GPS and Mapping software
- Thread starter captmike
- Start date
http://www.alk.com/pcmiler/
http://www.hammerlane.com/
http://www.trkrhelp.net/
Check out these sites;-)
http://www.hammerlane.com/
http://www.trkrhelp.net/
Check out these sites;-)
Freightman
Expert Expediter
I have delorme and I love it, all the mapping data is on one cd and you can download that onto your harddrive as well like I have as well as online updates. I can find most of the addresses that I need. The gps unit lasts about a year. You also can do searches for banks,fuel stations,wal-marts,etc.....
I like streets and trips been useing it for a few yrs now,it has a gps antenna also, a friend of mine just got a garmin 2720 and he loves it it will let you choose car, ot bus or truck to give you routing, not show and i looked online little to see if youchoos truck or bus if it will show low bridges? still looking at that, and he hasnt told me anything else about that part yet, i just showed him how to change it from car to bus. good luck be safe
Streakn1
Veteran Expediter
We have used the Microsoft, Rand McNally, and DeLorme software. None of these provide truck routes (low clearances,restricted routes, etc).Flying J Travel Plazas sell a program that does for about $350. We like our DeLorme the a best, and you can buy it at Staples for about $85. The GPS that goes with it is great. We"ve been using Delorme for the past three years without any problems. I think a lot has to do with ones preference. Good Luck!
The Gibster
Expert Expediter
CaptMike, when you figure this one out please, please post your results. There has been many posts of late that discuss different GPS units, and after all of them I'm still scatching my head! Check the archives.
I got a Cobra 1000DLS handheld for christmas to use on our acreage, with intents of using it on the dash of the truck. WRONG. The mapping is per trip - not stored.
And after going thru 3 compasses, all being eaten up by cab electrical interference, i'm really really skeptical of those dash mounted little 'bulb' antennas. And I don't think it'll get a satellite image thru my sunvisor!
I don't mind spending money for good technology, but hate spending hundreds for something that frustrates me. Anyone try that new Cobra unit for about $1100? Great if it works, suicide if it doesn't.
Please post your findings CaptMike. There's a bunch of us waiting for something that really works!
Thanks
The Gibster
I got a Cobra 1000DLS handheld for christmas to use on our acreage, with intents of using it on the dash of the truck. WRONG. The mapping is per trip - not stored.
And after going thru 3 compasses, all being eaten up by cab electrical interference, i'm really really skeptical of those dash mounted little 'bulb' antennas. And I don't think it'll get a satellite image thru my sunvisor!
I don't mind spending money for good technology, but hate spending hundreds for something that frustrates me. Anyone try that new Cobra unit for about $1100? Great if it works, suicide if it doesn't.
Please post your findings CaptMike. There's a bunch of us waiting for something that really works!
Thanks
The Gibster
TeamDrivers2
Expert Expediter
>And after going thru 3 compasses, all being eaten up by cab
>electrical interference, i'm really really skeptical of
>those dash mounted little 'bulb' antennas. And I don't think
>it'll get a satellite image thru my sunvisor!
Adress'ing the issue of placement of the USB GPS antenna. Or, the placement of an auxiliary GPS antenna which plugs into some of the all-n-one units.
Since the majority of all our cabs/sleepers are constructed of fiberglass, that works well with GPS antennas. Simply VELCRO the antenna **facing up** unit under-neath the headliner of your cab/sleeper and route the extension cable to your laptop or all-n-one unit. In the case of my FL Columbia, i've simply velcro'd the GPS antenna under-neath the condo area directly above the shelf located above my head. I then ran the cable down the windshields pillar to my laptop. I get GREAT sky visability and sync's in seconds. PLUS, you dont have the mess of additional cables draped across the dashboard.
I use the USB antenna that shipped with the DeLorme street atlas and it works 100% perfectly with both MS Streets&Trips 2006 and my ALK CoPilot Laptop 4.
>electrical interference, i'm really really skeptical of
>those dash mounted little 'bulb' antennas. And I don't think
>it'll get a satellite image thru my sunvisor!
Adress'ing the issue of placement of the USB GPS antenna. Or, the placement of an auxiliary GPS antenna which plugs into some of the all-n-one units.
