DH Just starting out driving with Swift.

[dennisdamas]

Hello, love your forums!
My DH is starting his 3rd week driving on his own for Swift.
He has noticed a few problems in regards to his comforts.
1. He is unable to play the disks I burned at home for his viewing pleasure,
TV shows mostly, House MD and Bones and CSI. I burned them on a brand new Sony DVD Recorder, so the problem is probably his new Supersonic TV/DVD combo player. Does anyone know what will work?
2. He has been given directions that have resulted in his being lost several times, and from looking at your forums, Microsoft Streets etc with GPS is a good deal. What would be a good 2nd, back-up program? Also, does MS have the "voice" that will tell you where to turn and when, so he can focus on the road? Keep in mind he is not making much and we need the best for our buck. Oh - he has the large atlas, with laminated pages and is looking for something to help mostly at pick-up and drop-off destinations.
3. His truck keeps turning everything off - it is a 2004 Volvo. Is there any hope?
4. Any other advise to make his transition as a OTR driver easier for him?

Thank you so much.

[ibamars]

Hello,

I use streets and trips 2006. done me good so far. however it is not designed for truck drivers so it will take you off the national network. i get a set of directions from my company and use them as a guide to make sure i dont get lost. a friend of mine just got copilot. he says its awesome. keeps you on the network. he goes into manhattan every now and then and it keeps him on track so he doesnt get in trouble. hope that helps.

[Danisawannabe]

1. He is unable to play the disks I burned at home for his viewing pleasure,
TV shows mostly, House MD and Bones and CSI. I burned them on a brand new Sony DVD Recorder, so the problem is probably his new Supersonic TV/DVD combo player. Does anyone know what will work?

If your DVD burner is a stand alone unit that is not connected to a computer it may have software on it that prevents playing the DVD's you make on other DVD players (AKA copyright protection.).

This is what I would if I were making a DVD on my computer. Hope it helps.

Find out exactly what model combo player he has (the manual helps here).
Then if you have the manual (or if not use the manufacturers web site, this is where the exect model # is handy), see if his player can play DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R and /or DVD+RW disks. Burnable DVD disks can be purchased in all the above formats. Use what is appropriate and make sure your burner settings are correct.

Good luck
Dan

[dennisdamas]

I looked into copyright pro first. This is not an issue, the disks play everywhere but his combo. The combo unit says that it plays everything, but they lie! There is NO copyright info on the TV shows I copy for him. I use my Comcast DVR (don't know how I survived 28 years w/o it) and put it on DVD-RW disks. Yes, I did remember to finalize them, that is the 2nd thing I checked.

What do all you drivers do when you want to watch homemade DVD's? I know there are people who watch them.....I just need to know how. Thank you so much for your help.

Also, what exactly is a "lunchbox" cooker thing that I have seen people in this forum discussing? And then where would I get one for him?

Has anyone gotten the Nova foam doohickey from Costco and cut it to fit their scrawny mattress in their sleeper - does it make for a better sleep?

Thank you

[richey94]

Hi, another wife here. I can't help you with the dvd's. My husband uses Delorme GPS and the lunchbox cooker you can find by typing in Burton oven.

Here is a website (I haven't ordered through them) that has alot of 12 volt cooking accessories..

http://www.uniquelyhorse.com/categor...gory_id=184008

I also post on http://www.loads.org/phpBB2/index.php where alot of trucking wives hang out.

[Toothpick]

2. He has been given directions that have resulted in his being lost several times, and from looking at your forums, Microsoft Streets etc with GPS is a good deal.

I used to work for Swift and some of those directions are extremely convoluted as hell, but after awhile you become expert at deciphering them. However, on occasion you will still receive directions that no one can decipher, not even the ignoramus who wrote them.

MS Streets and Strips is indeed very helpful and a very good program to have, especially for final directions to and from the shipper and consignee, but I would recommend that your husband operate for six to eight months without using any programs just so he can become expert using the MCRA first.

However, if he can?t wait, MS Streets and Strips 07 is scheduled to begin shipping on October 12 via Amazon.com.

Also, does MS have the "voice" that will tell you where to turn and when, so he can focus on the road?

