I'm old school, I use a map mostly. I do have a truck specific GPS, but I don't rely on that entirely. Even a truck GPS could steer you in the wrong direction (no-truck routes, etc). I use the Rand McNally Motor Carrier's Road Atlas first, then I use the Google Map's app on my smartphone to show me the actual address of a customer, finally I use the GPS to tell me how far another road is and when to make my turn.
GREAT AND SIMPLE MAP ROUTING!!!! My step father taught me at 15 yrs old in an old Mack cab over 30 yrs ago.... Loved it, brought back memories bro..... Peace and prosperity!!!!
Good Video! To All the ppl, who are criticizing. GPS do stop working sometime. And the map will give you a big picture instead of being a turn by turn robot.
I thought this was a great video on how to read road maps. Thank you so much! I am not a truck driver but do travel by car often and I needed to know how to read the atlas.
As a trucking student I got my first taste of map reading today and it was so many different maps so I'm thinking oh my goodness but your video helps a lot I've been spoiled by GPS all my life so map reading is a skill that I've never learnt hopefully the GPS is that will be in the trucks being installed today won't fail however there will be times and which you will have dead zones and will need to have your Atlas
Back here 7 years later. Wow so much has changed. Good and bad. Brings me back to a place of happiness seeing this video. Wish I could go back in time. Miss being out otr. Welp I need friends and truckers were my best friends. Good luck to all you future drivers. Enjoy your paid weekly vacations. God bless
I do this as well. I also use the dry erase marker to right the directions in the corner of the windshield on it. Then erase as I go. Plenty of writing room in the corner of the windshield. And its not illegal because its obstructing your view I passed a dot stop with the writing on the windshield and the officer said that it was completely fine as long as it wasn't obstructing the view
Was given an atlas for free along with my cdl and a truck told me today not to trust eld and use atlas that im supposed to magic understand the accumulated knowledge of almost 600 years😂 so im here thank you for the video every bits gonna help
Appreciate you you help me out a lot I've never looked at maps I'm trying to learn how to read a Atlas and then give me a lot of good pointers thanks man be safe on that road buddy
Thanks for the tip, I have a tendency to get lost. Haven't traveled much, nice to know you took the time, to share this information. Thanks again! Super Heavy..
I'm so glad I found this video! I just finished my 3-day orientation with Swift and didn't get enough time on the trip planning. Before I can actually get assigned my employee I'd code and a truck, I'm waiting on the employment verification from my last employer. So, I thought I'd search you tube for some trip planning info and there you were. Thanks so much! I've been a local driver here in Ca for 22 years and about to go OTR. This wasn't something I needed to know going local, but it will save me a lot of heartache going OTR. I appreciate you taking time out to share this!
Going to work for Melton and we just started going over this. I knew I was making harder then it needed to be. Hoping my trainer will be a bit more detailed with this.
Thank you sooo much cig this is very helpful bc the GOS is whack. It takes u off route. I really appreciate you for taking time out if your busy schedule to help us new drivers bc I was in tears. Thank you thank you thank you
An Addition to this for ease of finding map pages as you go along is to use STICKIES/POST-IT notes! Mark a POST-IT "MAIN" for the US map. Then use a post-it note labeled for each state you travel through. In this way, you may quickly turn to that state's map as you enter the state. Thanks for Posting This video.
Thank you very much. Old video. But still relevant to this day.... Gps for trucks are too expensive anyways. Now where am i gonna find a marker at the truckstop?
I prefer a truck stop atlas called "The Trucker's Friend". It lists most, if not all truck stops in the U.S and Canada and provides more information about those truck stops. It costs around $15.
Im currently 17. Turn 18 soon. Been wanting to drive since freshman year thx to my dad and uncle. They both taught me alot have a shit ton of experience in the warehouse. And hooking and unhooking. Not alot behind the wheel my lets me drive in the yard from time to time. I pretty much got the hang of shifting. Just gotta wait for my permit. But hes been doing the same routes for 5 years. And ive learned how to get there. Massachusetts i know by heart. By favorite route. Ik most of jersey and pa.
Good video dude. Very informative for the new guys and gals out here. Definitely a must see. I know a lot are saying oh just use a gps.... but when you have an outlay you can see whats good for you or you can bypass bad roads.
