Trucks GPS or phone app?

call and ask for directions from the nearest exit.

 

I use a garmin dezl gps/dash cam. I use it mainly for the dash cam. I rarely set an address in the gps.

I still use my trusty ‘ol laminated map. Use it all the time. I don’t about everybosy else, but my battery never craps out, i never loose signal, no problems with it sending me on non-truck roads or into low bridges. It’s there and ready to work when i ask it to work, and gone punch out and out of sight when i tell it to leave me alone. I never was able to become gps dependent.

 

I use a Rand McNally GPS and almost always have Google Maps running at the same time. GM gives up to the moment traffic alerts for free. DO NOT take suggested alternate routes suggested by GM unless you know the bypass around the traffic jam is legal for trucks!

I will be looking at getting the CoPilot app. Sometimes I do "drive away" (driving a truck from point A to point B for a customer). In that case I have relied on Google Maps and it has sometimes been "interesting".

As others have noted, ALL GPS systems return sometimes absolutely bizarre routing. You can play with parameter settings or preferences to overcome some of that. When you REALLY have to follow a precise route, then use the "Via" option. Whenever I haul oversized or over weight loads under a permit with a specific route, then I set up precise "Via" points along the route.

In either GM or Rand McNally I can touch a point on the map, like an exit ramp, and add that to the route as a "Via". You can add that point to the start or rearrange the points. As you are building the route in GM you can see the entire route miles and estimated time. You can't see that if you aren't in the build route option. Once you are underway you only have miles and estimated time of arrival to the next "Via" point. Rand McNally won't show total trip miles and time during the build.

Be aware that once you get to a "Via" point the program in ANY GPS program will calculate the rate to the next "Via" point, sometimes with unexpected results. That's why memorizing the route as you program it is so critical. That's ALSO why you should ALWAYS keep your head in reality and LOOK AT THE ###### ROAD SIGNS. There have been times GM wants me to turn left, RM wants me to turn right, but BECAUSE I KEEP MY EYES ON THE SIGNS I go straight. Let the GPS programs recalculate and catch up to you, then get a sense humor and laugh at the frailty of algorithms and the absolute dominance of the "woke" human mind.

Last night was a good example. I had to go straight north 10 miles straight north on a dirt county road to destination. Okay, it wasn't dirt, it was a mixture of mud with stretches of good gravel. My RM wanted me go west 20 miles, north 30 miles, east 20 miles, then south 20 miles. GM wanted me to go east 5 miles north 10 miles, then west 5 miles. Every time I bypassed a turn and kept heading straight north to destination they both went berzerk, returning more bizarre routes. It was entertaining.

Keep your brain in the game.

 

I still use one of those spiral bound laminated Rand McNally Trucker Atlases for day to day use. Maybe because GPS and smart phones didn't exist when I started 20 years ago. I understand the allure of just plugging something into a GPS and having it do all the work, but I also had the truck GPS through the Qualcomm system when I worked Wal*Mart Dedicated at Schneider and that thing would send you on every other cow path trying to keep you on the interstate regardless as to how direct the actual route to the next store was using State/U.S. Routes. Pretty sure I have a picture of it somewhere of it telling me basically to stop the truck and call Operations because there were no known truck routes while on the "freeway" section of U.S. 219 outside of Buffalo because the GPS didn't acknowledge it was built and according to it I was driving in the middle of a field.

I will say that do use Google Earth & Street View to verify customer directions and locations. There's something very comforting if your going into a new location and you can verify ahead of time there is in fact a nice big warehouse/manufacturing facility there, and "walking" the route in you can look for restricted routes, low clearances, examine turns, look for the truck entrance, etc.

 

If I am going to a new location AND have time, I will "predrive" the route in Google Street View. "Oh, I need to turn left just after Bubba's Barbeque and make sure I swing wide to avoid the curb". Sometimes there isn't enough time on a load to get into that level of detail. Other times Street View comes in handy is to read signs like, "Truck entrance is on 3rd Street!" That saves you the heartache of pulling into the cars only entrance.

 

I have a Garmin Dezl. I have complained when it goofed up. Sometimes it seems something gets to it. Sunspots? One time the defroster got it too hot. Moved it. Then reset it with the button on the back. Everything came back up good. All in all... I have to admit. There is an awful lot to this. There has to be lacks. Overall it does a great job. I am very happy with it.
I did pick up a CoPilot app for my phone. Haven't played with it very much. I should.
You have to depend on your own intelligence. Use road atlases. Google maps. Etc. It's your decision where you go.

 

the following must be purchased in order. Truckers large print no tear map(yes real map) sold at any truck stop. regular gps unit. $130 garmin at walmart.

 

When I was driving I used the laptop to pretrip. Looked up what the exits looked like on google earth. Checked the turns for signs saying no trucks. One of my trainers taught me to write the directions on the windshield with a grease pen (near the center of the window) and to put the last 5 turns into a pocket notepad. Usually many customers are repeats.