New To Trucking Finding location of loading bays with Maps/GPS app?

Hi Everyone,

This is Stan. I'd like to understand how most of you find the directions to a loading bay when delivering goods to a store? In simple google maps - it gives you the location of the Store only not the directions to the loading bay (more specific) - how do you guys solve this problem?

Is there any solution/GPS which is good at solving this issue?

Thanks,
Stan
 
Just trying
That's ok

Doing ltl I may bump more docks in a day than otr:s do in a week but

Can't speak for every but I'd say like 90% of the time docks are readily easy to find.

And even the tougher ones the receiver/ shipper will many times have special instructs on the bol or there will be signs or gate keepers to get instruct us.

Best case scenario is when they pinpoint the docks by the N,S,E,W side of building then further by South-east corner, etc.

Instead of using the "around the corner" or "in he back of the building" or "on Johnson Street" as some places do.
 
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Hi Everyone,

This is Stan. I'd like to understand how most of you find the directions to a loading bay when delivering goods to a store? In simple google maps - it gives you the location of the Store only not the directions to the loading bay (more specific) - how do you guys solve this problem?

Is there any solution/GPS which is good at solving this issue?

Thanks,
Stan
Easy, google maps and change to satellite view, that gives you an actual overhead picture of the place. Many times there was actually a truck backed in to a dock you can see . But even if there isn’t something so obvious you can at least see all the roads around the place and this will give you a good idea of what your next move will be. I’ve used google and Apple Maps satellite view many times for just that very thing. When I’m going to a new place I study the location in advance and if it looks like it’s going to be several turns once there I make a couple of notes to help me remember once there. All places that I know will be regular stops in the future I keep a note book with detail for which entrance , dock slot, etc, etc until I got that place memorized. Hope this helps, good luck!
 
I can see where what you are talking about doing would be handy, to say the least. But the truth is that the only time really that you can't figure it out using satellite and street view on Google maps is if a place is too new to show on there or it has inside or underground docks not facing the street and even then you can tell on most places with indoor docks just by passing attention to where trucks are sitting and marks seen on the ground. I don't see making much if any money off the idea because most of the information is already out there and most folks know how to find that information free of charge.

Incedentally, for those that are complaining about using technology, I grew up fascinated by maps, I aced my quarter on mapping in AFJROTC and was used to tutor other students because I was ahead of the lessons just because I grew up around truck drivers and got interested in playing courses and figuring miles and time several years before high school. With that said, I know enough to use the best tools available to me to make my job more efficient and easier, so yup, I guess I have a GPS and smart phone stuck up my ass, but I can still read a map, chat a course over land, sea and air using just paper maps, but with my technology still up my ass I can tell you almost 90 percent of the time exactly which street route will be the easiest to get into a place, exactly where the docks, driveways and guard shack are, heck I can even tell you if an individual sign or pole is going to be a problem, and I can tell you generally how long I'm going to be at a facility and what the people are like and what product I'm going to be hauling and whether it's likely to be a heavy load or not. I can tell you all of this before I'm empty on my prior load usually. So yup, I'll take that technology stuck up my ass, no problem.
 
In my little niche I know when I pull up to a place and see 8 or 10 EASY docks with serious acreage they're NOT for me.

No sir you'll be going down the half lane goat path through the trees past the boiler shed then blind side around those three dumpsters thread the needle through all those cars back at just the right angle through that door missing the shelves by **** hairs.....oh and don't forget to dump your bags or you WILL hit that I beam in the back then you can open your doors.

I wish I was exaggerating but that is the exact procedure at one of our regular places and there are a lot that aren't far off from that.
 
Hi Everyone,

This is Stan. I'd like to understand how most of you find the directions to a loading bay when delivering goods to a store? In simple google maps - it gives you the location of the Store only not the directions to the loading bay (more specific) - how do you guys solve this problem?

Is there any solution/GPS which is good at solving this issue?

Thanks,
Stan
The easiest way is to look for the light post Swift knocked over. That's where you go in.
 

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