rand dist-o-map or clear plastic ruler on Atlas?

On your rand McNally MC atlas there are Milages in between all the highway numbers and little towns that give you distances. No need for a ruler the numbers are in black and labeled next to the highways. Add all that up while you're route planning like you should be and you get your milage. Tack on the rest of what the shipper tells you after calling for directions and you get your total milage.

 

Couldn't tell you never used the dist-o-map. Just have my motor carriers atlas. I'll put it too you this way time isn't a huge deal with me lol. My boss wanted me to take the interstate all the way across when I left belle fousche south Dakota Friday night said it was 707 miles according to him and 13 hours...I took the highway left at 6:30 P.M. MOUNTAIN TIME. I was sitting in circle ville KS at 6:30 A.M. Saturday morning CENTRAL TIME. I ran 90 down to 83 and caught hwy 2. 75 miles shorter and I smoked the 5 hours he said it was supposed to add. I've had people tell me their GPS says its going to take 5 hours to get there. I've shaved 3 hours off a GPS time taking a different route, I've cut up to 150 miles off as well. It goes into knowing routes and planning your trip. Main reason I trip plan is simply to get around scales and the inspection stations.

 

good trip planning without a gps really doesn't take that long......well, in the beginning it does but it's a skill that improves and refines over time and with repetition.....and what happens when that kick ### gps freezes and dies never to live again.....and they do, usually at the worst times. I've had 2 of them do that so far. what happens when both of those gps you're using blow the fuse for the power outlets and they both go dark? I was using 2 at one time awhile back and that happened as well.

are you getting paid mileage numbers on your load assignments? if so then they're probably hhg miles as most of us get as well.....add 10% to that number and your mileage figure will be really close as a place to start if you know your average over time mph.....I run a 63mph truck but know that my average for planning is only 57..... if you[re not getting a base number to work off of from your company, then yes, the harder but time tested way is to add the mileage figures road to road on the atlas.....or as a close alternate if you have a smartphone with mapping it will generally get close to an accurate figure either town to town or location to location if you don't want to take the time to do the routing and adding on the map to get the numbers

the other variables you cite should already be being figured into your trip planning eta estimate and not just relying on the gps to autocorrect your time as you go......30 minute breaks, allowances for bathroom or other stops such as fuel/scale ect......you should be checking enroute weather before you roll and making allowances for that as well if needed.......it doesn't really take that long and I've never used any scale/measurement tools like the one you reference.....actually never even heard of it.....additionally, over time and with time in the seat you should have a good feel for how long it will take you to get through particular metro areas based on the time of day and direction you're going.

I usually pad my eta by anywhere from 1 to 4 hours from first my initial estimate and then comparing my gps estimate..... depending on where i'm going and the time of day and 90% of the time I am within 15 minutes or less of what the gps keeps recalculating to by the time I get there.....but going on 3 years now these are things I learned, sometimes the hard way, as to what kind of allowances to make for the route/time of day/weather/geographic area i'm in. you will too as long as you pay attention to these things. sounds like you place a little too much faith in that gps to me.

luckily I work for a company that allows a little flexibility in routing and doesn't tie me to a specific route.....as long as I fuel where they say routing is pretty much at my discretion so that makes it a little easier......but having said that, spending 10-15 minutes is about all the time it should take to plan your trip most anywhere doing it 100% by hand manually. practice practice practice. time and repetition breed compentency. then turn it into a competition between you and your gps and see who gets closer to the eta and routing. you'll be surprised how many times you beat the gps once you get the hang of doing it over time. and the skills will also be honed and there for the day that gps says it's tired and doesn't feel like working today lol it will happen.

 

I looked the thing up since i'd never heard of it.....don't see where that would be an asset. all the info you need is in the atlas and why spend money on that when you've got something between your ears for free that can do the same thing with a little application and practice? just my opinion. hopefully you'll get some responses on here from people who have actually used it. i'd like to see some feedback as well from someone who actually has one....i'm always open to anything that would be a good tool to use

 

GPS's arn"t bad. You do need a trucking one, and common seance. The GPS is the most accurate way to estimate time, but your knowledge will aid it in becoming more accurate. Some guys take miles between citys listed in back of atlas and multiply times 55 mph to get an average. The gps, takes into acount time for average red lights, city speed limits etc. and can estimate better, although it may not account for rush hour and that's where your common seance comes in. never follow it blindly and if the gps tells you to go under a low bridge, dont, but if you use it sensibly it is a great tool to help you drive safe and estimate time.

 

Old guys that have been trucking 20 years know how long it takes to get places lol. Their experience helps them just know....Us newbies relay on tech to help make us not look so stupid, but we need to be smarter then the equipment we are working with. It makes us look real stupid when we drive 75 mile more because the gps told us to.

 

Yep lol and that only happened once and I realized I knew better than it did. And amazes me to no end how many times that happens and why I always plan my route and then somewhere along the way the gps gets with the program and catches up and realizes where we're going lol

sounds like from from his posts that he's given a company route to follow so he may not have that issue to deal with


id have trouble working for an outfit like that. Flexibility in choosing your route is a great thing. Many times I can and do find better ways to go than the route 'suggestion' I get from my company. Long as I don't have out of route miles they don't care.

But it it only took one 50 mile scenic detour with that gps very early on to realize it was just an expensive toy and one of many tools to be consulted.