I'd be very careful using a GPS for directions driving a semi. The GPS will not tell you where the low bridges and underpasses are. My aunt in Chicago has seen many a trucker caught under this paticular bridge because of the low clearance.

If I were to use a GPS I would have to also check it out in the Motor Carrier Road Atlas for truck route making sure there are no surprises down the road.

A GPS for truckers would be nice.

GPS is good for locating yourself in relation to your target. I don't use it for route planning. For example, in Alameda,there's a street that is planned to go in a big loop. But it doesn't yet.
Directions had us turn on to <insert street name here> and do this and such. We went all the way to the end of the street and found nada.

I whipped out my phone,did a google maps, and found the other street. Whambam.

If you don't have GPS or a connected laptop, a large number of truck stops have internet kiosks- hit them and supplement your trip planning. It may cost a few bux, but that's cheaper than wandering around the south side of Erie PA for 6 hours trying to find your consignee.

I've run into incorrect directions on the Q - I do NOT call in a correction. I get on the Q and give turn by turn directions. So far, every time I've done so, the canned directions have been corrected/changed by the next time I'm dispatched to that site.

Of course, I don't work for Werner.

I understand the assumption that company provided directions are correct. Any time spent wandering around looking for the place is non-profit, so of COURSE they make sure the directions are correct.

Yeah, right. If you are there on time, they don't care. If you are NOT there on time, you should have planned better.

Of course, I'm a bit of a cynic.. So I started out double checking my driving directions before I ever hit the road. Now,I assume they are correct (based on experience), and stop [i]immediately['i] when I think I'm not on track and call the customer.

I also keep a record of canned directions, and any corrections or additions I've come up with to make my next trip to a dock easier. Including stuff that's not in the canned directions in the first place (R/R now bike path. drop empties in the rear. Loaded trailers are across the street: return to street, turn left, go 150 feet,turn right down ally. Yard is at end of ally)

Nobody taught me any of this - it just stands to reason. I'm all by my self out in the middle of wherever. The last thing I want to do is get loster. And I keep notes for when I go back again. It may not be just next week - it might be 6 years from now, and memory is rarely that reliable.

__________________
----------------------------------------------------
Keep the big doors at the back!

When I was otr that is one of the things I did as well, keeping the correct directions whether provided by co, computer, or just me writing it done. This did come in quit handy when you were going to the same customer later on done the road..

__________________
There are only three women in this world that mean anything to me and they are Karen, Krystal, Amanda..

I have been in trucking for 26 years and I found out 1 thing that when a company open's those things they call lips it's a lie nothing has to come out just the movement is a lie lol welcome to the world politics and trucking they are the same in order to be big you have to lie big

When a truck is acting up, and it's in-and-out of the Werner garage on a weekly basis, and the guys in maintenance keep checking it and can't pinpoint the problem -- what do you do? I have a friend who ended up in an accident because of mechanical failure after this kind of runaround, and then Werner set him up with a phony 'fail' road test back at the terminal. No, that's exactly what happened. I was thinking of going back to them, but after this guy's experience, there is no way.

I am a current Werner employee and approaching 1 year of time with them and driving. Knowing what I know now would I go to work for them again?
NO! Has it been as bad as most of what you read here? No. I have had a few truck issues but have never been down for more than 2 days. Is it a pain to get things done? Yes. Did they lie to me? Yes and they still do daily.

It is Werner's goal to maintain a fleet of drivers with 70% or more having less than 1 years experience. I have seen the internal paperwork that states this. They will do what they can to make sure this happens as this keeps the payroll low. So if you decide to go to Werner keep this in mind. This is not to say that you cannot make it work here as I know a few people who have, and have been with them for many years, but as I said a few.

I have already grossed over 36000 this year with 4 months to go so money wise it has not been all that bad. Yes I have had to work a lot to make the money though and put up with a lot of crap and lies. As for the money they have just cut my pay by what will amount to 26% to 32% of my gross depending on the type runs I get.


The biggest beef I have with them is the lies and the recent pay cut that came with no real reason. With this said I am not sure that it would have been any easier to run a year with any of the other starter companies or not. I do however look forward to the day that I can leave Werner as I do not think they are good for the long term. I could leave anytime but I am picky as to what job I will take as being home means a lot to me and I am currently home daily. I have driven for nearly a year and have no accidents, no lates, and I will find out about one possible ticket in court next week. I figure if I can stick it out a little longer the options for better jobs will come.

Would I suggest you go to work for Werner? Probably not. However depending on your background and why you are looking at trucking in general I would probably suggest to a lot of you not to go to any company. Starting out is not easy and depending on what you have done in the past it will be a very big change in your lifestyle. I would suggest that if you go for it remember that most of what the recruiters tell you is crap. If you go into it not expecting much, maybe you will not be let down. If you go into it expecting it to be like what the recruiters say, be prepared to quit.

Glancing over this thread, there's some very basic stuff thats being argued.

-You're a truck driver. If you can't properly plan out a route to your destination (Something i've been doing since I was 16 delivering for a courier company), You don't need to be behind the wheel. Plain and simple.

-Recruiters lie. Companies lie. The way companies make money, is they get the cheapest labor available and pocket the difference. If you can't take 5 minutes to check the company's manual and see what you're really getting paid, don't complain when you've got to split 26 cents a mile.



I mean come on guys... I thought you were the truckers and I was the noob

I misread the post.

When was the last time you planned a loooog road trip, and I don't mean to the grocery store either..

__________________
There are only three women in this world that mean anything to me and they are Karen, Krystal, Amanda..

GPS systems that are created SPECIFICALLY for truckers ARE available. One solution I found is uses the National Network Routing based on the federal government-designated highway system for over sized vehicles. In addition, the GPS software supports expanded HazMat routing options including explosives, inhalants and radioactive materials. Though if a trucker driver is transporting radioactive materials and doesn't know which road to take, then we all have bigger problems.

I personally do not have any experience with any of them. Considering how well the GPS unit in my car works, I would certainly be willing to try one made for truckers in MY rig.