copilot gps for trucks. Does it work?

From what I have heard from other drivers Co-Pilot does work very well with windows xp. Unfortunately if you have the new Windows Vista operating system it may not be compatable.

I have A Pc Miler 18 Program which is put out by ALK Technologies (the maker of co-pilot) and has served me well for years. I am a cheap skate so I have not upgraded to the newer version yet. Of course my laminated motor carrier Atlas is a 2004 copy as well but they both still work fine.

To my knowledge Alk is the only routing program specifically for big trucks which has hazmat routing options shortest 53 route and practical routes. Takes a little time to learn how to use the software but it is well worth it.

 

I have Co pilot "truck" and it works great.. absolutely luv it... It will work with Vista just need to do a few tricks.. If you buy it from the company then tech support will help you get it going on a vista machine.. If you buy a bootleg copy and want to run it on Vista then you will need to find somebody who knows how to get it running..

Now keep in mind mapping is not 100% more like 90% accurate.. All mapping programs are about 90% becuase there are new roads being added everyday and some roads are just poorly mapped..

Things you will experience..
1.Truck stops/Restaurants ext..(POI= point of interests) not exactly where they say they are.. (could be the next exit across the street ext..)
2.Customers not exactly where they say they are... (reasons same as above) I have had it run me to a place and find that the customer is all the way across town.. due to how the town set up their mailing addresses and does not follow the "typical" address routing..
It is always a good ideal to have several program like "Streets and maps" and a few others..
I also have Internet access on my laptop to get online and check mapping sites such as google,msn,mapquest ext.... They usually have the latest road updates and will be more current then your software.. Great to have Internet access when Copilot can't find it..
Streets and maps also allows you to search on MSN maps and use it as your current routing.. So another words you always can get the latest mapping online and use. (keep in mi9nd it may not be truck routes when using streets and maps ext..)
3. if you pass a town be very careful where it tells you to turn around at becuase it will put you on side streets that you may not be able to get threw...

Bottom line its a great tool to have but do not rely on it 100%
Always get directions from the customer and compare....

 

I have a garmin 330 it works kinda like truckerjoe said with a few exceptions not really truck spec so i have to look at map and be on the look out for No truck and low bridge signs. in the city but other than that works well.

 

My company has the new(?) program for the drivertech, called Maptuit. I have the PCmiler, and Streets and trips. NONE of them is perfect! I now love my truckers atlas more than ever, and even that isn't foolproof. The one that surprised me the mosst was the Maptuit one. You would think that a program bought by a trucking co, to be used in trucks would be right on the money. Not the case, while out in upstate NY it tried to have me go down a street in a small town with a big "NO TRUCKS" sign. As has been said, use it as a guide, or a tool. I like using it to show what streets are coming up, which side an exit is on etc..

 

i use a garmin streetpilot c330. it has a "truck" setting, that they claim is as up to date as the rand mcnally atlas, but usually tells me to take the tunnels going into nyc, instead of the lovely gw bridge. i do not rely on it completely, but have found it quite useful, especially for finding an address in town. it's usually fairly close, as long as it knows where the street is.

 

Don't use it in Chelsea MA !!!!!! It tried to send me down cobble streets with cars parked on both sides. I dont think a 10 y/o with a skateboard could have gotten through that one. Let alone a 48' Spread axle one. It has routed me through 11' bridges, Has a hard time realizing I am going a different way and tries to turn me around for 40 minutes, It put me 100 miles out of my way in NJ when leaving a drop I couldn't take a left and had to turn right at. Has routed me to my third stop when the ramp I was suppose to take for the second one said NO TRUCKS! On my Toughbook 28 there are times it will take 100% of my CPU and basically lock the machine up. Cant resize the screen and always in full screen mode. Most of the times its OK but its the times its not that can cost! There are a lot of my stops it does not know about. I TRY to preplan with google maps. I like the "drag to a differant route" part and the satellite images. There have been times I found it on google then went over to CoPilot and found and selected it on that map. Positives on CoPilot, you can be tracked by inviting interested parties, if the thieves dont know its on, you can track your stolen truck, you can also "IM" back and forth from/to them. The "Traffic Alerts and associated re-routing are good but too sensitive ( use your cb to find out if it really is worth going around, most of the time it isnt). I like the state millage recap but would like it to tell me when I just went over a state line as I am driving. Perhaps if I was doing mostly interstates and loading docks I would feel a bit better about it. As a skateboarder I go to/on a lot of places OTR guys never see or want to see.

As for NYC ..... NYC Truck Routes/regulations page ( http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/trucks.shtml )

You will be surprised how easy NYC can be once you read the instructions! hehehehe yeah yeah I know If all else fails huh? Call them and ask for two maps. It takes a little while but you will have them for years.

I went to Barns and Nobel and got 2 NYC altases for cheap ( 75% off plus a buy one get one free = $30 worth of detailed NYC maps for $3.50, She shoots she S C O R E S ! ! ! ! ! LOL )

I just wish Boston had the same stuff available to us.

Don't ask the question if you don't want to hear the answer

 

I use it with Vista, nothing special required, just can't use it with the Vista 64bit O/S.
yes, sometimes customer or truckstop the wrong side of the street or other side of the interestate, but the good Lord gave you eyes so if your that close you can usually find it. The restricted roads are highlighted in bright yellow and it loudly proclaims if you take one that you are on a restricted route and to please obey all local and state laws. Catches most low bridges but some cities do not report their low bridges so your atlas, Garmin, ALK, and Rand McNAlly won't tell you about them either another time you should probably use the eyes the good Lord gave you. In short better than any portable GPS out there (including the PC Miler Navigator 430 which is based on the program) except possibly the new Garmin 465T which is the only truly truck specific Garmin GPS. Warns you of sharp turns, steep down grades, weigh stations, has truckstops, repair shops, etc. It just came out two days ago.

 

I realize I am chiming in a little late here, but I used Copilot for 2 years... The best thing to do is use it for City to City travel. Usually you get a customer phone number, so you use copilot to plan your trip, fuel stops, etc, and then you use a small spiral bound notebook for customer directions. Call them, ask them the best way for a big truck to get to them( if you are a sweet talker, there is usually some nice lil gal willing to give you good directions to them, or at least put you on the phone with someone who can.) You use copilot to get you within 20 miles, then pull into a rest area, whip out your small spiral bound, and follow your hand written directions in. Least that's the way I used to do it...