Trying To Get Into Queens.

Well, I made it out of New York City and New Jersey. I made it off the New Jersey Turnpike, and now I am in Jessup, Maryland. I shut it down early. The receiver in Queens really took there time getting me unloaded. I was hoping to make it to Virginia, by nightfall.

Well, I should get to my destination sometime this afternoon.

Dave

I know New York is trying to mandate GPS for all trucks going into the 5 Boroughs(inner city).

But I the problem is not the GPS units. Its the people using them. If you blindly follow the GPS then that is a problem. Its a tool to use along with a paper map AND YOUR EYES. No matter what the GPS says if a road looks to narrow don't go down it. If it looks like residential don't go down it. GPS is an awesome tool as long as you use it like its supposed to be used...in combination with other stuff like maps AND COMMON SENSE.

I totally agree with Guyjax - GPS is an awesome tool - the best available in my opinion - but it's not perfect. You have to combine it with other tools and some common sense.

Not allowing drivers to use their own GPS system and then charging you to use theirs should be borderline criminal. That is an awesome example of people making decisions that have no experience driving trucks. Nobody that has ever driven a truck would ever tell another driver they can't use GPS. And then to actually outlaw GPS systems and force your own employees to pay you to use theirs?

Gee, I wonder why there's 100% turnover in the trucking industry? I can't even continue on with this thought stream without it getting out of hand. Suffice to say, this kind of stuff is infuriating to me.

Totally agree with Brett and Guyjax.

My Rand McNally is infinitely better than my qualcomms GPS. The qualcomms GPS isn't even good at all. I had to use it once because I was updating my Rand McNally and I would honestly rather not use it even if my Rand McNally was down. And to charge you to use a feature that comes with the Qualcomm unit?! That's like buying an iPod Classic and being charged monthly to watch movies on it, it's an added feature to the device after all and it comes with it.

I don't like to say "company X is worse than company Z". But I will surely never work for those companies.

I don't like to say "company X is worse than company Z". But I will surely never work for those companies

I agree wholeheartedly. I wouldn't say those are "bad companies", but the people making the decisions right now clearly do not understand the implications of their decisions, nor do they seem to have the driver's best interest at heart.

You don't take away the best tool a driver has in their toolbox because the improper use of it may lead to problems. You train people in the proper use of the tool. It's naive to think that eliminating the GPS units from the trucks is going to lead to hitting fewer bridges. Clearly not a decision made by anyone who has ever driven a truck for a living or has much sense period.

Part of it is the lawyers. But here is another problem. The route solution that they give you sometimes does NOT make any sense. At least it doesn't when looking at the map. Then again, I sometimes wonder if I had taken the route given me whether or NOT I would be closer to my destination. I am taking my 30 minute break right now.

Dave

I totally agree with Guyjax - GPS is an awesome tool - the best available in my opinion - but it's not perfect. You have to combine it with other tools and some common sense.

Not allowing drivers to use their own GPS system and then charging you to use theirs should be borderline criminal. That is an awesome example of people making decisions that have no experience driving trucks. Nobody that has ever driven a truck would ever tell another driver they can't use GPS. And then to actually outlaw GPS systems and force your own employees to pay you to use theirs?

Gee, I wonder why there's 100% turnover in the trucking industry? I can't even continue on with this thought stream without it getting out of hand. Suffice to say, this kind of stuff is infuriating to me.

I have seriously been thinking of becoming a driver. How can I find out (before I join a company) if a company will allow the driver to use their own GPS. I wouldn't want to work for a company that doesn't.

I totally agree with Guyjax - GPS is an awesome tool - the best available in my opinion - but it's not perfect. You have to combine it with other tools and some common sense.

Not allowing drivers to use their own GPS system and then charging you to use theirs should be borderline criminal. That is an awesome example of people making decisions that have no experience driving trucks. Nobody that has ever driven a truck would ever tell another driver they can't use GPS. And then to actually outlaw GPS systems and force your own employees to pay you to use theirs?

Gee, I wonder why there's 100% turnover in the trucking industry? I can't even continue on with this thought stream without it getting out of hand. Suffice to say, this kind of stuff is infuriating to me.

I have seriously been thinking of becoming a driver. How can I find out (before I join a company) if a company will allow the driver to use their own GPS. I wouldn't want to work for a company that doesn't.

Very few companies do not allow them. Just about every major carrier allows them so I wouldn't worry too much. You can always ask a recruiter or one of the companies drivers.