Profile For Daniel B.

I totally agree with Guyjax - GPS is an awesome tool - the best available in my opinion - but it's not perfect. You have to combine it with other tools and some common sense.

Not allowing drivers to use their own GPS system and then charging you to use theirs should be borderline criminal. That is an awesome example of people making decisions that have no experience driving trucks. Nobody that has ever driven a truck would ever tell another driver they can't use GPS. And then to actually outlaw GPS systems and force your own employees to pay you to use theirs?

Gee, I wonder why there's 100% turnover in the trucking industry? I can't even continue on with this thought stream without it getting out of hand. Suffice to say, this kind of stuff is infuriating to me.

I have seriously been thinking of becoming a driver. How can I find out (before I join a company) if a company will allow the driver to use their own GPS. I wouldn't want to work for a company that doesn't.

Very few companies do not allow them. Just about every major carrier allows them so I wouldn't worry too much. You can always ask a recruiter or one of the companies drivers.

Totally agree with Brett and Guyjax.

My Rand McNally is infinitely better than my qualcomms GPS. The qualcomms GPS isn't even good at all. I had to use it once because I was updating my Rand McNally and I would honestly rather not use it even if my Rand McNally was down. And to charge you to use a feature that comes with the Qualcomm unit?! That's like buying an iPod Classic and being charged monthly to watch movies on it, it's an added feature to the device after all and it comes with it.

I don't like to say "company X is worse than company Z". But I will surely never work for those companies.

Take your time. Use effective trip planning if you're going through a big city. For example, if you're going to be driving through Dallas and your delivery is only 15 miles away. Don't leave 20 minutes early assuming you'll be driving 60+. Leave earlier just in case. Always expect the unexpected. Have a Plan B when things go wrong.

And most importantly, have a good following distance. Following distance is what will save you if something unexpected happens in front of you.

I try to plan my trips through big cities at times that are not busy. But what I do - I allow for extra time, I constantly monitor my following distance, and don't get distracted.

I hope I helped.