Great info. GPS is not free from problems. I think it was 2009 we lost one of the satellites that was helping give the latest generation of accuracy. Can't remember right now what it's called, but I think it was EGNOS. So for quite some time everything defaulted back to the less accurate prior generation satellites, and GPS units began acting a bit screwy and a bit slow. Always have a backup. This exercise right here helps the driver train his mind to kind of know the route , since he's actively reading and finding the highways given by the company. Now, as he's driving, if he sees to the various highways signage approaching, he'll be more likely to recognize those route numbers that he should be taking, and also able to filter out the ones he shouldn't. Now he's got a GPS and a map to complement his memory, meaning less stress.
I loved it! O M G was I ever lost in a semi tractor trailer with nowhere! to pull over and four wheelers lined up on my tail. Ugh, I hated it. But it seems you know more than I, I’m not sure I’ll know the bypasses but I’m here trying to learn.
Very helpful information! I thank you so much for sharing your experience with me and I assure you that I will put it to use! Be safe on the road my brother!
Really good video. I know everyone uses GPS sure you do I do. But I also carry a Rand McNally road atlas with me. You never know when a GPS signal is going to fail or there's going to be some kind of a problem. Good video good common-sense keep up the good work thank you
Them video's help a great deal. Thanks so much. I now know how to read a map. Some explain how you fine the small towns when your traveling. You can't see them on this map.
I don't drive a big rig, but appreciate the fact that there are still people who know how to read a map and not rely on GPS. What are you going to do if phone battery dies or if phone stops working? I still carry a Rand McNally road atlas (non-trucker edition) for road trips. Only time I would use GPS is if I was travelling in country where I couldn't read road signs (i.e. Asia, Russia, certain parts of Europe, etc...). Sometimes GPS gives you screwy directions with tons of unnecessary turns that don't make sense just to cut total distance.
I've always been a bit envious of you truck drivers. I know it's a tough job, I'm not trying to minimize it or anything...but it has always appealed to me. Being able to travel the country, no bosses breathing down your back, lots of time to yourself... Alas...I can't keep my eyes open on the road! /sigh. Something about driving puts me right to sleep! I can usually make it for about 1 hour, but anything beyond that is really pushing it. Thanks for this video though. I'm planning out a road trip for me and some friends (who will be doing the driving! lol) and found this vid useful.
You're welcome. Thanx for watching. Unfortunately with the ELD mandate, truckers now have their dispatchers looking over their shoulder from their computer. Back when I started driving truck, the dispatcher could only rely on what the driver told them concerning how many hours they have to drive. Not anymore.
I have 1 more week of training and I get my own truck and I'm embarrassed to say that I am so uncomfortable with this area. Thank u for your easy help in this area. Can u also give tips on, when planning a trip, u install rest/truck stops along the way. I mean the best way to input a rest area or truckstop for resting while trip planning. Thank u again.
There are little truck stop books u can buy for around $5, to incorporate into your trip planning. I don't plan where I'm gonna shutdown at until I'm about 3-4 hours away from shutdown, but to each his/her own.
To all those who said "you know they make gps now?" A good driver uses both gps and atlas or any arsenal he/she can use to get there faster and safe. But that also mean you not a trucker and if you are and put some comenta like this , just remember you will show up in tt and the rest of the make fun of driver that gets lost. Good luck. Thanks driver hell of a lesson. Stay safe and god bless
I know this is old but nice vid specially now for younger generation that is just learning how to read a map or has never used a map. I would just throw in you can use the same pen you can write the routes on the side window or windshield.
Lol. Then when you gets older. Like me lol. :) you just...get older. Still better than the gps which really does get anoying as my son now lives by "samatha" telling the directions and not my learned shortcuts of yesteryear routes :( training family members...mhmm bite my tongue half the time. Im glad there's you on here to prove its my best option always. U-C-son...I , C , you tube tooo. Oh by the way...thank you so much f/this trk'n 101 vlog. It is truth! Thx! Thumbs up driver!
So what’s the point of using the atlas?? We have gps now days on Qualcomm and on phones, and if neither of those work you have Tom toms I mean just seems kind of pointless to me the only use I’ve seen from trucker atlas is low bridges,tolls, and truck paths but as far as using them to plan out trips I do not see the point at all I mean it definitely doesn’t hurt I suppose takes less then 10 min to plan a trip but still...you would think by now someone would have developed a truck path gps with real time traffic monitoring and weather conditions
I never strictly followed a GPS. I always mapped a route myself regardless of what a GPS said. I did use a GPS to tell me how far my turns were, but never and I mean never let the GPS map my routes.
I’m not gonna spend 30 unpaid minutes tracing out my route when GPS literally has everything an atlas has now. If it fails I’ll break out the map but that’s extremely rare. It’s the old heads who don’t trust the technology.
