Trip planning tools

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Ray Strack, Dec 10, 2017.

  1. Ray Strack

    Ray Strack Medium Load Member

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    Not your usual trip planning thread. Im very comfortable with an atlas, and even using other apps to pick my rputes and exits. What Im looking for is a solution that works with using an atlas.

    Right now the best thing I have is to trip plan and write my trip down on a paper, however, i do a lot of driving with the sun down and want to avoid having to use a light to see my paper. Is there an app or gps app that lets me input my route so I can follow that and wont keep telling me to turn around when I deviate? Or am I kind of stuck with what i have?

    Any advice is appreciated.
     
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  3. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    Use a red filter lenses to see your paper. Red Light at night is protective of your vision. Your tractor should have a seperate red light above your door in addition to the normal white light.

    I used a old D cell battery equipped Vietnam era surplus red lenses equipped light for years until the newer tractors came in with red lighting installed.
     
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  4. nax

    nax Road Train Member

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    truckrouter.com

    save a link on your smartphone.

    if u want turn-by-turn alerts, get a truck gps
     
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  5. Ray Strack

    Ray Strack Medium Load Member

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    @x1Heavy our trucks dont have red lights in em. Id buy one if i have to but my goal is to avoid having to use a light to keep my hands free and not being distracted. I could probably mount something.

    @nax checked out the site. Using fargo nd to greenville tx as an example, they route me through kansas city. I opted to take a bypass around it to save time and come down US69s. Far better option. Thats where i run into my problem. Nav system wants to keep routing off my deviation even though my route is better. Takes awhile for it to finally get up to snuff with what Im doing.
     
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  6. Mark Kling

    Mark Kling Technology Contributor

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    Rand puts out TripMaker that will push to your TND or TND Tablet if you run a Rand.
     
  7. WesternPlains

    WesternPlains Road Train Member

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    You can also just buy a roll of red lens tape. Available anywhere people want a cheap fix for their parking/brake lights. :)
     
  8. nax

    nax Road Train Member

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    Download an app called TollGuru

    This is what is gave me - your desired path
    Screenshot_2017-12-10-21-42-43.png
     
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  9. STexan

    STexan Road Train Member

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    A good GPS will rarely tell you to "turn around" unless you turn down a dead end road or headed directly for a low bridge or down a restricted road. If you have a truck GPS, turn off "Allow U-turns" option.
     
  10. STexan

    STexan Road Train Member

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    And FWIW, a Garmin will "recalculate new route" faster than Rand McNally in the event of a detour or missed turn or not wanting to go it's planned route.
     
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  11. Ray Strack

    Ray Strack Medium Load Member

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    Thanks stexan, ill have to look into that. Thanks nax, neat program. Gas isnt something i have to worry about unless i add an excessive amount of miles.

    My route is the same accross all the apps i looked at. This was an exception. Way ajead of schedule so headed to joplin to do a 34 at petro.
     
    Steel Dragon Thanks this.
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