GPS maps

[worried wife]

We have a regular Garmin gps and would like to find professional driver maps that I can download to it. Does anyone know how I can do this? I have searched online but can't find anything. My husband's company gives him directions but they aren't always right and would like to have something as a backup that he can look at quickly while going down the road.

Thanks!

 

[bigyellowpete]

I am not sure you can download the maps but there are systems available. There is a thread about them on the forum: http://www.truckersforum.net/forum/f9/what-best-gps-system-40075/

 

[worried wife]

I was trying to save some money. I have looked at the models just for truck drivers but they are very expensive and he is a new driver so there already has been a lot of expenses to get him set up.

 

[searay]

The cheapest way is buy a Map.

 

[cajuntrucker59]

check truck stops! garmin sells gps units specifacly for truckers. low bridge areas, no truck zones, all that good stuff. just have to pay a little more. you can enter data like truck length and width, weight and it will suggest the best route to take. maybe santa will bring you one! good luck!

 

[bigyellowpete]

I was trying to save some money. I have looked at the models just for truck drivers but they are very expensive and he is a new driver so there already has been a lot of expenses to get him set up.

A laminated Rand McNally Motor Carriers Road Atlas costs about $35 at most truck stops, and will last him for years. That is basically all I ever use, along with a quick phone call for local directions at the shipping and receiving end to get exact directions. Sometimes a map just can't show you the best approach to a spot. They could load off an alley out back, or the address given to you could be an office address blocks away from the actual warehouse location.

 

[snowflake]

even after I get directions from shipper/receiver I will go to google or bing maps and look at their directions and that tends to help clarify anything the "other" person failed to mention.

 

[worried wife]

Thanks everyone! He already has a really nice Rand McNally map, but with him being a new driver I don't really want him looking at it driving down the road. He looks at it when he is planning his trip and he has Qualcom but sometimes the directions are just not right. He usually calls me and I google it for him. I am going to send our regular Garmin with him for a back up.

 

[Jay]

Ok one thing Dont always rely on GPS use the atlas to Trip Plan Qualcomm Directions not always right true but call Shippers and consignees for directions also GPS can and will bring them down No Truck routes which = hefty fines and Tickets and also check the Garmin Website they might have a download with a truckers Map

 

[Mike]

As far as I am aware, you can only download the maps, via updates, that are compatible with the system that you have. If you don't have one of the truck GPS's, you most likely cannot put different maps into it.

 

[worried wife]

Thanks! I got him internet access so he can check out google maps when planning his trips. He can put in the address and see what the area looks like. Some of the other drivers from his company use street and trips or something like that. When we get the money we will download that also.

 

[boone315]

Thanks! I got him internet access so he can check out google maps when planning his trips. He can put in the address and see what the area looks like. Some of the other drivers from his company use street and trips or something like that. When we get the money we will download that also.

I bought streets and trips from best buy for like $70. check on e-bay, maybe you can get it cheaper

 

[boone315]

Thanks everyone! He already has a really nice Rand McNally map, but with him being a new driver I don't really want him looking at it driving down the road. He looks at it when he is planning his trip and he has Qualcom but sometimes the directions are just not right. He usually calls me and I google it for him. I am going to send our regular Garmin with him for a back up.

Don't worry to much, everybody went through it starting out, getting lost also helps improve the backing skills, I can back up like a pro.