Nothing better than the old good days of mapping your road.. thanks man.
Yh
I'm old school, I use a map mostly. I do have a truck specific GPS, but I don't rely on that entirely. Even a truck GPS could steer you in the wrong direction (no-truck routes, etc). I use the Rand McNally Motor Carrier's Road Atlas first, then I use the Google Map's app on my smartphone to show me the actual address of a customer, finally I use the GPS to tell me how far another road is and when to make my turn.
Simple and straight forward. I learned something about the Trucker's Atlas. Thank you TheLowlyTraveller!
GREAT AND SIMPLE MAP ROUTING!!!!
My step father taught me at 15 yrs old in an old Mack cab over 30 yrs ago....
Loved it, brought back memories bro.....
Peace and prosperity!!!!
I been driving 4yrs and I use truck gps, Google maps, and trucker path. Never been lost!!!
Good Video! To All the ppl, who are criticizing. GPS do stop working sometime. And the map will give you a big picture instead of being a turn by turn robot.
Thanks for the video my friend. I'm heading out with my driver trainer for 4 weeks starting tomorrow. I appreciate your help!
I have a test on counting miles, mapping roads and interstate. And still don't know what each line represent
I am a new driver and i found this information very helpful. Thanks for sharing and God bless!
Saint Serg you are very welcome.
Great thanks so much I save this video to a playlist under Maps and will review it frequently thank you
I thought this was a great video on how to read road maps. Thank you so much! I am not a truck driver but do travel by car often and I needed to know how to read the atlas.
As a trucking student I got my first taste of map reading today and it was so many different maps so I'm thinking oh my goodness but your video helps a lot I've been spoiled by GPS all my life so map reading is a skill that I've never learnt hopefully the GPS is that will be in the trucks being installed today won't fail however there will be times and which you will have dead zones and will need to have your Atlas
Back here 7 years later. Wow so much has changed. Good and bad. Brings me back to a place of happiness seeing this video. Wish I could go back in time. Miss being out otr. Welp I need friends and truckers were my best friends. Good luck to all you future drivers. Enjoy your paid weekly vacations. God bless
I do this as well. I also use the dry erase marker to right the directions in the corner of the windshield on it. Then erase as I go. Plenty of writing room in the corner of the windshield. And its not illegal because its obstructing your view I passed a dot stop with the writing on the windshield and the officer said that it was completely fine as long as it wasn't obstructing the view
Oops NOT obstructing haha
+ray porter I've seen drivers doing that. Pretty good idea.
TheLowlyTraveller thank you good sir and yea I learned it off a brother trucker in a truck stop out in Wyoming haha I've used it ever day since
ray porter
Great tip, thnx
Was given an atlas for free along with my cdl and a truck told me today not to trust eld and use atlas that im supposed to magic understand the accumulated knowledge of almost 600 years😂 so im here thank you for the video every bits gonna help
Appreciate you you help me out a lot I've never looked at maps I'm trying to learn how to read a Atlas and then give me a lot of good pointers thanks man be safe on that road buddy
Thanks alot I'll have to pick up a atlas that has laminated pages. Learned alot from this video
Thanks for the tip, I have a tendency to get lost. Haven't traveled much, nice to know you took the time, to share this information. Thanks again! Super Heavy..
I'm so glad I found this video! I just finished my 3-day orientation with Swift and didn't get enough time on the trip planning. Before I can actually get assigned my employee I'd code and a truck, I'm waiting on the employment verification from my last employer. So, I thought I'd search you tube for some trip planning info and there you were. Thanks so much! I've been a local driver here in Ca for 22 years and about to go OTR. This wasn't something I needed to know going local, but it will save me a lot of heartache going OTR. I appreciate you taking time out to share this!
I am just starting with Swift also OTR and found this video helpful as well. Hope everything is working out well for you.
Going to work for Melton and we just started going over this. I knew I was making harder then it needed to be. Hoping my trainer will be a bit more detailed with this.
Thanks for this, man. I'm just a guy in a Corolla, but I love to learn the old ways and not be reliant on tech.
Very educational. Thanks for taking the time to teach.
Thank you sooo much cig this is very helpful bc the GOS is whack. It takes u off route. I really appreciate you for taking time out if your busy schedule to help us new drivers bc I was in tears. Thank you thank you thank you
An Addition to this for ease of finding map pages as you go along is to use STICKIES/POST-IT notes! Mark a POST-IT "MAIN" for the US map. Then use a post-it note labeled for each state you travel through. In this way, you may quickly turn to that state's map as you enter the state. Thanks for Posting This video.
