For expedite wannabees reading this who have not driven a truck before, I'll share that while Diane and I consider GPS navigation devices to be essential equipment, (we use a laptop and GPS programs), we do not rely on them to drive.
While they can be helpful, you do not need them to enter the industry. In fact, you might want to drive a while before committing to a device. You will know your needs better then.
With every run, we write the routing and local directions on a piece of paper, a steno pad actually, and keep it sitting on the dashboard. Routing and locals come to us from our carrier via the Qualcomm unit in the truck. We map trace those on our computer mapping programs and decide on the route we will use. The route is then written in the steno pad and placed on the dash.
We seldom plug the GPS antenna into the laptop, which would show our real-time location on a map on the laptop display. The laptop stays in the sleeper most of the time. If we become hopelessly lost (a rare event) we will stop and fire up GPS to determine our location. But that seldom happens.
We do not trust these devices enough to rely on them. Even Qualcomm fails from time to time. Knowing our route ahead of time and having a notebook to refer to works well for us. Heck, there are even times when we use a paper map to get from point A to point B.
I have grown past the point of buying into technology for technology sake. It's not about what the latest gizmo will do, it's about what you need technology to do for YOU. Whether you find it on a paper atlas, laptop map, or dash-mounted GPS screen, the road junction is at the same place on the ground.
The geeks will cry out with rapidly spoken words, "But, but, but, if you get lost, you can quickly get back on route, and, and, and your GPS device can talk to you, and, and, and you can zoom in your maps, and, and, and, you can play music on your device, and, and, and, you can pinpoint an address, and, and, and, you can go online and see a satellite photo of it, and, and, and you can see web pages on it, and, and, and you can display photos on it, and, and, and, you can multi-task while driving, and, and, and your productivity will improve, and, and, and you'll be COOL!"
My reply to these feature creeps is, "So what?" The landfills are overflowing with devices for which the same enthusiasm was shown a few months and years ago.
Yes, I use these devices and have above average computer skills. But the more technology changes, the more impressed I become with the reliability, cost and ease a pencil and paper provides.
The materials cost little. That format has not changed in 1,000 years, it does not require batteries, and it is its own storage device. Things written 1,000 years ago can be easily accessed today and you don't have to boot them up to read them.
While they can be helpful, you do not need them to enter the industry. In fact, you might want to drive a while before committing to a device. You will know your needs better then.
With every run, we write the routing and local directions on a piece of paper, a steno pad actually, and keep it sitting on the dashboard. Routing and locals come to us from our carrier via the Qualcomm unit in the truck. We map trace those on our computer mapping programs and decide on the route we will use. The route is then written in the steno pad and placed on the dash.
We seldom plug the GPS antenna into the laptop, which would show our real-time location on a map on the laptop display. The laptop stays in the sleeper most of the time. If we become hopelessly lost (a rare event) we will stop and fire up GPS to determine our location. But that seldom happens.
We do not trust these devices enough to rely on them. Even Qualcomm fails from time to time. Knowing our route ahead of time and having a notebook to refer to works well for us. Heck, there are even times when we use a paper map to get from point A to point B.
I have grown past the point of buying into technology for technology sake. It's not about what the latest gizmo will do, it's about what you need technology to do for YOU. Whether you find it on a paper atlas, laptop map, or dash-mounted GPS screen, the road junction is at the same place on the ground.
The geeks will cry out with rapidly spoken words, "But, but, but, if you get lost, you can quickly get back on route, and, and, and your GPS device can talk to you, and, and, and you can zoom in your maps, and, and, and, you can play music on your device, and, and, and, you can pinpoint an address, and, and, and, you can go online and see a satellite photo of it, and, and, and you can see web pages on it, and, and, and you can display photos on it, and, and, and, you can multi-task while driving, and, and, and your productivity will improve, and, and, and you'll be COOL!"
My reply to these feature creeps is, "So what?" The landfills are overflowing with devices for which the same enthusiasm was shown a few months and years ago.
Yes, I use these devices and have above average computer skills. But the more technology changes, the more impressed I become with the reliability, cost and ease a pencil and paper provides.
The materials cost little. That format has not changed in 1,000 years, it does not require batteries, and it is its own storage device. Things written 1,000 years ago can be easily accessed today and you don't have to boot them up to read them.
