:roll: guys that are afraid of technology :roll:

Nope just found it very easy to find my way around with a map...calling the shipper/receiver for directions to their facility ...And paying attention to road as to not miss signs and get lost . Only been mildly lost 2x in almost 2 yrs and both times were in the final few miles off the highway looking for the recevier/shipper ,and it only occoured because I did not call ahead for directions and just went with the ones I got from the company ...I also do not own a cell phone :shock:

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There isn’t software or a stand-alone GPS product on the market that you can safely rely on 100 percent of the time to do truck routing. However, it’s not nearly as big of an issue that it is made out to be.

I use MS Streets and Trips to do virtually all my routing and navigation, been using it for more than a year now, and only rarely do I have to check my MCRA for low overheads or to see if a particular road is restricted, and when I do it usually takes me less than a minute to do so. Not so much of a big deal as it is made out to be.

Anyway, I highly recommend MS Streets and Trips because it is super simple to use, very easy to customize, has voice commands, and has a great full screen mode with an excellent night display screen that creates absolutely no glare. Moreover, as for as I’m concerned it’s the cheapest and best solution out there.

By the way, I also recently had to go back to doing it the old fashioned manual way for two weeks when my motherboard fried in my computer. Needless to say, it wasn’t a very fun or very pleasant two weeks. I could hardly wait to get my computer fixed so I could get my navigation software back! For you guys who still haven’t tried using navigation products yet, you don’t know what you are missing or how much easier it will make your life!

Some times us older guys just gotta go with the flow or we'll be eatin dust more times then not...don't know how i got along without my cell phone before...come to think of it, didn't you write this on a computer?... :lol: :lol:

I have never bought a GPS or routing program. I doubt if I will spend the money. I will continue buying a Rand McNally. I usually call the receiver or shipper for directions if I have never delivered to them before. From what some have told me, you can get into trouble with some of these GPS programs. There aren't many routing programs designed for the trucking industry.

I have my home tower built into my truck, and I still carry my laptop with just in case something happens to the tower. I use the GPS all the time, dn't leave home without one!

I also use mapquests satalite imaging before going into a new shipper or reciever so I can see the area before I head in there.

Having internet with a phone hooked to the computer is a real asset.. but then I'm a tech junky.

you're right about trouble G'man. If a driver is not smart enough to run a book (rand mcnally) along with the GPS they will deffinetly end up in trouble.

I use delorme and I always route the run, then cross refrence the run with the map, make sure it's set up right, then run it. he purpose the GPS serves is like having someone reading the directions to you while you drive.. Like a co-pilot (no pun intended) it helps eleviate the "Oh crap I was supposed to turn there" syndrom.

Nothing wrong with the tried and true "OLD SKOOL" way of getting around. Still carry an atlas, and quite a few state atlas's to boot.

At the same time, nothing wrong with embracing technology. For someone new, it could be good and bad, good the 90% they will get to their destination without a hitch, but bad if they don't know the signals telling them maybe they shouldn't be on that route. Since using GPS my routing has been cut to nearly 5 minutes instead of 10-15... I still cross reference the atlas to make sure I'm set, if not, I'll re-adjust T&S to route me around.