Thank you for the clear explanation and demo. I just bought my first laminated MC road atlas and I followed your every move, page by page.
Keep vids coming I let my students watched them they love the incite
Thank you very much. Old video. But still relevant to this day....
Gps for trucks are too expensive anyways.
Now where am i gonna find a marker at the truckstop?
You may not find a dry erase marker at a truck stop. I'd stick with your local mega-mart
JackofallTradesMasterofNone wal mart it is then. Lol luckily my 1st stop out of 4 is near one. Thank you sir.
Thanks for your help. I'm going back on the road soon. Haven't been driving for almost 7 years. This will be extremely helpful. Again thanks.
Great tip, used this method to show the grandson my different routes. Thanks for sharing... be safe out there!
Thank you for the video. I know there’s a lot of GPS use now but still good to know how to use the atlas to get around.
Thank u brother for the info. I really appreciate the knowledge u gave. Great video.
I prefer a truck stop atlas called "The Trucker's Friend". It lists most, if not all truck stops in the U.S and Canada and provides more information about those truck stops. It costs around $15.
Im currently 17. Turn 18 soon. Been wanting to drive since freshman year thx to my dad and uncle. They both taught me alot have a shit ton of experience in the warehouse. And hooking and unhooking. Not alot behind the wheel my lets me drive in the yard from time to time. I pretty much got the hang of shifting. Just gotta wait for my permit. But hes been doing the same routes for 5 years. And ive learned how to get there. Massachusetts i know by heart. By favorite route. Ik most of jersey and pa.
And i despise gps
Good video dude. Very informative for the new guys and gals out here. Definitely a must see. I know a lot are saying oh just use a gps.... but when you have an outlay you can see whats good for you or you can bypass bad roads.
Thank you! Blessings to you and your family! I am a new truck driver
One of the simple and easy trip plan
The video is a big help, thanks man I appreciate y'all be safe on the roads.
Great advise brother, new driver and it does help alot
Thank you for posting this video. it helped me out a great deal!
Great info. GPS is not free from problems. I think it was 2009 we lost one of the satellites that was helping give the latest generation of accuracy. Can't remember right now what it's called, but I think it was EGNOS. So for quite some time everything defaulted back to the less accurate prior generation satellites, and GPS units began acting a bit screwy and a bit slow. Always have a backup. This exercise right here helps the driver train his mind to kind of know the route , since he's actively reading and finding the highways given by the company. Now, as he's driving, if he sees to the various highways signage approaching, he'll be more likely to recognize those route numbers that he should be taking, and also able to filter out the ones he shouldn't. Now he's got a GPS and a map to complement his memory, meaning less stress.
Great video dude nicely done
I loved it!
O M G was I ever lost in a semi tractor trailer with nowhere! to pull over and four wheelers lined up on my tail.
Ugh, I hated it.
But it seems you know more than I, I’m not sure I’ll know the bypasses but I’m here trying to learn.
New driver learning route planning this is helpful thank you
Very helpful information! I thank you so much for sharing your experience with me and I assure you that I will put it to use! Be safe on the road my brother!
Really good video. I know everyone uses GPS sure you do I do. But I also carry a Rand McNally road atlas with me. You never know when a GPS signal is going to fail or there's going to be some kind of a problem. Good video good common-sense keep up the good work thank you
love your explanation buddy!!
Them video's help a great deal. Thanks so much. I now know how to read a map. Some explain how you fine the small towns when your traveling. You can't see them on this map.
Plain and Simple. I wish He Would Do Another On City Maps.. Great Job!!
Thank you for taking the time to make this video.
I don't drive a big rig, but appreciate the fact that there are still people who know how to read a map and not rely on GPS. What are you going to do if phone battery dies or if phone stops working?
I still carry a Rand McNally road atlas (non-trucker edition) for road trips. Only time I would use GPS is if I was travelling in country where I couldn't read road signs (i.e. Asia, Russia, certain parts of Europe, etc...). Sometimes GPS gives you screwy directions with tons of unnecessary turns that don't make sense just to cut total distance.
Thank you, very informational on those details that I have missed from my shitty trucking school. ;)
BTW Where did you get that load planner notepad?
I've always been a bit envious of you truck drivers. I know it's a tough job, I'm not trying to minimize it or anything...but it has always appealed to me. Being able to travel the country, no bosses breathing down your back, lots of time to yourself...
