Use your GPS.......

I whole-heartily agree with the OP. GPS's should only be used for redundancy. A GPS isn't going to know if your exit ramp just closed yesterday. It isn't going to know about weather.

I also 2nd laptop GPS's. Laptop GPS's give you the ability to zoom out and scan the area your customer is in. If you do your homework and write down multiple ways you can get to a customer, you're never going to panic when you discover you're exit/road is closed.

Also, don't be afraid to call the customer and ask for directions before you drive the last leg of the trip. This will almost always avoid getting lost.

 

What I normally do is input the destination into my GPS then take a look at the general route. Considering most of my loads are long a fair amount of the time is freeway. Once I get on the freeway I ignore the GPS until I get about 50-100 miles from my destination then start paying it a little attention here and there. One thing I always do is prepare for my exit two miles in advance so I don't have to fight traffic to get over then If the ramp is closed just move on down to the next one you can take and start looking at the GPS map for alternate routes. If all else fails call the shipper/receiver. Some truckers seem to think it is going to take away their manhood to call and ask for directions, I have never had any problems with the people who answer the phones.

 

ive never had an attitude problem on phone with any of the shippers or consignees by just asking for directions , but if they dont know how to get to where they are, they sure cant tell me how to get there..lol

 

Not just truckers but men in general do this.

Without a set of instructions, I'd drive to Canada if you wanted me to go a block down the road.

 

My GPS has google earth and you can see everything you can on a laptop including the buildings and parking lots. And if you come up on a closed road or ramp, you can press detour. Most of the time that's what a CB is for. You use all the tools available.

It's only a tool is all it is. If you hold a hammer on the wrong end it won't work either. I always call the customer during the intial trip planning along with the RM and compare to the GPS. Then I program it accordingly.

Those that mock GPS's, never used them or don't know how to use them correctly and incorporate them into their original trip planning. You don't know something until you walk that mile.

An example is if the GPS tries to take you off the first exit into a town and you know because you called the customer, the truck route is the second exit, you simply tell your GPS to go that way. You do that by programming legs. The first leg would be to that 2nd exit and the 2nd leg is into the customer. I've programmed 5 drops before and altered routes according to customer directions.

Then when you are pressed for timed, you know the GPS is doing the right thing. I like knowing turns ahead of time. I've even used it in bad weather or dark nights and zoom in to get an advance warning of curves.

It has also taught me a couple long haul shortcuts.

 

Spoken like a true old fart. Done it that way for ever and not gonna change. Sorry tech world is leaving you behind.

 

and a map will?

 

Yea its in the ramp closed yesterday section right next to the city atlas of all the small towns thats not listed

 

Stop putting words in my mouth.

 

This 1,000 times over. I used to mock GPS's, but since I started using them, I won't drive without one. Using them for redundancy is the key. You never want to rely on one.