Yes it does but you have to use it with an FM modulator and listen to it via the radio. However, if you have a satellite radio like most of us have, you won?t want to do that. I just glance at mind from time to time and it just takes an instant to ascertain what it is you need to do.

Keep in mind he is not making much and we need the best for our buck.

If he?s still not making much money, then you could buy just the software without the GPS receiver and add the GPS receiver when your finances improve. You can get the 07 version for $35 via Amazon.com, or you can buy the 06 version for as little as $19.00 that I?ve seen it once listed for at a Wal Mart.

The software alone is a great tool to have since it contains street level mapping for every community in the US and Canada, while the MCRA only contains major highways and roads. The software will make it much easier for him to decipher those convoluted directions.

Oh - he has the large atlas, with laminated pages and is looking for something to help mostly at pick-up and drop-off destinations.

He still needs to become expert at using that large atlas. You can?t depend on the software entirely. No software or GPS system is 100 percent accurate and MS Streets and Trips isn?t even designed for truckers although it is still a very damn good and useful product. Even the Alt Copilot software that costs much more than MS Streets and Trips and is designed specifically for truckers can?t be relied upon 100 percent.

3. His truck keeps turning everything off - it is a 2004 Volvo. Is there any hope?

The 04?s were the first of that particular Volvo model to come out and were plagued by electrical problems. The 05?s, 06?s, and 07?s all progressively had much less problems.

Put it in the shop and if it keeps doing it, tell your husband to ask his DM for a better one. If his DM is resistant, tell him to ask his DM where his DM wants him to drop it. That usually takes care of the resistant part.

Really?you have to be a little insistent sometimes with those people. Hell?I got a brand new truck right out of training, but not before they attempted to stick me into an old rotgut piece of crap.

4. Any other advise to make his transition as a OTR driver easier for him?

Don?t get any preventables and never be late! Hell?you do the same thing over and over and over and over again, it doesn?t take very long before it turns into a damn easy job. Once you?ve gone up and down the roads a few times, you begin to know where all the best places to stop and best truck stops are. In time?it really gets much easier.

[jmilici]

Can't help you with the DVD and truck problems, but all he really needs as far as mapping goes is his atlas, a CB radio and some common sense. Not saying he won't get lost, but that is what drivers have relied upon for the last 100 years. The directions ANY truck driver gets is appalling. And most of the time they come directly from the shipper/receiver themselves. About 90% of the time I just get the name of the company, their address/phone number and go there. Once there I get on the CB and get local info. Nine out of ten times you will get better directions than from dispatchers, customers, mapping software, brokers etc.... Heck I don't even get directions from brokers. They wanted to send me about 55 miles out of my way to get to a place that was only about a 10 minute drive from where I was. Since then I don't even bother.

I know I will be flamed for not believing in that software, but when I do get lost it usually is my own fault for missing a turn or something stupid like that. And yes you can miss a turn by using the software.

Please do not get me wrong, the software can definitely come in handy when you are in a pinch and need some idea of where you are going(locally), but you will be going back to your atlas and checking over the routes. Also, always choose your own national route. One reason is that once you start to learn the roads, you can start to find better ways to get there, wherever there is. And you can even find some real pretty roads to drive on that will actually save you time and fuel. From this you can learn alternate routes if roads or interstates are closed down. As a side note I can use my map for this, I would prefer to actually use software then, either cross reference the route with my atlas and/or get on the radio and verify with other drivers. (I do not have a computer or satellite in my truck, but I have used navigation software and computer software to look into a few trips. Both with my big truck and my 4-wheeler).

I would also like to add the longest I have sat in traffic for was 3 hours in Chicago. And that was the best case scenario or choice for that day.

This is just an idea, maybe he should lay off the software until he can becomes good at deciphering directions, reading maps and hone his common & direction sense skills(I do not mean that as a put down). Then start using the software as a tool(a very small tool), kind of like an extension to an atlas.

Remember, when not exactly sure, get on the CB and ask and keep asking. It isn't like the old days when 20 people would jump on their to help, but you will find someone who will.

To sum it up using this software(to me) is taking alot out of truck driving. A very major part of being a truck driver is routing. I honestly have to say that starting out a trip, whether I am at point A or B or C or D or X, I always look forward to planning my trip.



As far as being a SWIFT driver, well, I can't help with that.



