GPS or Route Planning Apps

I suggest getting your trainer to show you how to properly use an atlas, then get one of those and then any GPS will suffice because you will only be using it as a rough guide. If your trainer can't properly use an atlas, I suggest getting a new trainer.

 

Apparently the newer Garmin Dezl's let you adjust the route by dragging it.

 

We all used to plan the whole trip using an Atlas. I always wrote myself notes. Stuck them on the dash or doghouse when in a cabover. And used those notes to get through everywhere. Also Technology is nice, but never seen a trip where a Atlas left me stranded. And no way to get back out. We have signal most times these days. But we can and have lost that signal. And without a Atlas your goose is cooked.
Plus if you know how to use an Atlas. You would know how to use it and not have to look at it to find lanes.
Pete

 

Yea that is true. Atlas will never put you down. I need to go back to looking at an Atlas.

 

I'm not saying you don't, but most people do not. There is more to it than reading a map and a lot of people do not realize that. If you know the ins and outs of the Motor Carriers Atlas, then good, you're way ahead of everyone else in training. If not, then you need to be. GPS lane suggestions are not always right, and the GPS is programmed by humans, none of which are infallible. Any GPS will be wrong from time to time, which is why you use it as an additional tool. I didn't say not to have one, but rather to use it as a rough guide. It's beneficial, but it can and it WILL get you into trouble more often than not if you follow it blindly. That goes for the company given routing as well

 

GPS lets me know how far I have to go and when a turn is coming. My eyes and brain do the rest.

It's a great tool but to rely on it for what lane to be in, what the speed limit is or other such things is silly IMO.

 

Your brain and being able to make smart decisions on the fly is the best tool you can ever have in the event of unexpected detours or missed turns. Having a good trucker GPS is invaluable, to help validate your decision-making process, but ultimately, you have to rely on your gut instincts first, then allow the GPS to help maybe polish up the details.

You can not plan for every potential thing that can go wrong, so don't focus too much on that. Develop a plan you feel confident in, and focus on not making mistakes and you'll be far ahead of the game. But when the pooch gets screwed, you need a blend of smart devices like a good GPS, and a "brain that works good". Hopefully, between the two, you'll make it through the situation unscathed and without losing too much time.

Speaking of time - time is one thing you need to always place a high value on when dealing with appointments and HOS limits. And usually, time is the one thing you can control to both the plus and the negative, depending on your work ethic. Don't make your job any harder by wasting unnecessary time stopped in truck stops. Plan for early arrival, then add another 20 minutes for good measure. When you're worried about the clock and you hit a snag, some can be prone to making "rushed mistakes"

 

An atlas is only good for the overall picture, but it is totally useless for the finer details.
That is where the GPS comes in.

And sure, a GPS can route you strangely and sometimes give a wrong turn. But a good truck GPS is right in most cases.

An atlas can not show you through city streets, or reroute you if you miss a turn. You would need a city map for that, and be able to read it as you are driving to be able to see what a GPS shows you.
The GPS maps are good, if not always the instructions it gives.

You still have to be aware of your surroundings in either case.
But having city/street level maps on the GPS is an invaluable tool that should not be shunned.

I trust my GPS - to a certain extent.
The maps on my RM GPS are pretty much the same as those in the RM atlas which we all use. But they are more extensive when it comes to the city/street level.
I still have to watch for signs on streets for clearances or restrictions that the RM might not have included, or turns that I simply can't make with a long trailer - but that is part of my job. Right?