Alas...I can't keep my eyes open on the road! /sigh. Something about driving puts me right to sleep! I can usually make it for about 1 hour, but anything beyond that is really pushing it.
Thanks for this video though. I'm planning out a road trip for me and some friends (who will be doing the driving! lol) and found this vid useful.
You're welcome. Thanx for watching. Unfortunately with the ELD mandate, truckers now have their dispatchers looking over their shoulder from their computer. Back when I started driving truck, the dispatcher could only rely on what the driver told them concerning how many hours they have to drive. Not anymore.
Thanks! Hope it helped you out.
Great video. Thank you.
Really good information
7:46 A man has his mind on dinner lol
+Chris Welch Big Mac's. I must have been hungry at the time...lol
Thanks for sharing, I learned something from watching this.
thanks for posting this video, it helped alot. u r the best.
Nice vid .. its a start but Im still misunderstanding a little, maybe because the cam couldnt focus
Good video and thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the upload
I have 1 more week of training and I get my own truck and I'm embarrassed to say that I am so uncomfortable with this area. Thank u for your easy help in this area. Can u also give tips on, when planning a trip, u install rest/truck stops along the way. I mean the best way to input a rest area or truckstop for resting while trip planning. Thank u again.
Very Informative. Thanks for sharing.
how to tell where low brides and restruction on your route?
Amazing thank you so much!!
Awesome Thank you sir.
thanks, the atlas is still a good skill to know when all those electronics go out on you
Can't help but mention I love that name "Monomine" WI! Funny name, but cool.
There are little truck stop books u can buy for around $5, to incorporate into your trip planning. I don't plan where I'm gonna shutdown at until I'm about 3-4 hours away from shutdown, but to each his/her own.
De Tran shiiiit I wait till I’m an hour away from running out of time and then see what’s around me 😂
Thank you for made up this video, this video really help
Wow thanks I understand a lil great video
To all those who said "you know they make gps now?" A good driver uses both gps and atlas or any arsenal he/she can use to get there faster and safe.
But that also mean you not a trucker and if you are and put some comenta like this , just remember you will show up in tt and the rest of the make fun of driver that gets lost.
Good luck.
Thanks driver hell of a lesson. Stay safe and god bless
thanks my friend you the best
Great advise! Thanks Bro.
Thank you! Great video!
Thank you. very good video
Hey! Thanks for the info. You taught me a thing or two :)
Great video!
Thanks for the video. Good info I can use.
Thank you very much for this video.
Thanks, this is very helpful
U r awesome! I loved it
Thanks for doing this!
Thank you for the help.
Hey very helpful thank you! God bless
I know this is old but nice vid specially now for younger generation that is just learning how to read a map or has never used a map. I would just throw in you can use the same pen you can write the routes on the side window or windshield.
I've seen drivers to that. It's a good idea.
Lol. Then when you gets older. Like me lol. :) you just...get older. Still better than the gps which really does get anoying as my son now lives by "samatha" telling the directions and not my learned shortcuts of yesteryear routes :( training family members...mhmm bite my tongue half the time. Im glad there's you on here to prove its my best option always. U-C-son...I , C , you tube tooo. Oh by the way...thank you so much f/this trk'n 101 vlog. It is truth! Thx! Thumbs up driver!
Many drivers prefer Verizon. I'm going to pre-paid once my contract with AT&T is up, then I plan on using Straight-Talk.
Liked and subscribed.
Where do the bridge heights and weight limits steps fit in?
good job . thanks
Good advice my man!
So what’s the point of using the atlas?? We have gps now days on Qualcomm and on phones, and if neither of those work you have Tom toms I mean just seems kind of pointless to me the only use I’ve seen from trucker atlas is low bridges,tolls, and truck paths but as far as using them to plan out trips I do not see the point at all I mean it definitely doesn’t hurt I suppose takes less then 10 min to plan a trip but still...you would think by now someone would have developed a truck path gps with real time traffic monitoring and weather conditions
I never strictly followed a GPS. I always mapped a route myself regardless of what a GPS said. I did use a GPS to tell me how far my turns were, but never and I mean never let the GPS map my routes.
thanks for you time
thanks for the needed info homie!!
Thank´s for the tips
thanx for the tips
Thank you.
I’m not gonna spend 30 unpaid minutes tracing out my route when GPS literally has everything an atlas has now. If it fails I’ll break out the map but that’s extremely rare. It’s the old heads who don’t trust the technology.
I don't trust a GPS for good reason. They're not fool proof and they will get you into trouble.
Awesome !
thanks dude awesome !!