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OK. Very informative info here. Let's get down to details. Which GPS do you recommend? Rand McNally TND?
-Traffic Jam

 

I use pc miler navigator myself.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

our qualcomm has gps built in so I use it mostly, also have the rand mcnally atlas but it doesnt help when your in some cities and towns. I use my phone and Google maps to bring up satellite view of the place im going to, sometimes the address might be on one street but the truck entrance is on a totally different street. I also learned to check the gps with the BOL address, sometimes my company will dispatch me to the wrong address, or sometimes it will tell me go right when the place is on the left....
just have to spend a little preplan time to be safe, there are times I am short on time and just hope it gets me there without a problem.

Also was a time I was in oregon and my quallcom lost signal and I got lost until i got signal again, one of the times I didnt preplan the trip. Eventually I will get me a trucker GPS too for backup, always remember your eyes will do better though, always look ahead for the clearances of over passes, watch for those signs that tell you no trucks on certain streets, in some places you will find truck routes posted too so try and follow those.

 

Road atlas and common sense and directions from shipper/consignee is all that's needed my road atlas has never steered me wrong

 

actually. the road atlas isn't as powerful a tool as you all say it is.

it can't only do one thing. and that's get you to your destination. (town). it does absolutely nothing when you get into town.

like abn75. i have pc miler. my phone has copilot which is the same company. i've only had to call twice for directions so far. one was the company moved to a brand new street not even in the system yet. and the other was just flat wrong. even google said it was the correct address but was nowhere near the correct address.

i wouldn't buy rand. there's just way to many issues with it. some people have no problems dealing with those issues. some just have no concept and some just don't care.

those that do care and don't want to deal with the issues. use other brands.


calling for directions though. me no speak spanish.

 

Had a big piece of farm equipment on a lowboy heading for Rayville,La. Oversized. State routed me down US65 south to I20 west to US425 north to US80 east. Pretty simple, right?

I called the receiver and told him who I was and what I was bringing, got the receiving hours from him and then asked for directions. He asked,"Do you have a lowboy? I bet Louisiana routed you up 425. Do not take 425! Every week some lowboy comes across there and get hung up on the railroad tracks. 2 weeks ago, one to hung up on the tracks and they couldn't get the train stopped in time. Lost a brand new harvester. Take exit xxxxx and then go west on 80"

I came down south on US65 like I was supposed to. Right on the other side of US80 was the railroad track. Scraped it. Okay, not so bad... . I got off at the exit the receiver told me and went north. There was that railroad track again and a stop sign on the other side. Here, the railroad track looked like a small levee. It was at leasta 3 ft drop. Geeez! I waited until traffic cleared and gunned it. Dragged the trailer all over that track but avoided getting high centered. Went west on 80 and saw the place. Got unloaded. I told the receiver about feeling like Evil Knievel of the oversized crowd, he laughed and told me that was worlds better than trying to cross at 425.

Being curious, I went to 425. It looked like there was a 5 ft drop on both sides of the railroad track. Wow...and the state continually routes us that way.

I don't use a trucker GPS. I don't like them because they just show the truck specific stuff and I want them to show everything. I ran two GPS' for a bit...trucker GPS against my old tried and tested Garmin nuvi 680. The trucker GPS kept going off, warning me about garbage. I know what the speed limit is, I read ALL road signs when I drive. I finally unplugged it, put it back in the box and gave it to my mom. She likes the big screen. I guess that's what happens when they try to stupid proof a GPS. You will never hear a real driver tell a cop that the GPS told him to turn in that cornfield.

 

Oh yes those days are the best. Had that happen north of garden city. Called the place which way are you heading south. Uh that highway runs east and west. Ma'am does the sun rise in the east and set in the west in Kansas? Yes the sun is on my left it is 7am I'm facing south at the junction of road 21. Oh I know where you are there's an elevator 2 miles down the road turn around there come back and turn LEFT on road 19 were 2 miles down the road on your right. okay thanks be there in 15 minutes. 45 minutes later I rolled in hotter than black top in the Texas heat. Left should've been right. And backing through an intersection on a gravel road because there is NO PLACE to turn a truck around down there is NOT FUN! And what did I get when I walked in? What took you so long. Were you the one that told me to turn around at the elevator and turn LEFT?!?! yea it should have been a right! Sir no it was a left you should have taken. I looked at the pen in her hand and said ma'am what hand do you write with. She said my right I handed her my bill and had her sign it, watched her hand, took a stickey note and said which pit am I supposed to dump on she said 2 i said okay wrote down 2 (I'm left handed) she looked and said hey you're right handed too. I realized why I got wrong directions at that point in time. As mad as I was when I showed up I couldn't help laugh. Sometimes you wonder. Got me thinking maybe she didn't know which way that highway actually ran hahaha.

So they want their freight or want you to get their crap off their dock but don't want to give you directions? Oh yea that's real good.

 

Several things you have to remember about gps's:
1) it's a computer, it doesn't "think" the way a brain does.
2) the information in them needs updateing and still might be wrong.
3) just because it doesn't tell you it's not a truck route, doesn't mean it's a good road for a truck ( well maybe 4x4 pickup)
4)if you don't change the settings to your preference, your going to listen to someone elses. ( ex my husband likes to know weigh stations are 5miles out, gives him a better chance of getting over. But like the poster above, he can read the speed limit sign, we turned that off)
5) the signals in a gps can get scewered, same as a cell phone looses signal. Alot of times that means it, thinks you are somewhere else. Usually a couple yards left or right. Ours had us in England once, not New England, England.
6) it's a tool and needs to be used corectly. Think of it like when your Mother asked "if jimmy jumped off the bridge, would you?" It isn't "Simon Says". Think first.

 

you can use a truck gps but don't count on it 100% if you do you will get in trouble i get a lot of bad memories with my rand mcnally and always keep your heads up and eyes moving when you are watching here is what to look for signs says no truck, weight limit, ridge height, and all kinda stuff. I got a friend from ny he moved to chicago and he is doing intermodal out in chicago for cregland he like it and he only use his cell phone gps i told him about it he told me he can't afford a 400$ gps but i wouldn't be surprised when he get in trouble.