GPS Questions

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by chacha, Jun 13, 2018.

  1. SteveScott

    SteveScott Road Train Member

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    Having used both the Rand McNally and the Garmin, the RM does a much better job with software, and Garmin is better with hardware. I love my RM because it's simple to use and shows me everything I want to know by glancing at the screen. But the thing is built like a cheap Chinese piece of crap. I've had to replace the power cable 4 times in 3 years and it is sensitive to cold temps. The Garmin is built like a tank, but I'm not a fan of the software and what information is available at a glance. I wish I could download the RM system onto a Garmin unit.
     
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  3. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    OMG, you guys would be lost without your Nav units and trucker's atlas.

    Try delivering with a note and a folding map.
     
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  4. SteveScott

    SteveScott Road Train Member

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    While you're pulled over reading your map and notes, I'll make sure to honk and say hi. :p
     
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  5. mustang190

    mustang190 Road Train Member

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    A road atlas lets you see the big picture. Unlike a gps. The only good I have seen for a gps is in a large city.
    But if need a gps to go from Jacksonville Florida to LA you might want to change careers.
     
  6. deafaviator

    deafaviator Light Load Member

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    No thanks. Me, my truck, and my gps get along just fine. I think I’m quite happy with my career as it is.
     
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  7. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    Never had to do that, always marked the map, made a note and stuck it to the dash.

    There were no complicated places to go to, you got lost, you dealt with it, not bang on the dash and scream that the nav unit routed you down a fire trail.

    I know people who use wax pencils and wrote the notes on the lower part of the windshield. I preferred notes.

    This was back when you had to have rolls of quarters to call your dispatch or the customer back in the day when Reagan was president.
     
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  8. STexan

    STexan Road Train Member

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    Been there done that got the t-shirt. But I'm much more content and secure having a modern GPS at my immediate disposal.

    I had 2 cases both jammed full of paper city maps and a few map books stolen out of a pickup back in the day. That was hard to accept. Was a lot of money to build that "library".
     
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2018
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  9. chacha

    chacha Bobtail Member

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    Thanks for the replies. Now I'm finding out there is a nav unit in the truck, but don't know what brand/kind, etc. It wasn't a priority so I forgot to ask about it.

    I can't imagine going anywhere without an atlas lol. I think I'd have a nervous breakdown. :)

    Anyway, what I'm taking from this all is I'm most interested in an older Rand McNally one if the supplied one sucks. I know me, though, and I know I'm going to call ahead for directions. I'd like to have some kind of GPS as a sort of back up for in city, though.
     
  10. chacha

    chacha Bobtail Member

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    Ah ####, they stole the collection?? You're not kidding, that wasn't cheap to build. I stumbled onto my box of maps the other day and just smiled... all those big fold outs and books. Time consuming as hell to do things that way, but without cell phones and GPS and all this other high tech stuff... I better shut up now or I'll start talking about pay phones and 16 digit long PIN codes for phone cards that a driver could recite in their sleep. I'm feeling kinda old all the sudden. I'm starting to think I'm in for a big culture shock. :)
     
  11. chacha

    chacha Bobtail Member

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    Yup, I preferred having a clip on the dash and I'd clip my route to it. Same idea, it worked!

    You forgot about the quarters for the scales lol.
     
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