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

What the company doesn't know cant hurt you lol. As long as your route isnt more miles, screw the company. i was supposed to take company routing for the first year. I said said screw it and did what i wanted. And no, I DIDN'T call them the one time i got lost since i was off company route. Some track wih GPS, but dont have the man power to actually look at all the trucks to see if they are on route. If all else fails "there was an accident closing the road the company told me to take"



Im to lazy to do full trip planning so i hit the over view button to see the whole route on my gps and visually make sure its not doing anything stupid. I fit does, i consult the atlas. I also check the beginning and the end (parts not on highway)

 

I was only OTR for about a year. The company directions were always very close to the GPS suggested route. Not enough different to make a huge difference in miles. But often the company directions were not best as they would run me into rush hour traffic, new construction, etc...

Mikeeee

 

As far as goblue's company is concerned, is does pay practical miles. But it may as well also say "off of route" instead of "out of route." If they say to take I-280 around for 10 miles, and you take I-80 thru for 6 miles, then you have gone 6 miles OOR. I think it's just stupid.

 

That's what happens when some idiot that sits behind a computer screen comes up with routes and Milages. Keep in mind the idiots that give you the route have usually never been in a truck before. And they don't know much about driving a truck. I kid you not my directions were more accurate than a GPS when I used to live in Lincoln. Couple friends had a GPS to find my house after 45 minutes of driving down every street in my neighborhood except for mine I gave the directions from exactly where they were 3 minutes later they were in my driveway.

And GPS' are HORRIBLE if you're not on a highway or interstate. I can't count the number of times I've had to take paved county roads, gravel, even straight dirt roads to get to a customer since I've started hauling cattle. Seems like every trip puts me on the gravel now days and I'm glad I'm not using a GPS. That sob would probably put me in a ditch or a field out in BFE 100 miles from the farm or feedlot. Been there and done that with a GPS on gravel. Some drivers like a GPS others don't. Me I'll keep my atlas and my pen and pad of paper. I'm sure my GPS would've been cussing at me last week. Road I delievered on clearly marked in black and white big bold letters NO THRU COMMERCIAL TRUCK TRAFFIC. Yea that's exactly why I don't have a GPS.

 

Have anybody ever use Micosoft streets and trips?

 

Your locations are not easily logged in a national database of addresses. From what I know of rural locations in Wisconsin, farm locations are listed by miles East/West and North/South of the nearest major town, not by a regular street address.

Mikeeee

 

My dad used an Opisometer when he drove back in the 70's. I wish I knew what happened to that thing. I see Amazon sells them. I wonder how they stack up against the old German ones. Anyone here still use one?

 

Google maps......

Quickest thing going.

 

why 2 GPS units? I finally have one, always figured I don't need it, still don't, but at times it has come in Handy. But never for what route I am going to take. It is STUPID, and yes it is a truck GPS by Rand McNally. Going from Kingman to Phoenix it tries to route you to Flagstaff and then down 17, when going to a customer here close to my house it does not want to take me the direct route, but send me down dirt roads.

I do believe it makes you lazy. Driving without it forces you to pay better attention. It's a tool, albeit a stupid one at times.