Crete Carrier - A Year In Review - Fall 2013 Going Forward

Wow...awfully strong words from a driver who has only been driving without his own training wheels for around a year...when you get your 1st million, then statements about a drivers experience are credible. As for the point I was trying to make, there is nothing wrong with -using- technology in this career, but -trusting- technology is where people get themselves stuck on a footpath bridge or stuck under a low bridge. I have had 3 GPS units since they have been released for use by the general public. 2 car and 1 truck based units(plus CoPilot apps on my phone and tablets) My truck GPS lead me down more WTFFWYT routes(what the flying f were you thinking) than either car GPS. And it was set for a 70' 40 ton, non-hazmat semi w/53 - 102, and updated to the most recent firmware and maps.

and don't knock senility until you've tried it...one of the best things about having it is, you get to meet new people every day w/o ever leaving home...

 

You got a bad GPS then, the RND 520 is excellent, but you still gotta have a brain. Definitely doesn't put me 100s of miles out of route.

 

If you have a brain you can get to most places without a gps or even a cellphone, but that doesn't seem to be a requirement to get hired these days.

If you don't develop the mental skills you need to navigate a truck, your gps is not going to save you.

 

Every GPS unit they sell comes with a disclaimer that says they don't accept any liability for their product giving you a bad route.
If you use that as your main tool to navigate with you will be in a situation sooner or later that will cost your company a lot of
money and your career as a truck driver will be finished. A GPS has its uses but I wouldn't blindly follow anything it tells you to do.

 

The issue we're talking about is pertaining to out of route miles. 98% of most loads are interstate or major US routes. My GPS has not led me anywhere "dangerous" once I've gotten onto the interstate, unless I make a mistake and go out of route. GPS don't make truck routes appear out of no where. If you're in an area with no truck routes, it's just gonna do it's best.

 

...yeah, but they're the ones that told me to go across that bridge!

 

Next time look at the total miles shown on cretes routing....they are a lot closer to the paid miles...than what you are doing now...you said you drove 3500mi one week..and were paid for 2800mi...for this to happen...you drove 100mi out of route each day..in 7 days????....that explains why you are low on avalible driving hrs all the time

 

Where did you come up with the 98% of loads will follow an interstate or a US route? You have obviously not been driving a truck very long. When I used to
drive for Shaffer most of my runs where within 5-10% of what they paid, but I don't recall running 98% of the time on major highways. Just let that GPS run
you into some downtown areas of a major urban area and you will find out how unreliable it is.

 

You may be right. That was my 1st and only truck based GPS. I bought the same manufacturer because of the good service I had with my 1st one, and the consumer ratings (or lack of bad ratings) from around various sights. My Garmin was only slightly higher rated than the Magellan or Rand, but not by much. I found that the slight advantages of the truck unit opposed to the car unit I have now didn't warrant the $180 difference in price...and the screen broke in 6 weeks from my pudgy ape fingers pressing a bit too hard on the touch screen...

 

I am approaching my 3rd millionth mile...and I'll use any tool in the toolbox to make my job even slightly easier. A GPS is sure a lot easier to carry around than shoe boxes full of city maps. Many of my back haul loads, and a small portion of my out bound loads aren't on the beaten path...google maps and a GPS took much of the frustration out of finding them.