Trip Planning

It's not hard to read a map!
Get the Trucker's Atlas, the legal roads for trucks are marked in orange. Stick to those basically.
You also need to check for bridge height,tunnels, etc.
Top of the page is North.
If you use a big folding map, just turn the map in the direction you are going, that'll help you keep you rights and lefts in order, so you get your N,E,S, and W going the right direction.

GPS is ok, but doesn't help much in some areas. Visiting a friend in Big Bend, Texas, the GPS was off by 35 miles.
And it won't tell you the BEST way, only the 1. shortest or 2. Quickest.
Shortest could be off road. Quickest could be thru some major construction/metropolitan areas.
A map is simply a graphic piccy of the roads. No biggie.

Use a printed map, google or mapquest and the GPS all together.
If you have a laptop, you could also use MSFT's Streets and Trips. You can enlarge the maps, see what's there (sometimes) and add your own stops and notes and save them.

good luck,
Mary

 

And I keep my GPS that way as well to keep me oriented. It helps, especially at night, daytime you have the sun to keep your bearings on the twisty turning roads...

Mikeeee

 

satellites can be taken out by solar flares. that wont affect the truck itself, it'll just be like that one tv ad where the older couples GPS goes berserk.

 

This is what I do as well Palazon. I can use Google maps, which usually match what the company sends, to check the roads leading up to the customer and also the situation. You can see if they have onsite parking, which drive to enter in, the dock situation, and on the local roads, if there are trucks in the pic then it is usually a good bet you can go that way. BUT I also check the atlas too, if I am not familiar with the routes, like back roads. I can see which town is near a junction to make sure I know when to be aware of a turn, because satalite signals fail! My motto...Never rely on aGPS, use it only as a guide.

 

I use my GPS, but then, I use the road atlas to fine tune the route. Another tool I use is the little state maps in the truck stop directory. The trucks top directory will show the main truck routes. My big concern is fuel. There are some routes, truck routes, that do not have a lot of places to fuel. The last thing you want to worry about while driving through some endless two lane is fuel.

 

my routing.

Plug address into the TRUCKING GPS while its calculating break out the atlas and determine what I think the best way to go is. Compare it with GPS usually pretty close. But some roads I know are faster and some areas I know to avoid. Then after I attempt to make the #### GPS go the way I want it to go I give up and go the way I know. before I get to shipper or receiver, I'll pull them up on google maps and check out the street layout and exits i need to take, usually Ill do this while calling for directions. I keep a notepad on my dash where I can write down for quick view anything that may not be straight forward. then Ill look at the satellite imagery of the place to see exactly whats going on there. Another good tool is the app from ALL Ways truck and travel, will show any low clearance locations in the area. You can use this for map and satellite too but take awhile to load so i just use google maps for that.
And After All That I STILL make wrong turns occasionally. It happens.
make sure you have an image in your mind of where your going before you go.
Know the Numbers of the roads in your head before you start going through a city with lots of intersecting highways.
try to know ahead of time of LEFT exits.
Know your exit numbers or have them written down.
If you screw up and miss a turn dont get excited. If your on the interstate just flip a Uey at the next interchange. If your downtown safely pull over and try to figure out best recourse.
If you use a truck GPS and it has the feature ( i think most do) when your approaching destination, change the location from, well, location to next upcoming road.
I bought a map wheel. relatively cheap easy to use. On the big map if it looks like two routes are about the same break it out and find out. or keep a piece of string around. lay it out over the planned route then measure it.
use the CB. Do this when your in the area. Don't ask for directions to somewhere in Boston while your still in Atlanta.
All of this is helpful.
Know before you go.

Good luck out there.

 

Hadn't thot of that, but yeah, my gps is always north, even if I'm looking at a paper map and turning it around... and around... and around...<LOL>
I love maping out trips on Streets and Trips, especially bike trips! Click on the cost, put in the 45mpg ,figure camping, couchsurfing or staying with friends... I'm all set! Now all I need is gas and food money... and warmer weather!
Take care
Mary

 

I call the customer, get directions. get out map, check said directions and go.

99% of the time they is correct.

don't have GPS in truck ,laptop or a smart(###) phone.

 

Make sure you aren't using your GPS to trip plan. That would be highly irresponsible as a professional driver and you could end up seriously hurting or killing someone in doing so! Get yourself a "Motor Carriers Road Atlas". This is the bible for professional drivers! It will tell you everything you need to know. Use this and start practicing your trip plans by just making up mock loads. Just for instance tell yourself you a load that picks up in Anaheim, Ca at 13:30 January 10 and it delivers in Boston, Ma on January 16 at 03:00.

Things to keep in mind when trip planning: All times are in the local time zone of the customer, so your CA pickup is going to be on pacific time. Your delivery in MA is going to be eastern time. Also the clock runs 24hrs so 03:00 is 3 in the morning and 13:30 is afternoon. Be sure to check every single road for restrictions and low bridges and such! This is why you do not use a GPS for trip planning! Also pay attention to what roads are tolls and also which way your company prefers you go. You may want to plan your route according to the weather also. Other things to include in your trip plan, scale, showers, meals (you may want to buy some food ahead of time so you can cruise on through without stopping to eat all the time) traffic (try to plan ahead for traffic so that you aren't burning up valuable log time).

Give it a shot. The more you practice the easier and quicker you will be able to trip plan.

 

Once you get qualified,it's a good idea to keep an atlas in your trk.Don't count on the gps for help.They'll send you on no trk routes.Plus you should compare their route with the ole fashion and more sinceable way,THE ATLAS.