navigation for new drivers

In case you didn't notice, the top one is a compass.

 

I use Streets & Trips. I lookup all my shippers and consignees in google earth first, zoom in and also use the ground level feature to locate the driver entrance way, and once located I place a pushpin in the driver entrance way. Next, I access the properties of the pushpin in google earth to copy the coordinates in which I then paste into Streets & Trips. That way Streets & Trips provides turn-by-turn navigation directly into the driver entranceways of my shippers and consignees. I also save all those shippers and consignees in Streets & Trips as I go for the next time I will go back to them. I've also setup all my company terminals and drop lots in this same exact manner as well.

The cost of Streets & Trips is approximately $39.95 if you pay full price, and I also added the Truck Stops Plus Template to Streets & Trips for all the pinpoint accurate trucking specific POIs, which is also I believe $39.95.

Of course, Streets & Trips isn't truck specific, but I don't care, as my company provides the truck specific routes upon dispatch, plus the Truck Stops Plus Template is also configured to provide truck routes also.

Thus, approximately 98 percent of the time, the route generated by Streets & Trips will match my company supplied truck route, and when it doesn't, it is usually just a matter of dragging and dropping a small portion of the route to match the route supplied by my company. The beauty of Streets & Trips is it is very easy to manipulate your routes.

Finally, once everything is synchronized in Streets & Trips, I then save the trip file using the trip number in a folder called "My Trips" and then in a sub folder cataloged by month.

This system is very inexpensive and at the same time very effective. Plus Streets & Trips contains all the roads, not just the major roads like in a Motor Carrier Road Atlas. Moreover, you can make the maps be as big or as little as you need them. So there isn't any need for magnifying glasses. You can also manipulate the maps far faster than with a Motor Carrier Road Atlas as well. As a matter of fact, I haven't owned or used a Motor Carrier Road Atlas for years now.

 

That'll work great until it leads you under a 12' 4" overpass.

 

Uhm...the Truck Stops Plus Template provides the exact same state listing of low overheads and restricted routes that a Motor Carrier Road Atlas provides, but you can access it much faster and far easier via your laptop screen. Plus, the template is configured to provide truck specific routing. Nevertheless, like I said, the company I work for provides truck specific routing and final directions nonetheless, in which I synchronize in Streets & Trips should there be any differences in the routes generated by Streets & Trips. Most of the time the routes match identical, but if they don't, then it is just a matter of a couple of seconds to synchronize the route. Once fully synchronized, like I said I save it so it can't be accidentally changed.

Not to mention, that I rode one day with a friend of mine who swore up and down that he fully trusted his Rand McNally GPS and we rode through some little town in South Carolina that I can't remember the name of anymore. Anyway, when we passed through the heart of that town, we hit about 7 stop signs and about 7 no truck signs in a row at the same time. Moreover, we've all seen the results of trucks that hit low overheads in the Northeast while using so-called truck specific GPS devices. So the moral of the story is never fully trust any GPS device.

 

You shouldn't rely on any of these devices... local politicians can change the traffic environment much more thickly than the databases can be updated. Plus the wonder of online mobile connections are only as good as the cell coverage is. Get in a place with no connection, and then what are you going to do?

The point is that unless you have an RMCA and can use it, there are places and situations where you can become quite helpless being dependent on electronic wizardry. And it is only as good as the database it is based on. The carriier the OP is going to work for expects that he will be able to think for himself, and not be a slave to an electronic gimmick.

 

You can't trust a paper map - it may of been printed a year or longer ago from when you buy it. You can't 100% trust a GPS. You can't 100% trust directions from your company going to where you are going to drop off your load. You have to use all of them, a little brain power, and JUDGEMENT to find your way.

And remember if you get stuck in a bad situation, say you go down a street and come up to an overpass with a 12.6 clearance, DON'T try to make a u-turn, DON'T try and squeeze under it, DON'T try to back up down the highway. If you get stuck stop right there and call the police. The police will come and block off traffic and help you get out. Almost all people new to truck driving do not realize that they can call the police for help if they get stuck in a very bad situation.

 

You are correct. Which is why I don't fully trust any GPS device, and by the same token, I don't fully trust a motor carrier road atlas either. Nonetheless, the maps contained in Streets and Trips relative to a motor carrier road atlas are leaps and bounds better than in a road atlas and can be easily manipulated astronomically far faster, and if you ever deliver a load at night during a driving blizzard when you can't see the road, much less read the road sign, you'll be glad you were using GPS guidance. Nevertheless, when using any navigation technique, whether a GPS device for guidance or a motor carrier road atlas, one must always pay attention to anything that may have been recently changed by the local yocals. However, using my system as opposed to doing it the old fashion manual way is astronomically far faster and far more productive, and given that overwhelming advantage, give me my system everyday of the week and twice on Sundays.

I never use online mobile connections, but nonetheless Verizon as opposed to everyone else is pretty good.

Not really. Like I said, I haven't owned or used a RMCA in years, as the Truck Stop Plus Template contains all the same information, however, you can access it far faster and much easier.

Again, the Truck Stops Plus Template contains the same exact database contained in a RMCA.

Anyone who doesn't change with the times is anti-technology and anti-progress, especially when the new technology is far faster and far safer, which equals far more productive. Did you also resist air conditioning too when it first came out? There comes a point when you must join the modern world, and that point is today where GPS technology is concerned.

 

Simple ...a phone call......1 maybe 2....After loading , take the time ( if your destination is still open to be contacted ) to give the consignee a call. If not , call them at the 1st opportunity after they are open for business...ie the next morning. Tell whoever answers the phone who you are , and your scheduled time of arrival. Tell them just what route you'll be coming into town on , and ask them to please give you turn by turn directions to their location , making double sure they are aware of any height /length/or construction restrictions....etc that you might encounter. BTW..... Make sure you write this info down... Usually you will need to to speak to the receiving supervisor/clerk to get this info , not a receptionist , whose only job is to answer the phone (she probably couldn't tell you how she gets home anyway)

You'll find this is always the best way to make sure you're not gonna get lost...the new technologies available are great tools to use , but they can't IMHO , ever replace having an open line of communication open. doesn't cost a dime , to do it either.

 

VFR (visual flight rule) maps are fine, but I prefer IFR charts (I follow roads).

 

The item here is tools.maps,gps these are tools.trucks have been delivering a long time without gps. They are convenient, use your ability to think your way they. Use all the resources at your disposal.most important your eyes.