Since the majority of all our cabs/sleepers are constructed of fiberglass, that works well with GPS antennas. Simply VELCRO the antenna **facing up** unit under-neath the headliner of your cab/sleeper and route the extension cable to your laptop or all-n-one unit. In the case of my FL Columbia, i've simply velcro'd the GPS antenna under-neath the condo area directly above the shelf located above my head. I then ran the cable down the windshields pillar to my laptop. I get GREAT sky visability and sync's in seconds. PLUS, you dont have the mess of additional cables draped across the dashboard.
I use the USB antenna that shipped with the DeLorme street atlas and it works 100% perfectly with both MS Streets&Trips 2006 and my ALK CoPilot Laptop 4.
sixwheeler
Expert Expediter
If you re going to spend a fairly large sum of cash on a software program why not consider just getting a decent gps unit?
For instance my laptop cost about a grand, and to me thats a lot of money to have bouncing around when driving. WE use a magellan 700 and it works incredibly well. The full pop retail on these things is about 800 bucks,but one can be purchased new in the box off of ebay for about half that. The magellan has all roads in north america and if you do happen to miss a turn,will reroute itself. To boot the unit has a very attractive sounding female voice that guides you there, turn by turn, exit by exit, and she never gets moody about anything.
For instance my laptop cost about a grand, and to me thats a lot of money to have bouncing around when driving. WE use a magellan 700 and it works incredibly well. The full pop retail on these things is about 800 bucks,but one can be purchased new in the box off of ebay for about half that. The magellan has all roads in north america and if you do happen to miss a turn,will reroute itself. To boot the unit has a very attractive sounding female voice that guides you there, turn by turn, exit by exit, and she never gets moody about anything.
TeamDrivers2
Expert Expediter
>If you re going to spend a fairly large sum of cash on a
>software program why not consider just getting a decent gps
>unit?
Professional drivers gonna need alot more than some 4Wheeler unit.
1. Hazmat re-routing
2. 53' re-routing
3. Low clearance re-routing
I'm very much concerned with #1 & #3
$299.00 [CoPilot] is an extremly small sum of money to invest, considering the results of getting caught up violating any of the above.
>software program why not consider just getting a decent gps
>unit?
Professional drivers gonna need alot more than some 4Wheeler unit.
1. Hazmat re-routing
2. 53' re-routing
3. Low clearance re-routing
I'm very much concerned with #1 & #3
$299.00 [CoPilot] is an extremly small sum of money to invest, considering the results of getting caught up violating any of the above.
sixwheeler
Expert Expediter
"Professional drivers gonna need alot more than some 4Wheeler
unit.
1. Hazmat re-routing
2. 53' re-routing
3. Low clearance re-routing
I'm very much concerned with #1 & #3
$299.00 is an extremly small sum of money to invest, considering the results of getting caught up violating any of the above."
Hey if you see a sign that says low clearance or are hauling hazmat and are restricted because of it somewhere of course you d want to go around. If you do find yourself in such a situation the magellan will reroute you.
Maybe thats not good enough for a genuine perfessional driver but its darn sure good enough for me.
unit.
1. Hazmat re-routing
2. 53' re-routing
3. Low clearance re-routing
I'm very much concerned with #1 & #3
$299.00 is an extremly small sum of money to invest, considering the results of getting caught up violating any of the above."
Hey if you see a sign that says low clearance or are hauling hazmat and are restricted because of it somewhere of course you d want to go around. If you do find yourself in such a situation the magellan will reroute you.
Maybe thats not good enough for a genuine perfessional driver but its darn sure good enough for me.
my brother in law bought the microsoft trips and streets at sams club for 100.00 came with the gps antenna for the laptop it basiclly turn his laptop into a 17 inch tom tom only better,its a self supported system so you put it in and thats it u dont need the disk anymore,so i loaded the disk onto my laptop and hooked my garmin etrex hand held gps unit to it and it does the exact same as the unit he has that came with the program. garmin cost me 200.00 the power/data cable cost me like 50.00 bucks and the program was free for me and i get the convience of being able to use my gps unit outside of the truck for hunting and fishing and such.bought the garmin and cord at cabelas so i paid a little more for it.
