Maps

i still use my '76 bicentennial edition atlas because its cool with the red blue and white colors. Even though it's actually pink lavender and yellow now.

 

I wouldn't buy a map until the old one wore out. Any changes you know about quicker than Rand knows.

There's nothing wrong with any GPS along as you use it with your map and other resourses available. You already seem to have that common sense.

 

Sure...get one. The laminated ones last longer. I've used the same one since 2004. Not really a lot of changes since it was issued.

I always use a GPS, mine is about 3 years old now. It's a Garmin Nuvi, not truck friendly. But then again, I don't know of ANY truely truck friendly GPS units.

 

You guys should try the new Rand McNally trucker edition GPS. I have the 5 inch. It shows almost every truckstop in the USA on it. If you in Boondock South Carolina and you have just unloaded, just search on it for the nearest truckstop to hang out at till your next load. I promise you it will come up with at least 3.

It's the best tool I've every bought in my 11 years of driving. It will show all the truck weigh stations and your distance to them. It even has a function to where it will route you around the weigh stations. Eventhough I'm not suggesting that you do this. Still it's on there. Also It will keep track of your miles in each state. your average speed, and this is really cool about it. It will list almost EVERY restaurant, Wal-Mart, mall or shopping center, car rental and anyother business by city. It has a screen specific for T/A, Petro, Loves, Pilot and Wilco truckstops. You can even plan out your trip on it and preplan your fuel stops as you go. It's by far well worth the $350 I paid for mine at the Loves.

 

I had one of those very disfunctional I told me I was going the wrong way lots of times when I knew for a fact I was going the right way I didn't trust it at all. I trust my car GPS more than I did that thing. I get a new map every few yrs along with a truck stop guide

 

i don't know what you were doing lil may. My GPS will sometimes get me out of route and sometimes it will tell me to go the wrong way, but usually it's because it's trying to route me in the shortest direction. If I was taking a trip of more than 300 miles I wouldn't set it until i got within 100 miles for the routing.

What I do is route it when I leave out on my delivery then see where I want to stop for fuel. I then set it to go to that fuel stop. I don't put my route in it's hands in other words. But you can use it for an atlas. Since I've bought it I don't use my paper atlas much at all. Plus you have all of the truckstops right there at your fingertips.

 

I sent it back it back there was an error in it but so I got a military one that works just the same

 

A GPS is not a replacement for an atlas or common sense. A GPS is not meant to just take over and be used as an autopilot. It's just not that far advanced of a tool.

You are responsible to get from point A to point B. Does the GPS make mistakes? Sure. Can it save you time and help you do your job more efficiently? Absolutely!!

I hear a lot of truckers out there that want something that will do their jobs for them. If you put 100% of your trust in the GPS you will be let down...way let down. If you use it as a tool and put the trust in yourself. Then you will love the GPS. I still say it's the best tool I've ever bought for myself or my truck in my years of driving.