Testing Out Next Week

I am 8 months in and I still have days when I wonder if I can do this. Like my trainer told me use all the space you have. God bless you... you can do this.

Thanks guys.

Can’t wait till this is over. I’m stressing now over route planning for my load tomorrow. Trainer won’t let me use GPS, and my atlas is in the truck. I wanted to figure out the route ahead of time so I don’t end up on the same street out of Dunkirk that I was on with my first trainer.

I have a phone GPS program (SmartTruckRoute) that is completely bypassing downtown, which makes way more sense to me, but Im not sure I can trust it. Lol

Grumpy is thinking...

I have a phone GPS program (SmartTruckRoute) that is completely bypassing downtown, which makes way more sense to me, but Im not sure I can trust it. Lol

You can’t. Please use the look-ahead feature and check it against the Truckers Atlas. Also use Google Satellite to view the area around downtown.

Grumpy is thinking...

I have a phone GPS program (SmartTruckRoute) that is completely bypassing downtown, which makes way more sense to me, but Im not sure I can trust it. Lol

You can’t. Please use the look-ahead feature and check it against the Truckers Atlas. Also use Google Satellite to view the area around downtown.

Oh, I know. My atlas is 3 hours away though. I wanted to get it done now so I could stop stressing over it. :)

If it is a good route it makes way more sense to me than driving through downtown Dunkirk for no reason.

I’ll have to do it when we stop tonight. It would have been much easier sitting on my couch though. :)

I can’t get the local directions from the Qualcomm over the TransFlo app either, or I could check it that way too

Okay. You are a trucker now...the Atlas is a must. I’ll tell you a little story...

There are several new stores that were added to 7030’s territory. I was dispatched to one yesterday in north central PA, just south of Elmira NY (spectacular drive on I-180 by the way). It was my first time going to this store.

So the very first thing I did was check Google Satellite so I could see ingress and egress, dock location and the setup area. Second I viewed the instructions on my trip sheet for that store. Third I checked the GPS to align with the trip sheet instructions...and finally I eyeballed the Atlas. I always write the route directions on a sticky and attach it the the lower edge of the Qualcomm. The sticky note trumps the GPS every time...

As I was progressing on I-80 W, then onto I-180, the GPS had me exiting and then reentering every exit once on I-180. It also was registering a 45mph speed limit... I parked at a TS to get a coffee and I reset the QC (GPS is integrated with the QC). All was fine after the reboot.

Had I not prepped the way I did, I would have wasted time exiting and reentering I-180 at least once, possibly twice. Gotta have a backup...saved me countless times. Technology is not perfect. Especially when humans program/configure it and when holding a satellite signal in remote mountainous terrain.

Okay. You are a trucker now...the Atlas is a must. I’ll tell you a little story...

There are several new stores that were added to 7030’s territory. I was dispatched to one yesterday in north central PA, just south of Elmira NY (spectacular drive on I-180 by the way). It was my first time going to this store.

So the very first thing I did was check Google Satellite so I could see ingress and egress, dock location and the setup area. Second I viewed the instructions on my trip sheet for that store. Third I checked the GPS to align with the trip sheet instructions...and finally I eyeballed the Atlas. I always write the route directions on a sticky and attach it the the lower edge of the Qualcomm. The sticky note trumps the GPS every time...

As I was progressing on I-80 W, then onto I-180, the GPS had me exiting and then reentering every exit once on I-180. It also was registering a 45mph speed limit... I parked at a TS to get a coffee and I reset the QC (GPS is integrated with the QC). All was fine after the reboot.

Had I not prepped the way I did, I would have wasted time exiting and reentering I-180 at least once, possibly twice. Gotta have a backup...saved me countless times. Technology is not perfect. Especially when humans program/configure it and when holding a satellite signal in remote mountainous terrain.

I have not been allowed to use GPS at all, not even the one on the QC, all my navigation has been done with an atlas and local directions from the QC, with a note clipped overhead with all my turns. My current trainer has had me do all my own trip planning so far, though he would correct me if I picked a route that didn't make sense. This week, I will be on my own.

I did just find a DOT map that shows my route to be either principal arterial or minor arterial roads. Checking that against the route my first trainer took through downtown, those are also listed as minor arterial. DOT also has a list of bridge heights, and the only one shown for me is 14' or more. I also see a semi on the route in satellite view, as well as a business with semis parked outside, so I think I am good. I will double check against the atlas once I get to the truck today, but it appears to be a much easier route to get in to Purina.

Why then did you post this?

I have a phone GPS program (SmartTruckRoute) that is completely bypassing downtown, which makes way more sense to me, but Im not sure I can trust it.

I was responding to this and in reference to your Atlas being 3 hours away.

Why then did you post this?

I have a phone GPS program (SmartTruckRoute) that is completely bypassing downtown, which makes way more sense to me, but Im not sure I can trust it.

I was responding to this and in reference to your Atlas being 3 hours away.

I am at home right now. I go back to meet my trainer tonight and the load delivers tomorrow.

I have the app, but I am not allowed to use it. He would kick my butt for even using it to plan. Lol

Okay...sorry didn’t realize that.