plastic or paper... THE BIG MAP.

before all you old dogs key in and defend your absolutely absurdly giant paper maps let me put your mind at ease. we still need them. the question is... for what?

whether you choose to admit it or not, GPS navigation is here to stay. it works and is a highly valuable resource to professional drivers. the question is not. whether or not to use it, but how to use it. there are plenty of images on line showing pictures of truckers using GPS and ending up the square peg in the round hole. imediatly the GPS is blamed for this accident. if you think about it the same thing happens when a driver gets lost using a paper map. it's never the driver's fault it's always the inadequacy of the map he was using... wasn't clear enough. just like paper maps. if you know how to use them they are a blessing. if you don't...a curse. so for you old dogs who are frightened of change and the thought of following a little box on your dash board that couldn't possibly contain as much information as the giant map you hold so close... i will talk you through it.

first... make sure you have your giant map close in case you need it... you don't have to get rid of your security blanket. now on to the proper way to use a GPS. for reference i use streets and trips as my planner(notice i didn't say GPS.

1. first open up streets and trips, open the rout planner pane and enter your starting location and your ending location.

2. once you have your locations entered click the "GET DIRECTIONS" button.

3. once the blue line has indicated the rout the GPS has planned examine it for accuracy and to make sure it's the rout you want.(this is were you can use your giant map to confirm the rout)at this point just concern yourself with the major portion of your rout... just like you do on your giant map.

4. if the initial rout used by the GPS is not the one you would like you can simply drag and drop the rout to the highway you want using your paper map as a reference. or you may just know which one you want.

5. just like the paper map. once you have confirmed the basic rout(hwy) you want to use, save it with whatever name you want...ex "Winnipeg, MB to Manawa,WI"

6. now your ready to fine tune your map for the actual address at your destination. magnify the area of your destination so that you have a clear view of the actually city streets you need to navigate. if the rout is fine then hit save and your done.

7. if the rout is not desirable then you can either drag and drop or use your mouse to set "stop points on the streets or ramps you wish to take. hit the "GET DIRECTIONS" button again and the rout should appear the way you want it. once done hit the save button again and your done.

8. if you'd like to see an actually satellite picture of the rout you've chose to make sure there are no low bridges ext, just hit the "SHOW IN BING" button. if you are connected to the internet you can see the actual street your planning on traveling. you can save a particular satalight image with your rout so you can refer to it when you are not on line. try that with a paper map.

9. now that you have the rout exactly how you want it you have a choice. you can either use your lap top as the GPS or you can transfer the rout to your window mounted GPS. the choice is yours. i prefer my small lap top next to me. i have access to my entire music library(around 40GB), my movies(great when I'm sitting waiting on a live load), my address book, my DDL, my internet(if I'm in a wifi area) and any other information i may need. i just run a sterio jack into my trucks front aux in and Bob's you cousin on your mother's side.

10. remember, you can use the push pins(poi's on regular GPS) to mark low bridges, truck stops, fuel locations, or favorite spots to pull in. i'm not saying you won't take a wrong road ever again... just like with paper maps... but the difference is you'll only make the mistake once. once you understand fully how your GPS works it will be your best friend.

the benefits of doing things this way is the GPS is following a rout that I've planned... essentially the same rout i would have used my big paper map for and i don't have to try and remember any of it. i only have to plan the rout once instead of every time i have to drive this rout. after a wile i will have every rout saved that i will ever travel. and my big map will last longer cause i won't be spilling coffee on it and turning the pages every two seconds. i also don't have to try and navigate while holding a map on my steering wheel. i can also make generic routs that i can use as templates to speed up the prosess. on average it only takes about ten minutes or less to plan, adjust and save a rout. money in the bank as far as I'm concerned.

used correctly a GPS is safer(no fumbling with maps while you drive), cheaper(you don't have to buy a new one every year), more accurate(much more detail of ramps ext) , easier to use and faster than traditional paper maps. maybe i could use that map to hold the lap top...lol

 

your absolutely correct... that's why i said you still need your atlas. no truck should be with out one. and yes the GPS will tell me all that once i've programed it into it. yes you have to be willing to put forth a small amount of effort when using a GPS. i always suggest that you check your planned rout first before blindly following it. and i agree with your method of planning. it's the exact method i just described. that's what the point of this was. using your GPS to record the rout you want. not the one it wants. used correctly a GPS should be no more than a replacement for your paper and pen. think of it as an electronic writing pad to keep track of the directions you placed in it.