permit routing question

I use Microsoft Streets and Trips on my net book as my GPS.

I plot the route into S&T. It works similar to Google Maps where you begin by entering a start and and destination and it plots you a route. Then you modify that route to match your permitted route by dragging the line. In about 5 minutes or less I have my route on a 10" screen.

 

Texas gives a lot of information every mile of route is described. The more you do the easier to read. The short version on first page is easier to follow.

 

I swear in the Texas permit office when they are planning a route, they take a big drag off a joint, and while holding it in, they point at the big TX map on the wall and tell everyone else in the room "I'm gonna send him over here!" as he exhales and the whole room erupts in laughter...
That's the only logical explanation for TX routing I've got...if your gonna HH in TX, get used to it...

 

Michigan is worse

 

I use a yellow highlighter to mark route changes. It is easy to read as you drive. I also try to remember at least the next or possibly two route changes before getting to them. It pays to get your Rand McNally out and look at it as you go through your permit. Only being wide is not much of a big deal unless you get over 14' wide. But, when you are very tall, it can get tricky. You don't want to miss a turn and not find out until you get to a low overpass. Another thing that I have done is get a piece of paper and write down each route change and the town (if applicable) to help me know about a change well in advance of having to make a turn. I remember taking a over size load from Tennessee to south Texas. The load was 14'6" and 60' long. Routing was pretty simple until I got to Texas. After that it got really interesting. They routed me all over the place. I went through Arkansas instead of Louisiana so that I didn't have to pay for a couple of escorts. Louisiana wanted me to have a pole car. Going the route I chose I added about 50 miles to the trip but saved the escort costs. Some states do their own routing. I usually try to do my own route, but when you get into tall loads, it is often better to let them route you.

 

Texas will zig zag you all over the state especially with a high load. I loaded with 4 other trucks the same load in Laredo,,we all submitted a permit request at the same time we all got different routes going to Denton,Tx,, Scenic routing I call it,,About 1/3 of the time with high loads I get routed by Tx and other states on routes that are wrong,,They are government workers and don't know what they are doing,,A few years ago in Calif a Calif permit agent made a mistake on 4 permits in one week that caused 4 accidents,,he was never fired,,BTW he was one that spoke little english

 

I usually do as G/MAN does and either highlight route changes or I write everything including exits and towns onto paper or sticky notes to make it easier to read

 

Sometimes I write the route on my windshield with dry erase markers. Easier to read and track route and just erase as I go.

 

That's just too funny