A must? no...
A geat tool? yes....

I have my laptop for several reasons....
to me cell phone is just not enough to stay in contact with my family...
I have Sprint wireless Internet and pretty much have reception everywhere I go..(pretty much does not mean everywhere)
I use web cam to speak with my family and sure makes it feel like I am there... My son who is 6 has his own computer in his room and whenever he wants he can talk to me anytime he wants threw web cam...
What gave me the ideal was he never would stay on the phone more then a minute, he finally told me it was cause he could not see me so I changed that... Now he talks to me all the time... makes a world of a difference when it comes to family....


Gps... I have it all far as the laptop goes.... I run dual screen with a separate lcd display showing my mapping software...
It has been a great tool and has kept me from making wrong turns at times... one thing about it though this goes for all mapping software GPS is they are not 100% but more like 90% (maybe a little lower/higher)
So having directions from the customer is always a must as well....

Hey, I don't have GPS anything but I'm thinking about buying. My question is... does your gps have a program for trucking? In other words, what if your directions take you the same route a Toyota takes and all of a sudden you come to a low clearance or a great big old NO TRUCKS sign. How bout it?

There are programs for this but from what I've seen they are very expensive for legit versions. For a lot less money you can get a garmin c330 GPS (about $130.00-$170.00 at Wallmart) which will tell you truck routes and a lamiated truckers map ($50.00) for clearances/tolls. That's the most cost effective way I've seen to add GPS on your rig.

You can get M$ Streets and Trips with a GPS locater for about $100.00 and if you look around here you can find some links that will add truck routes and clearances. From what I've read about M$ Streets and Trips is it inst the greatest for trucking but it may help with planning and what not. Never hurts to have a backup map/routing.

-Reby

Quote:

As some of you know I am not driveing yet but I start school in January, and I was wondering if a laptop is a definate purchase that I will want to make before going out in my own truck, or is it something a guy could live without for awhile?

I used to take one with me, but no longer do. You have to take it with you everywhere or risk having it stolen by another driver, someone in the shop or even at a truck stop. My last company had 1 key that would fit every freghtliner in the company because numpty drivers kept locking their keys in the trucks on the road. The company before that had I think 4 different keys. Heck I even had a truck you could pop the lock just by a bang on the door.

I

The company I plan on going with gives routing through qualcom and some type of fuel thing. So does still make since to get a gps or would it be a waste of money. I like the idea of having one but why waste the money if it doesn't match the route the company wants you to run.


Also about how much money should I plan on spending on getting pertty well set up on a company truck. $1500.00 sound good or should I plan on spending more. THANKS!!!!!!!!!

If you are being routed I wouldn't bother. they are routing you means that is the route you have to run. Personally I wouldn't drive fora co liek that but I'v been at this long enough to say that.

I am addicted to my computer soI need my laptop but I don't use it for much other thn varifying directions (as I'm not routed) lol otherwise I just surf these sites and stay awake much longer than I should.

I'm only 33 but I drove my first three years without a cell phone and I was totally independant...no co to send help! I can't believe we did that. I look at it now and we were crazy running the west coast with no phones but it's just the way it was. things were different then, a driver would actually stop and help you. Phones were around then but still very expensive. I ran 6 trucks for my father when I was 18 and back then it was beepers at best

I agree, I have driven in every state and Canada and never needed a computer to find my way around. I can count the number of times I got lost on 1 hand. And with cell phones and qualcomms your computer will be just something to kill time and keep you from catching Z's.

I have gone to companies and heard drivers complain about the company routing but in every case it was a rare occurrence when the directions where so bad that I had to call to find a shipper or receiver. If you are on the road long enough you don't even need to look at the routing to know how you are going to get from point A to B. But if it gives you a piece of mind to have one, then go for it.

I always get a kick out of drivers who complain about cell bills. I pay around $65 a month for a phone and when they first came out I paid $500 for the first Moto flip phone and they charged $.36 a minute and $1 a minute for roam which was just about everywhere you went.

A laptop is NOT a must...but you sure do need one for sure. When you are sitting in a parking lot for hours on end, chomping at the bit, waiting to get your load...a laptop will come in really handy. Make sure you get a wireless internet card and then you could, at least, get on here and do SOMETHING to keep your mind off of things. Plus, you can get weather radar really fast and things like that. I started before we had THESE cell phones even...I tried a bag phone once until my first bill was $1,300. Now it is so different...laptops and cell phones are so cheap that one should have no problem getting one at all. I would HIGHLY suggest getting a laptop, but it is NOT a must. Hope that helps!

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TruckerJo, How do you do that kind of set up for 2 screens one for map etc? I would love to do something like that! Do you have a pic that can be sent of your set up?
Thanks!

I think it saves a decent amount of time and alleviates a good bit of stress too. Its so easy figuring out your directions and routing with mapping software and GPS compared to a regular atlas and a piece of paper with scribbled directions. What I mean by stress relief is say you have a logging program. When you log on a compy you dont have to add up any numbers and you always know if you are in violation of HOS and how long you have to drive in the day and week. So when your dispatcher asks for an HOS update you are only a couple clicks away from knowing. I imagine its especially nice after a rough day of driving and you stop for the night only having to make a couple clicks and your log is finished. I cant tell you how many times I wish I had GPS to auto re-route me when I missed a turn and cant find a place to turn around. Another nice feature is always know your estimated ETA. Very nice for when you dispatcher is trying to get you another load as soon as you get unloaded. I think the possibilities are endless. I am not even mentioning all the trucker specific accounting software out there. Plus all the aforementioned perks to having a compy on the road. And you can have all these features for well under a grand. $500 notebook, around $100 for GPS software/trans-reciever, $50 for DDL(log program), $50 for printer, and whatever else you need.