Lately it seems we see a LOT of drivers getting stuck on roads that they should not be on or finding themselves in predicaments that they aren’t able to get out of. Are these instances due to lack of proper route planning or is it simply a matter of the driver not knowing the roads they are about to travel?
There are a few simple steps to planning your route before you begin with your load.
• Enter your beginning and ending addresses into your GPS (a truck GPS is always a good resource for a truck driver to have, but just as a guideline. A regular car GPS will not give you truck routes, low clearances and/or weight limits for some roads).
• Check EACH route the GPS offers you. Some routes will have hairpin turns or massive hills that a truck simply should not be driven across or over. The best route may not always be the fastest route, sometimes the best route is simply the safest route.
• Confirm the route, BEFORE you take off, with your paper Atlas. This is the BEST resource a Trucker can keep on the truck. If you do not have an Atlas, this would be a big recommendation to purchase one. The Atlas not only alerts you to roads that you simply shouldn’t take a truck and trailer on to where the weigh stations are located.
The above guidelines can help keep you out of many situations which can be very hazardous and sometimes job threatening. It can help keep you out of situations where you will be stuck and aren’t able to turn around. It can help keep you from possibly getting stuck under a low clearance bridge. It can essentially help you to keep yourself out of any circumstances you do not want to be in.