How common is it to get lost?

At least you used common sense rather than just driving under the bridge without getting out and checking.

 

I've been lost every day of my life;which could be why I am driving a truck now..

 

REAL truckers NEVER get lost !!!

They're not "lost" til they run out of fuel..... They just "out of route".

 

I've never run out of fuel. It just got stuck in the wrong tank.

 

With Qualcomm directions, a GPS, and the deluxe Rand McNally road atlas; you should never get lost. I will sometimes make a wrong turn, but I never got lost.

BTW, I use a Garmin Nuvi 1300; which is a car GPS. I have no complaints as it usually takes me right to the door.

If you get lost looking for the shipper or reciever, then you didn't do a proper trip-plan. Worst comes to worst, you can always call the customer for directions.

 

That's not getting lost though as you still knew where you were. I've done this a few times and had to drive 15+ miles to find a spot to turn around. If you think Pittsburg is bad, try missing a turn in East St Louis and drive under 12'6" overhangs.

 

Truckers never get lost, they have adventures. When you get lost is when helicoptors and tracking dogs have to be used to find you.

My advise is get rid of the GPS. Once you realize you are on an adventure, safely pull over, set the brakes and get on the phone and/or pull out your map and consult your notes. Do not wonder around aimlessly dragging around a 53' trailer. Most likely, your customer is within a couple of blocks from where you are. If the customer is in front of you then all is good. If the customer is behind you then your only getting further away by wandering around.

I use Google Earth, map book, company directions and calling the customer. Write down your directions and make good notes BEFORE you head out. That way you can refer to your notes with a quick glance as you are driving. Following your GPS blindly will get you in trouble sooner or later.

 

i do about 15 stops a day, and everyday i get atleast one wrong address or wrong town.......how they expect us to find an address that doesnt exist is beyond me....then of course i call the shipper/recievers phone number thats on the bill and i get their corporate office 1,000 miles away

 

You ever get a PO box number for a delivery address on a BOL? And it's one of those weekend loads you pick up on a Friday night and deliver 1st thing Monday AM so there's nobody there to call until you're already late? I was SO tempted to just pull up at the post office once. Right where it said "deliver to" it had a freakin' post office box number. I'm serious. A truckload of pork combos, leaking blood everywhere too.

 

ive gotten addresses like this before

"924 W county Rd"

or

"state road 9"


ive had plenty of addresses like "342 N Washington St" that will be in a town where washington st runs east to west