Software for trip mapping...for Mac

I've asked for this as well and not yet aware anyone has provided a basic solution (ask for "10 driving hours up the road" or "9 driving hours up the road" and have it place a pin to have an idea about where you may end up and nearby truck stops, among other basic trucker needs) It's not rocket science, but few give a dam about a handful of drivers wants/needs.

 

If you guys are just running interstate miles and are running about 60-65mph then figure 300 miles every 5 hours. It would really benefit you when you are out there if you stop for your shower and such during the mid day hours and then you can shut down wherever you are, or close by when your hours are up. Rest stop, scale house, etc... Once you guys have put in a little time behind the wheel you will know where there are good places to stop and you will know of some secret spots and such to shutdown at. Make a little notebook every where you go and whenever you find a good little restaurant, truck stop or parking place just write it down. Next time you are in that area you will know exactly where you can go.

If you are deadset on parking in a truck stop then I advise you get there before 3:30 - 4pm if you want a decent parking place and don't want to wait 2 hours for a shower. Ultimately if you can drive at night this is the best time. This way you are opposite schedule of everyone else. I drive nightshift and it is so much more relaxing, scales are closed, idiots are at home in their beds etc... There's no traffic and you can make up much better time and miles.

Its going to be frustrating at first, I feel for you, but give it sometime and things will come a little easier for you out there. Not only the driving aspect of things but trip planning, directions, logs, etc... this will all get easier as time goes. It will become second nature and believe it or not the country will actually shrink! The entire country will actually feel like your home town and everything will be familiar to you.

I do recommend you buying a truck stop guide book. This will certainly make things easier on you. If you have a smart phone I highly recommend you download the app called "My DAT Trucker Services". It shows all nearby truck stops, truck washes, rest stops, scales, fuel prices, loads and even shows you nearby walmarts. Once you click on one of the truck stops or options it instantly sends the info and opens your navigation to guide you right there. Here is the link if you want to see what its all about!

http://www.dat.com/Products-and-Services/More-Carrier-Services/My-DAT-Trucker-Services.aspx

Good luck guys, drive safe out there...

 

I use a Mac, although I wouldn't bother with that high-end a mapping solution even though I have Windows 7 running in a Parallels VM.

I use Google maps in a browser to guestimate time/miles, making sure to adjust for truck routes and not goat paths. Then zoom into an area that looks like a good place and time to stop and type "truck stop," "Walmart," or whatever into the search bar to get your options.

As chompi says, the easy spots fill up at sundown. I've had pretty decent luck until about 21:00 then it gets sketchy finding a spot. After about 04:00 the hard chargers are usually leaving and spaces start to open up. Don't overlook the little hole-in-the-wall truckstops that might be a mile or two off the beaten path. There's a lot of drivers out there that punch up NTTS listings on GPS or laptop and miss some excellent stops. Thing is, many of the small stops either haven't discovered the internet or won't pay for a listing. As long as it isn't raining, look for the ones that have a big dirt lot. Those are usually the easiest to get into since the supertruckers are too busy circling the Petro for a buffet and free shower.

 

I try to keep it simple.
I stop every 150 miles or so, or about every 2.5 hours.
Usually the first and last stop will be short 10-15 minute stops. Just enough time to get out, work out any kinks and clear my head.
The middle stop is usually 30-45 minutes so I can get something to eat.

The best software is actually wetware - your brain.

 

clear your head.

your driving down the road with nothing else to do BUT clear your head.

 

I use PC Miler to help in trip planning after I get my Rand McNally out and get an overview of my trip. I can use it to quickly change routing. PC Miler has a feature where you can plug in your mph and it will give you the estimated time to get from point a to point b. I also use Mapquest when I am trying to find a specific address. Mapquest comes close to actual mileage when you want to check door to door miles. It is best to have a daily goal as to how many miles or how far you plan to drive for the day. A coast to coast trip can take a little more planning than a trip that involves 800 miles. I still use my brain to plan. As you travel you may want to get a notebook or composition book and make notes of places where you like stopping. There is also a Truck Stop Directory you can buy at some truck stops. It will tell you something about different truck stops and the amenities, such as restaurant, parking spaces, etc.,

As with any planning, things are always subject to change due to traffic, accidents, weather or breakdowns. You always want to give yourself a little extra time to get to your destination. Things will fall into place as you settle into your job.

 

was in trucking for a long time and any kind of stopping was a bad thing. at 66 could still run 11 hours with only stopping 3 time on a off ramp,because i have to take flow max. you young guns should be able to do that easy. that way you will not have to keep track of a lot of starting and stopping. b careful out there

 

Sorry, but 'clearing your head' does not mean getting white line fever and running with it.

Get a clue.

 

No program will tell you when you need to stop for a break or to sleep. Most of us are able to figure that out for ourselves. You learn to do more than one thing when you stop. For instance, when you stop for fuel you can also pick up something to eat or drink and go to the toilet. When you stop at a rest area, you will lose at least 20 minutes of your day. The only mandated stop that is required is within the first 8 hours you must log a break. Other than that, you have 11 hours of drive time as long as you don't go past your 14 hour on duty time. You are free to stop as frequently as you wish during that time.