go that way you will have to go about 20 miles before you can turn around and come back this way..... Like I said before make sure you have plenty of cash in your pocket for the tow truck or the ticket fines....

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A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

Some of these old timers are new to the business as well and are just like some of the rookies out there.

I drove for awhile in the 70's and most drivers that I met were friendly and would help ya out but I hear that that's not how it is today. What happen to the Nights of the Road? When I get back out there I am going to do my part to try to bring that respect back to drivers.

Just plan the route out yourself. When you use a paper atlas you can see the truck routes and the short cuts, gps sends you the fastest time wise you end up in middle of city in traffic on a non-truck road. bad juju! plan the route and make ajustments as needed, I thank the good lord above that my dad taught me how to use a map. When you use a map you look at the roads,names evrything and remember and they stick in your brain and you can use them at anytime. Dad was always told the way to get somewhere by the shipper he never used their routes, because 9 times out of 10 he knew more than them and when there was any doubt he went to the map. Use your brain and the map use common sense and plan your trip around obsticals you'll get there safer, and still have your money.


Kyle

Be Careful with Google Earth. The sattilite shots are not live. You could end up in a construction zone not yet shot by the sattilite.

Be Safe and Have Fun !!!
Nick
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Microsoft Virtual Earth that weather channel uses is way out of date. When i zoom into my street using the interactive weather map I can see the top of what used to be my 2-car carpot that dissapered during Hurricane Rita 3 years ago.

I like my GPS, but I dont use it as a 100% of the time. It is a tool, not a autopilot. Back when i drove, i got my load over the QC i punched in the address of the shipper/receiver. It gave me a ball park idea on miles and ETA. I also reset all the times a miles on the GPS to help keep track of travel time, moving time,setting time. It also shows top speed and my speed for the day. Kinda helps on that creative logging ! I also always got the atlas out and planned it out. If the major iinterstate gps directions match the atlas then no need for a bunch of extra writing. Got the local directions from the QC and call them to make sure. QC directions do change over time due to a lot of reasons. GPS does come in handy to find food,truckstops, or whatever. Never know when you might need a Autozone to get some quick fix parts. ALWAYS CALL THE PLACE WHERE YOU ARE GOING ! DIRECTIONS CHANGE ! never know when a water main has broke the night before and the road is know longer there, also might end up getting a better unload/load time just cause they know you are comming. You have nothing but time to call while on your way. Get a small memo recorder, you can play it back later. Dont just get use to one thing, you never know when you might step on your atlas and tear a page or drop food all over it. might blow a fuse on the GPS and then your stuck. Always have a back up !

Hello Everyone,

I am new to trucking, just got my CDL's in July. My hubby has been an OTR trucker for a year and he cannot live without his GPS unit. We have both a Garmin and also the CoPilot. The CoPilot was the first which you have to use with a laptop, hubby burned up one laptop by spilling coffee on it thus the Garmin. This was an expensive spill, thank goodness for the insurance, got a new laptop and took it out of the truck. Hubby like to have drove me insane before he got the GPS units, always calling me for directions. I felt sorry for him. I am very thankful for the GPS unit and so is he. He does get his directions verified from the QC before he actually goes by the GPS. If the QC and GPS don't match he brings out the map and calls the customer.

I am new to driving the truck but know a good bit about the trucking industry due to my dad being a trucker for 40+ yrs and a brother that is DOT.

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Thanks,
Madame Butterfly

Not if you set it on shortest truck route. You will save money being less miles out of route. The GPS will soon pay for itself plus it is a tax write off.

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A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: