How to learn residential routes faster. Routes are very long

All you can do is have a one hell of a local map that defines every scrap of pavement.

I assume you are given a route. Or a stack of addresses to hit each day.

You can only learn by doing. When I first came here I did not know TOO much about local streets and our gravel paths around this valley up into the ozarks. I knew some from this area running way back in the 90's just figured I never thought to make a home way over here. Life is interesting in that way.

Anyway. I joined a local cement ready mix. A few months roaming the area rebuilding after the 1999 tornado destruction, the new post office, the replacement school complex, the FEMA bunker and on and on and on helped attach me to this area locally. I can point to this house or that Post office (Actually three) that I poured concrete for. The exact plates that I poured are still good to this day minus a few cracks after 20 plus years. Im happy with the work.

One church has a bad foundation due to improper concrete made for curbing instead of foundation concrete mix and they had to dig down and replace that section under the steeple that sagged once a year until they finally poured a new replacement. How did it get there? Two jobs on one route. Several bosses told me to go this way see the job on the left and get in there. I see the big church being built rather than the tiny mobile home area being built further down the road. (Devil is in the details. You need to provide ALL information to me, not just blow me off with very simple one sentance instruction leaving me to figure it out as I go along because what I come up with sometimes is totally not the company intention. Funny how that works.)

I don't move in trucking anywhere without knowing what I am getting into. If someone last year on this forum asked about route 33 west of Harrisonburg for big rigs? You will see I did a one hell of a survey on that route for 15 miles or so into and over the summit. It's a minimum of 10% drop for miles. Essentially closed in the winter.

You have a whole google earth to tie into your addresses assigned to you. Look them up and memorize them or print out screenshots. and go dumpster hunting. Have fun. The more you work locally the faster you add to your learning of the local streets etc.

The problem with my history is that 30 to 40 years ago I take a big rig out and about back roads of say Maryland and PA. No one cared. Today you cannot do that. Not with a 53 footer. It does not matter that these are state routes that can fit the tractor trailer. Laws have gotten changed and not for the better. So if they wanna run me down and write tickets? Great. I'll pay it. I don't care. Thats what savings is for.

The other problem is economic losses and change. The areas that we lived in a long time ago are wastelands today. There isnt anything left alive conducting businesses or keeping home in some of those areas. And they become havens of dangerous predators with crime and your life potentially at risk.

I can go on but good luck and you will learn whatever local area by doing.

 

heres what we do. if you are running a rural/country route you must enter/save every cust on gps each route day and then bring it up in the saved/routes or trips and there ya go. if you are running a municipality simply get a grid map from supervisor/trainer then go into settings on gps, click travel history and each street will go blue that you have already traveled down to eliminate confusion. hope this is helpfully. and btw feel free to dm me anytime you need specific questions answered as I have 23 years experience. welcome to garbage brother.

 

Take notes in a daily planner, try to make sure every customer is happy, and you'll remember them. Worked for WMI/Los Angeles back in the end of the 80's.