Question:
Yep I know this has been preched on before, but before you go out and spend all sorts of money on all types of toys and gadgets your first purchase needs to be a MOTOR CARRIERS ATLAS.
And learn how to use it for crying out loud. More and more I hear people on the CB radio asking how to get to this town or that city, etc. Not asking if it is better to take this route or that route, but how to get there.
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U Turn, maybe that's how they crank the students out so quickly ........ NO trip planning
For any of the new drivers who actually need one, try E-Bay or Half.com, I just bought one last month for $15 vs the $40 they want in the T/S Before you new guys (edited) about the price .......... the last one I bought was in '88 and it is STILL in useable condition, not 100% accurate anymore but still useable so cough up the money for a good laminated atlas.
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While I agree.....the road atlas does squat when you need street level directions.
Too many times I have called for directions, only to listen to Bambi Knockers giving me directions, with a vision of her sitting at her desk, twirling her hair, and sending me down a narrow street with an 11 foot tall bridge!
Sometimes the recieving sept isn't much better. They can get you there off the highway, but if you are in the same city, there is often a quicker way.

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Yup, the atlas, even the nice laminated ones aren't that expensive.
It's like flying ... before I even thought about getting the super-duper electronic calculator based navigation computer, I learned to use the old E-6B manual computer. Then I discovered that I could actually solve the navigation and performance problems more quickly and accurately with it than I could with the eletronic calculator... Plus, I never had to worry about the batteries running out!
Sometimes the old way is more simple and reliable than the "new way." Technology is great, so long as it really is better than the old way. Hi-tech just for the sake of hi-tech is silly.
MrClark—Groucho Marx 1890-1977

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Some of you apparantly haven't used the new GPS based programs. They knock the socks right off your atlas. They can get you to your destination from any starting point. Faster easier and more reliably than an Atlas. They onl;y route you on roads heavy trucks are allowed on and can even hep you negotiate accidents. They also can't be beat when your in the city.
Instead of crying about high tech it might be a little smarter to just encourage new drivers to get some sort of navigation device. Doesn't matter if it's just an Atlas that they should have anyway or a nice laptop routing program. Both would be ideal.
Uturn I hope yoiu helped them with directions instead of just complaining about them on the CB.

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Many are just too lazy to use the ATLAS easier to have someone tell them how to get there.
Trip planning is 1 of things most new drivers either fail at or complain the most about , because they actually have to work at it.

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2004 motor Carriers Atlas by Rand McNally is on sale at Pilot now for $5 for the non laminated. I just bought an extra one for home. A big benefit is actually knowing where the scales are instead of being surprised while sailing in the left lane. Early Thurs. morn there was a terrible wreck at the KY scales I-75S. Might have been avoided if they knew where the scales were.
Besides an atlas another book you might consider is a pocket truckstop guide. It will help in pre planning your trip and also you'll be able to answer all of the calls on the CB when everyone else asks "what town is this truckstop in" when they fill out their log book.

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You people must be working for some real idiots if you need all that crap just to get from A to B. A good map and a roll of quarters or a cell phone i s all you need. If that ain't enough park it and let everybody else worry about it while you get a cup of coffee and read the paper or something.Jay Gould
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This post coming to you live, from Jesus Land !!!

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I find it interesting that things managed to be delivered before the Hightech
help. The Atlas is where every Newbie should start. This ain't Rocket Science.
Batteries not included.
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Yeah, it is really amazing, isn't it? We just stumbled around in the wilderness till we got lucky, apparently ...
I can go down to the Mapsco store and get last year's maps of every metropolitan area in the U.S. for 25%-30% of this year's new ones, and save money over buying a laptop and paying the monthly service fees for all that stuff, which is the absolute worst buy in computers dollar wise, and they will be good 99% of the time for the next 5 to 10 years. I might need batteries for a flashlight, but I carry one of those anyway.Jay Gould
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This post coming to you live, from Jesus Land !!!

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Not giving up the laptop.
Try connecting with Sprint in Winslow,AZ, or coming through the hills with no cell towers.
I have used the E6-B flight training device. Both the manually operated one, and the electronic one from the fine folks at Sporty's. Just like flight planning. Calculating wind speed, direction, heading and all the fun stuff that goes along with it ( I love flight planning...but that's another topic) was a blast, and I was usually right on the money. However having that GPS wired into my radio stack was a really nice option.
I use my atlas religiously, and back it up with the laptop. When I first came out on the big road, I always found my places, but sometimes went way out of route. A route that doesn't look too much longer sometimes was.
If you have it available...use it!

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I know they used to deliver from horse and buggy too. I don't see you getting all upset because some trucks have 600 horsepower. Damn the technology huh?
I never used an atlas. I had one but never used it. I bought my laptop to play games so I can stay out of the highway robbers (truckstop). I bought DeLormes GPS and it has saved me tons of time. Like the time in Pittsbugh, when I was looking for 27th St. There are 2 in that city seperated by one of the rivers. I was there the night before and told 5 other drivers how to get where I was.
Why not use the technology if it is available. Don't give me that crap that newbies need to learn how to read an atlas first. If you can't read an atlas you shouldn't be allowed to drive anything.This is USAF 2T2 and I approve this message.

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And that 600hp raises the legal speed limit by how much?
The FACT remains that a Newbie doesn't NEED the lastest Hi Tech/Priced
gadget to succeed.

Judgeing by the amount of Drivers I hear asking directions there would be a Driver shortage under your proposal.
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Never said that they need it but it was nice and I use mine to this dayThis is USAF 2T2 and I approve this message.

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What the hell are you talking about speed limits for? I was talking about how much more efficient todays tractors are to horse and buggy. Then you go off rambling about speed limits.
All that I was saying is if the technology is there why not use it.
Question- If you had a laptop and GPS you wouldn't use it? Kinda ignerant (sp) to me if you didn't. Why is someone looked at differently if they want to use something than an atlas?
It never suprises me why people look at some people like they are complete idiots. But to each there own. This is USAF 2T2 and I approve this message.