how many of you prospective new truck drivers REELY know how to read an atlas??

Never did.....I did it the right way...went out and talked to the folks ftf , and found a good job and stayed there for over 30 years.....now I'm retired.....so you see the "old fashioned" way of doing things is usually the best way....

...just sayin..

I'm not anti-technology,,,not at all. But , I do know that a map and knowing how to read one will always get me to and from wherever I need to go/be.

 

Too funny. Me too. Some crazy one's like: "turn where the old church used to be".

"Um, ma'am. I'm not from there. If the church isn't there anymore; how will I know where to turn?"

"Right there by the big tree. The one with the gopher hole by it. You can't miss it."

"Wanna bet? A cup of coffee and donut says I can and will drive right by it and go; DANG that's where I shoulda' turned! Can you think of something else I can look for?"

That usually got a good chuckle and more of the same type of directions. LOL.

To the OP:

Some folks just don't get it and it's not really their fault. Take my wife (please, da-da-dum lol). I have tried and tried to teach her and she's smart, college educated; but she just doesn't get maps and has no sense of direction either. I keep a current RMN at home b/c sometimes I'll be driving and need to know something I didn't anticipate in my plan or something changed and I pretty much have an idea what I want to do but want to do it on the go. I'll call her (Blue tooth voice dial - really cool invention) and ask her to get the map book (or open Google map don't matter which I know the general truck specific for the situation close enough from experience I just need a little OTF navigation - I'll know the rest) and look up Atlanta for (ex). Keep in mind smart person and several teaching sessions;

"Atlanta, Georgia. Yeah. Turn to the Georgia page. It's toward the top. I know. That one is sideways. Turn it so you can read the words."

"OK, now follow I-75 north."

"It's a big blue road leading out of the blue circle around Atlanta."

"No sweetie. Macon is south. Go toward the top of the state. Not the bottom."

"OK. Look for Rome northwest of Atlanta and tell me the highway number of the big road connecting 75 to Rome."

"No, No sweetie. Athens is East. (she's getting really frustrated at this point because she really is trying) look at 10:00."


"I know. but just follow you finger; Oh. never mind honey. Here's a rest area. I'll just pull in. Thanks sweetie."

Shhhh. Don't tell her but there was no rest area. I just gave up and tackled the situation another way lol. It's like math. Some folks just can't do math no matter how hard they try and some folks just can't do maps. Granted, that's a pretty big handicap to overcome in trucking but I guess that's where the gizmos come in and I'm sure - given how fast (relatively speaking) they came into the scene, and how fast technology advances these days map books will be truly obsolete one day. I'll still be getting a new one every year they publish them, though. I'm really good with maps and I do like my gizmos too but there's just something hardwired in me that I will never shed no matter how good the gizmos get. I HAVE to look it up in my map book and flip to the front to clear the route if I'm not VERY familiar with it and always the first time in the year when they publish the new RMN to make sure they havn't built a new low clearance or restricted a previously non-restricted route. Despite gizmos updating more frequently than once a year it's just not in me to not do that.

 

I'm reconidering my comment, when I wrote "The other thing I think map reading should be part of a road test and the written test for a CDL. If we are to be treated like a commercial pilot (elogs, DOT physical, HOS, etc. ...), then we need to start going through the same type of testing" I added the " ...... of course I'm kidding ... or am I? "but now I am thinking that it should be part of the cdl exam. With the amount of people who are unable to read a simple map or even directions, it may be time where we see map reading as a fundamental skill we all should posses.

 

but then again,as a driver that has only 1 year of experience,how do you expect the op to train regarding anything? Not being harsh but his experience level,per himself,is one year.I am elated that i am not in a position mandating a driving school/company that uses an individual to train that has little to no actual experience. that boggles my mind.i would be more concerned w/properly training some wannabe to drive, not use an atlas.

op-i am not being whatever you are thinking as you read but my gosh,with your experience being non existent,how can you train another on anything and remain credible? I was just placed in a truck for the most part so i am self taught which would be my preference over "learning" from some person that has so little hands on. what kind of habits are you passing on? you don't know as you haven't been out here long enough to obtain any,much less share as a trainer.I am typing in disbelief actually.

you driving school peeps flame away but i am realistic in my post and not picking on nor being argumentative with OP. screw an atlas,which is all that i use,at this point in their career.they need to learn to drive a rig,not be taught navigation by a rookie driver.

edited to add- Op,i am sure that you are a good driver and that you take your position quite seriously. Your post are well written and i would bet that you are post secondary with your education level. but man,with no more experience than you actually possess,how can you train? how do you incorporate teaching to drive and using an atlas? my concerns are with your skill set as a driver first and foremost, most certainly not with your prowess utilizing an atlas. you simply can not share that which you do not know. how adept can you be at using an atlas when you are basically still a student driver yourself? regardless of how i try,i can not come across as nice on this topic so i shall cease the attempt.

i am utterly perplexed at the type company that would use a student to train another and that student teacher being concerned with the student student's inability to read an atlas.

 

I was born with complete knowledge of Americas highway system. therefore I do not need GPS or an ATLAS, as It is all in my head.

 

see what i mean forum members? with one year in,he knows all.I will not retract my last post in which i tried to come across as gentile.I was not trying to be critical and harsh. with 1 whole year driving,I am sure that the op can pass plenty of practical experience on to a wannabe. I am sure that map reading is all part of his particular curriculum and that he is one of the very best 1 year dudes out there piloting that mega fleet truck and that he is the best "trainer" the company has.

I know that if i had to go through some training in order to drive a cmv,i would want the caliber of the op.In fact,i would like to go through his training regime as you just know he has it all down pat.


you are all that driver.please continue sharing all that cumulative knowledge to all those future students that yearn to learn from the very best. I am sure the big blue company chose wisely as your experience level was ascertained in your last post rebutting me.

 

We did map reading and trip planning blah blah when I first started. It was so redundant and pointless. If you can't navigate the us interstate system without looking at a atlas you have problems. Now navigating the cities is a whole different ball of wax.
I haven't opened my atlas in probably my 4 years except to mark the city where a washout was located. And even then I saved the address in my gps so I don't need the atlas.
You can always tell the atlas guys cause they are normally the ones that take a exit at the last second cause they just put the map down trying to figure out what exit they needed. I'd rather listen to my gps tell me 2 miles in advance to get in the right lane and stay right and take this exit then get left to hit the next exit I need. So much easier, faster and safer.
I can save the exact place down to the gnats ### in my gps so next time I know it will get me right where I need to be. I can also change routes on the fly. If there is a accident on my route I hit detour and bam I have a new truck friendly route around the accident and am rolling down the road while the other guys are hollering on the cb "what lane we need to be in up here?"
Plus my gps has rest areas, weigh stations, traffic updates, weather, fuel prices, repair shops, hotels, and pretty much any other poi you can think of.

 

Wait .
This went from map reading to arguing about experience ?
Well , might as well grab some because it gonna get interesting .