The 3 Most Essential Programs for Truckers
Posted on Oct 08, 2007 - 2:53am by Wayne Weisser in Technology
If you have a laptop in your truck, these are the most important programs to have as a driver.
Nautilus in Cab
Reviewed here. Even as a company driver you need to be keeping track of your income, expenses, trips and a customer contact database is nice to have. If you’re online and inputting an address, hit a button and Nautilus looks up the address on Google Maps in your browser. How sweet is that?
This is the most flexible and easy to use program out there with plenty of custom input fields and free text areas to input as much or as little information as you want and it’s all searchable. The more I’ve been using it the more I like it. Once you have several months worth of information you can see graphs of your profits, expenses and several other factors.
It also includes reminders for your truck and trailer maintenance even APU and reefer maintenance. Plus reminders to send your logs in and renew your DOT Physical. Twenty trip free trail available here. If you’re still undecided check out the online manual here with the table of contents on the left.
Garmin GPS-18
Reviewed here. Ever been lost in a big rig? I should be asking, “Who hasn’t been lost”? Driving by other rigs I’ve noticed an increase in the use of GPS units. A lot of times, I’ll see the expensive Magellan units or other single function units. A GPS is getting to be a necessity while driving. Getting this program with GPS and a laptop stand will still be less money than the single units. The Garmin can be setup for trucks but it may not be truck routes. Even GPS programs specifically for trucks aren’t perfect for truck routes. If you have to double check your truck routes you might as well get program based on features and ease of use.
Any GPS is not going to be 100% right 100% of the time. You may have to double check truck routes and watch for low clearances, especially in towns even the truck GPS program from ALK doesn’t know about low bridges in cities. Depending on easy the location looks to get to, I will still call for directions just to make sure. When you’re really lost or when you miss a turn (it will still happen even with a GPS or maybe it’s just me) is when you will realize the value of having a GPS.
No free trails on this one or any other GPS programs. Look at Garmin , Amazon, or your favorite electronics shop. Remember the GPS-18 is the one that connects to your laptop.
Drivers Daily Log
Reviewed here, is essential to keep track of all of the changes the courts and everyone else are making to our logbooks. You can use the fuel and expenses module or Nautilus in Cab, whichever is most comfortable. Or get the Light version and only do Hours of Service. DDL will interface with your GPS and automatically fills in the city and state when you’re entering your change of status info. It’s an extra (free) module available here. Free 60 day trails of the Full and Lite versions are available here.
The developers of Drivers Daily Log have bent over backwards to accommodate companies by being able to produce scannable logs in several different industry formats. They also have print modules custom made for your company, so you are able to print your log exactly how your company will accept it. and if that still isn’t good enough, you can print hard copies and send them in. Unless your company makes you use their logbooks that they supply, then you might be stuck. But you can still use the Light version to only check your Hours of Service.
If you’re using the GPS functionality in Drivers Daily Log and your GPS routing program, your laptop doesn’t allow two programs to use the same comm port (where your GPS is connected) at the exact same time. You have to exit and startup each program to use your GPS receiver. Or you can have a (free) program like Xport that allows the sharing of Comm Ports. This allows both programs to use the same GPS receiver. The setup for DDL GPS and Xport take a few minutes and you may have to try a few different options, but it’s worth the time. Once it’s working you don’t have to mess with either one ever again.
Conclusion
There you have it. My recommendations to make your laptop into the Ultimate Trucking Computer. There are other routing programs, there are other log programs and there are other accounting programs just for truckers. These are the best, the best in support and service if you have a problem and with free trails (except for the GPS) you can test drive them yourself.
Most of us here have either test drove or actually bought most everything that’s out there. Myself or anyone at Life on the Road doesn’t get anything for these reviews and those are NOT affiliate links. The free advice many may say is worth what you paid for it and not every program will fit everyone else’s need perfectly, but these come pretty close and are worth the effort to check out.
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I couldn’t agree with your assessment more strongly. The Nautilus In Cab program puts its competitors to shame, Garmin GPS-18 has gotten me to delivery sites for which I had no phone number to call for directions, and Drivers Daily Log has no equal. Great advice, Wayne.
When I was on the road I used Microsoft’s Streets and Trips for routing. I got so used to it that I would use it instead of the qualcom directions.
Microsoft S & T, I found the GUI to be too cluttered. Fine for tourists but after about a week, I threw it out the window. Delorme makes a good one also, but again, more tailored towards the tourist and traveler than the trucker.
I’m loving Nautilus though. I think the others have them some serious competition.
[...] that your computer has the software to make it the Ultimate Trucking Laptop, we need to make the picture complete with a portable printer and a scanner. But what happens when [...]
I actually like the interface of S&T, it’s quick and I can drag and drop a route to try other possibilities. I did spend time to clean it up though and have a map with my options saved, so I don’t have to start from scratch every time.
The 2008 S&T looks like it may give other GPS programs a run. I haven’t bought it, but the ads look like they’ve overhauled the GPS interface, instead of just the dot that moves along the road.
It may be the next on my list to check out since the program is only $40 and I already have a GPS receiver. I like it as a backup if one program didn’t find an address I would try it on S&T or get online on google maps.
Got so used to using DeLorme, I almost forgot how to read my road atlas when my laptop died!
I like DeLorme over S&T because once you set your start, end, stops and waypoints its all hands off from there.
It talks to me too, but I quickly shut that off. Going over new roads that aren’t in the database will have the thing nagging you to turn off every country road and dirt trail to get back onto the perfectly good 4-lane you’re already on…
I’d love to use a logbook program but I’m one of those folks who has to use the company supplied logbooks. But at least I can use TransFlo to get them (and the bills) faxed in regularly.
question, is their a download to make my handheld gps truck route compadable
Nope. I don’t even trust the gps programs that are supposed to be truck route compatible. Personally, I would go with the best auto gps for you. One that’s easy to use, has updates every so often and it’s easy to update with the new road information. Easy to see and operate because you’re going to be using it for several hours every day.
Use your Truck Atlas for any truck route questions. Even truck specific gps programs don’t handle in-town restrictions where you need it most.