GPS Advice

There is no such as trucking GPS. When we ran team, we used a laptop off a 300 W inverter (Not as powerful in those days) and a Rand GPS map that did fairly well provided with physical addresses of where you are picking up and going.

Ultimately from time to time it got us close a block or two at most and sometimes put us into private or commercial property where 18 wheelers do not belong due to slow upgrading if at all.

We use it second hand, never first line where is information. Internet was still dailup. Although I had one of the first sprint Cell cards for laptop internet (Horrendously expensive, 400 for the thing and something like a dollar for every 50kb, so a web page could bury you financially. Used one time.)

This information is seriously dated, around the 1998 era. If I was to go today in a semi, it's going to be with my own go pro and my own Garmin to go with the stuffed briefcase. And the laptop and so on. Smart phone has it all, but it's a crappy 20 dollar unit. I would have to replace that.

If technology was wheels, grandma would be a wagon. But it's a double edged sword. You have the original everything, between your ears. The brain pan. What it contains is pretty important to your success or failure.

 

Husband now has 2 Rands since one decided it liked to freeze up at the least opportune time. I also scope out the route on my laptop using Google maps. Shippers and receivers do not always answer phones to give you directions; some companies give you directions of some sort, but perhaps you are coming from a different way on the road and they don't match. Docks are not always at the main address given, and the Google maps is easier to pinpoint where the check-in is actually at. Rand can't always find an address, Google map it and find a GPS/ longitude/latitude to put in it and most generally it will get you there. Also pay attention to areas that have a creek or stream, or any type of bridge by using Google maps; don't forget railroad tracks too; zoom in and scroll around the area to make sure if you see anything that you need to avoid. Avoid white or gray roads if possible, esp in some of the older areas in the east. It always pays to take a gander at Google maps and see what is involved in getting from Point A to Point B and then you can visualize it better as you go along.

 

I assume the 7 in the 780 means 7”?

That’s what I just came back to suggest... although my eyes might be a bit older than yours, I am really glad that I spent the extra money for the larger RM unit... it’s on my dash over an arms length away... that couple extra inches in size comes in handy!!!

{insert your own joke there}

 

You may want to buy a dash cam too.

 

This is spot on. I always look at google maps satellite image of where I’m going and it saves a lot of headaches.

 

large print I hope? its spiral bound and will lay flat.