(I had to)
:wink:



I needed to edit this again to add this little blurb.

Always strive to be more than just a "Professional steering wheel holder".

[ibamars]

i have to reply to the person who posted last.

first off dont get offended.

i totally disagree with what you said in regards to mapping software. in todays world, technology has come along way. their are tools out there that are designed to help us out. such as mapping software and other technological things. to tell someone who has never traveled before that mapping software would not benefit him is just ridiculous.(thats how i interpreted ur post)

yes it has taken some of the work out of TRUCKDRIVING. however i feel more comfortable knowing that i have some kind of map talking to me and telling me where to go, now, that doesnt mean i dont look in the atlas for low clearances and restricted routes. however, i reroute my self around those on my software.

ever drove in NYC with no map. goodluck. it saved my ass a few times. the big atlass will not give you street directions for stuff like that. anyways we all have our own way of doing things. ur way works keep doing it that way. however why would u scream on the CB "break 19 for some local info" for a road when u r the DRIVER. it should be our responsibility to figure it out before we go in somewhere. anyways jut my 2cents. sorry to steal the post like this. and again no disrespect to the last poster.

if you can buy the software buy it. streets and trips is good, delorme is better from what i hear, but if you want trucking software buy the copilot (that is 350 bucks)

best of luck

[Adam9315]

What does DH stand for?

[bigtimba]

. . mind? Wait . . if you are in an extremely remote area and you see one other truck and can be reasonably sure there isn't another truck within 25 miles, go ahead and try the CB. If the other driver talks to Swift drivers, has his on and he knows the directions and he/she speaks in a language/dialect you can understand then you might be in luck. If there is more than one truck within the prescribed area, you will get at least two ironclad opinions of where it might be and a few (oft corrected) suggestions of how best to get there. Then, the drivers competing to provide the best directions will get into a fight over the radio which puts you back at square one so you might as well guess, anyway. Not to mention that, as a Swift driver, you're generally better off not listening to the CB . . .

Go for the DeLorme (my preference) or Microsoft with the GPS, use it in concert with the atlas and the company provided fuel route and directions to shipper/consignee and you'll be fine. Either program will give you the ability to see the bigger picture and to identify landmarks, etc. to keep you on course and minimize over shots . . and when you overshoot, anyway, it's the best thing imaginable to get you back on course.

[dennisdamas]

Hi. DH stands for Dear Husband. I am just the wife who stays at home. My wonderful husband is out there OTR, and enjoying (NOT) the (lack) of comforts of home while driving around our beautiful Country. My those bathrooms at the truck stops are appalling!! He sent me some pics - gave me the heebie dajeebies. My hat is off to all you intrepid women drivers! I would faint if I had to put up with some of those showers and stalls out there!

[yoopr]

Buy a Truckers Road Atlas

[lifespalette]

Believe it or not.........drivers functioned very well long before any mapping software, lap tops or GPS. If you're husband is just starting out with Swift, I know from personal experience, the income is somewhat restrained at this point.......if you have a family at home and no second income, I would imagine it barely covers the needs for the month let alone the luxury items for you husband on the road.

With that said, take it in small steps, buy those things that will save him money on the road, a cooker, a refrigerator......those type of things will save money in the long run..........once the money gets better then you can start adding the luxury items that makes life a little easier on the road.

I don't care what the program is or where the directions come from.......he needs to confirm everything........... and the best way I found to confirm my directions was from the destination source. Get a good cell phone with a nation wide calling coverage.......stay away from the cheap pay as you go phones........call the consignee when he gets close to his destination.......don't get directions from the receptionist.......ask to be connected to the shipping manager. Get your directions from there. If you know you're going to get into the city after hours, call when you know someone is going to be there....confirm your directions.

Technology is wonderful when it's kept in perspective. However, there is no application out there that is fool proof. Trust me.......having managed some development projects for programming........there is nothing that doesn't have bugs in it and those were small programs. One can only imagine what larger projects endure. Many applications are released with known bugs just get to feed back from users before patches are developed.

If he gets to dependent on the mapping software.......what's he going to do when he can't get the GPS signal?..................better to know how to do your planning and routing the old fashion way first.........then enhance it with technology.................

[MrCoffee]

get dvd-r disks players will not read dvd-rw disks.

