ltl city drivers: paper county maps, gps or something else?

If you have an Iphone, the 'maps' app that is on there is pretty handy in 'hybrid'. It shows streets with street/road names with a satellite view. It's nice for figuring out which end of a building to deliver to from which side of whatever street you're coming from by zooming in on your destination.

 

its good practice to use maps, they will always be there for you. The gps works but becareful of the routing.

 

I keep a good map. But running the same run I recommend getting on mapquest and looking at your run start to finish. You can change the route which will give you approximate times and you can see all other available routes.

 

Use a combination of common sense, maps and a gps. Dont get caught up on electronics, they are not idiot proof.

I ran P/D in NYC for a few months and I used a paper map. As you know NYC has truck routes and low clearance bridges out the wazoo. Still had to use common sense and have a basic plan of attack before you leave for another pickup or delivery

 

I agree 100%. I have been doing the local for almost 2years know. I drive Chicago almost everyday. Nothing worse than showing up and dockworkers are all on break. Around here I use what is called a mapbook, It shows Chicago and the surounding 7 main counties. I am sure where you are at has something very simillar. Just like when I drove OTR, I would trip plan well I do the same for local, I never leave a dock unless I know where I am going next. I find it on the map, if I don't already know, plan my route and then I write it out on paper. I do not use any gps at all. When I plan my route I keep to the main streets and very rarely have any problems. Just stay focused, that is why you plan your trip. Good luck.

 

But know you know, write it down in a notebook. I learned the hard way to very simillar thing, maybe not 7 miles more like 25 city blocks. In Chicago there are a shi- load of obstacles that run through the city ,I know if I am on Western AVE. heading N what streets I can head E on to make the bridge, it comes with time. You will even find your favorite way into certain cities, places etc... It all comes with time main thing is plan and relax.

 

I had a big hardback copy of the streets of Chicago when I was doing LTL stuff. This was back in 2000 before the GPS was affordable. I believe Rand McNally made it. Was about 150 pages, broke down each area into quadrants and listed every street name and location. Was really nice to have.

 

I use both, I run a mix of local, regional, OTR. I have a Denver Metro, Colorado Springs area, and N. Colorado Regional book map, as well as old style paper maps for about a 2 dozen outside areas, and I have my GPS. While it's not truck friendly, I know where the low clearances are so I don't worry about that, and if it does route me on a prohibited road, I look before I tur.