TeamDrivers2
Expert Expediter
>Hey if you see a sign that says low clearance or are hauling
>hazmat and are restricted because of it somewhere of course
>you d want to go around.
Great Philosophy !!!!!
Obviously, ya haven't traveled NYC or Chi-Town ....or many other metropolitan cities.
I love the comment, "go around". You must realize, in alot of cases, there's NO "go around". I personally know of 100's of situations that if you utilize your "go around" method , you're gonna find yourself in the midst of a situation that'll cause you some of the worst case jackpots you'd ever imagine.
Simply put, there's no substitute for BIG TRUCK specific software. NONE
>hazmat and are restricted because of it somewhere of course
>you d want to go around.
Great Philosophy !!!!! Obviously, ya haven't traveled NYC or Chi-Town ....or many other metropolitan cities.
I love the comment, "go around". You must realize, in alot of cases, there's NO "go around". I personally know of 100's of situations that if you utilize your "go around" method , you're gonna find yourself in the midst of a situation that'll cause you some of the worst case jackpots you'd ever imagine.
Simply put, there's no substitute for BIG TRUCK specific software. NONE
sixwheeler
Expert Expediter
Great Philosophy !!!!!
"Obviously, ya haven't traveled NYC or Chi-Town ....or many other metropolitan cities.
I love the comment, "go around". You must realize, in alot of cases, there's NO "go around". I personally know of 100's of situations that if you utilize your "go around" method , you're gonna find yourself in the midst of a situation that'll cause you some of the worst case jackpots you'd ever imagine.
Simply put, there's no substitute for BIG TRUCK specific software. NONE"
Well golly gee willipers mister perfessional BIG TRUCK driver you would evidently be the expert on running into low overpasses, and such. In your files of hundreds of situations that you ve found your self in, maybe, perhaps, a dose of good old fashioned common sense might have come in handy. No software or hardware is going to do your thinking for you. If you re happy with whatever software you bought, thats great, couldnt be happier, but software is only as reliable as the people that put it together, therefore to rely on it solely without using good judgement and aforementioned common sense is at the very least flirting with disaster, as you can evidently attest to.
"Obviously, ya haven't traveled NYC or Chi-Town ....or many other metropolitan cities.
I love the comment, "go around". You must realize, in alot of cases, there's NO "go around". I personally know of 100's of situations that if you utilize your "go around" method , you're gonna find yourself in the midst of a situation that'll cause you some of the worst case jackpots you'd ever imagine.
Simply put, there's no substitute for BIG TRUCK specific software. NONE"
Well golly gee willipers mister perfessional BIG TRUCK driver you would evidently be the expert on running into low overpasses, and such. In your files of hundreds of situations that you ve found your self in, maybe, perhaps, a dose of good old fashioned common sense might have come in handy. No software or hardware is going to do your thinking for you. If you re happy with whatever software you bought, thats great, couldnt be happier, but software is only as reliable as the people that put it together, therefore to rely on it solely without using good judgement and aforementioned common sense is at the very least flirting with disaster, as you can evidently attest to.
TeamDrivers2
Expert Expediter
>Well golly gee willipers mister perfessional BIG TRUCK
>driver you would evidently be the expert on running into low
>overpasses, and such.
Well, not exactly an expert.
But, with quality tools and pre-planning with the proper devices ceratinly keeps our truck outta those compromising positions.I've demo'd four different dash-mounted GPS units and find each and every one lacking in regards for use by a CMV driver.
I'm shy 75,000 miles of my 1st million and have yet to peel a box. But i've invested close to 1/4 million in two class 8 stretched vehicles and the investment in the best isn't an option. Any team running either of my trucks will always possess the best guidence resources available. Thats just smart business.
>driver you would evidently be the expert on running into low
>overpasses, and such.
Well, not exactly an expert.
But, with quality tools and pre-planning with the proper devices ceratinly keeps our truck outta those compromising positions.I've demo'd four different dash-mounted GPS units and find each and every one lacking in regards for use by a CMV driver.
I'm shy 75,000 miles of my 1st million and have yet to peel a box. But i've invested close to 1/4 million in two class 8 stretched vehicles and the investment in the best isn't an option. Any team running either of my trucks will always possess the best guidence resources available. Thats just smart business.