[uglymutt]

Hello, love your forums!
My DH is starting his 3rd week driving on his own for Swift.
He has noticed a few problems in regards to his comforts.
1. He is unable to play the disks I burned at home for his viewing pleasure,
TV shows mostly, House MD and Bones and CSI. I burned them on a brand new Sony DVD Recorder, so the problem is probably his new Supersonic TV/DVD combo player. Does anyone know what will work?
2. He has been given directions that have resulted in his being lost several times, and from looking at your forums, Microsoft Streets etc with GPS is a good deal. What would be a good 2nd, back-up program? Also, does MS have the "voice" that will tell you where to turn and when, so he can focus on the road? Keep in mind he is not making much and we need the best for our buck. Oh - he has the large atlas, with laminated pages and is looking for something to help mostly at pick-up and drop-off destinations.
3. His truck keeps turning everything off - it is a 2004 Volvo. Is there any hope?
4. Any other advise to make his transition as a OTR driver easier for him?

Thank you so much.

1) dvd hmmm what yer burnin at home ???? ohhh tv, I would say its the disc and maybe the format, several formats for dvd and its a mess, do they play at home if so then its not the format for the other tv/dvd some require a special DVD disc, like record once, has to do with the color or something of the laser that reads, get online about dvd burnin and you will get it all.....

2)Streets and trips, GOOD, some use Delorme, I know several truckies and they ALL USE tomtom, Spendy but they claim it never fails and its small and mounts on the dash....

3) did you say VOLVO, thats the problem... simple to fix, get another truck , anything else like a 72 peterbuilt with 6 million miles would be better...

4) yes this is simple to answer, what does every man want, well most men, if your in the truck well their you go, he will be happy, hun give me a soda, hun can you grab the map, hun can you go do the laundry, hun time for #$#%^^&......

[jmilici]

ibamars, no offense taken. But I stand by what I said. As a rookie he needs to learn to navigate on his own. lifespalette hit the nail right on the head. What he said is basically what my original reply was going to be until I read his. I do need to add though that I worked in computers for about 10 years before I started trucking. The one thing that I learned about PCs and Microsoft based software is like lifespalette said, bugs are built into the system. They do this for the reason he said and so people are forced to upgrade and spend more money. They already know how to make the perfect system. But why make the perfect system that people only need to buy once every 5 years or so than a less than perfect system that they will need to put money into or buy a new one every year or two. The answer is money. The computer I am running on was bought in 2000. Then upgraded(by myself) in 2004. I do not run anti-virus software and half the times I have my firewall off. The last virus I have had was back in 2002 and I got that because my wife opened a bad e-mail.

But back to the point, I do not nor will I ever trust commercial computers with storing my files let alone to tell me where to turn. A perfect example is what happened this week with a fellow company driver. He is a rookie, I think been driving about 2 months. He has the software and goodies and was driving through Newark NJ. He was following the directions from the computer when he came upon an overpass. And lo-and-behold he got stuck. From what I heard he really messed up the trailer too. Yes he should of crossed referenced with the atlas, but what he should of really done is actually pre-planned his trip without the computer. He should have not been a rookie and relied upon a computer to tell him where to go. If you learn to play an instrument do you learn how to play Beethoven's fifth first or do you start with the basics. The same goes with trucking.

The following quote from lifespalette sums it up perfectly:

If he gets to dependent on the mapping software.......what's he going to do when he can't get the GPS signal?..................better to know how to do your planning and routing the old fashion way first.........then enhance it with technology.................

And yes I have driven in NYC. I was born and raised on Long Island. Moved out at 22. I have driven into the city many times and taken the LIRR in many times. All you need to do is get a local map. The city is not hard at all once you see the logic in the way it was laid out. The problem with the city is the way the people drive and the size of the streets themselves. The city was not designed for a big truck with a 53' trailer and a tractor with a big ol' sleeper on it.

Another question to think about is this.

Would you get on a 2 week cruise knowing that the captain of the boat only knew how to navigate by computer? Wouldn't you feel better knowing that if the computer failed he would still know how to navigate you back to shore? I know I would.

The same goes for trucking.

[dennisdamas]

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. We so appreciate it, and you are so very kind.

Cher Damas &
DH Dennis Damas