I'll be driving Saturday Air soon, and I was wondering if I could use a portable GPS as compared to a map. I was told that I could, but I thought that I read it was prohibited company-wide. Does anyone know? I have no problem using a map, i just figured it could help. The GPS can run off of its rechargeable battery.
Use of portable GPS for Saturday Air
- Thread starter theUPSman
- Start date
I'm not a big fan of GPS, although I do like the fact the that my mirror in my car lets me know what direction I am travelling.
Having trained so many drivers as a driver sup years ago, I always took the time to show them how to read a map, particularly on rural routes.
To me GPS, is another distraction in taking your eyes off the road, similar to talking or texting on a cell phone.
But it is the latest and greatest technology to help drivers, and probably saves lives.
Having trained so many drivers as a driver sup years ago, I always took the time to show them how to read a map, particularly on rural routes.
To me GPS, is another distraction in taking your eyes off the road, similar to talking or texting on a cell phone.
But it is the latest and greatest technology to help drivers, and probably saves lives.
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UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
I ran Saturday Air a few months ago and brought my GPS just in case as I am not that familiar with part of the area that we deliver on Saturday. It did help on a couple of stops but a map would have been just as effective. Besides, having been married once, I just don't like the thought of a woman (the voice on my GPS) giving me directions (or telling me where to go).
Box_Junkie
Well-Known Member
Overpaid Union Thug
Well-Known Member
When I worked saturdays a map actually worked better for me than a portable GPS. The stops were so spread out it was easier to just sort them all by sorting the streets I know first then looking up the rest on the map and writing the grid numbers/letters down. I'd also right down the closest streets I was familiar with as a guide. I'd complete a stop and then find the next one with the grid points. I think that maps are cheaper and more practical for this job. Especially if you can find a good map that isn't too big nor too small so that its easy to work with.
Man, I miss working saturdays. Easy money. So was AM and PM Air. Those were the days!
Man, I miss working saturdays. Easy money. So was AM and PM Air. Those were the days!
Cementups
Box Monkey
Alot of them allow you to change the voice to male. that is what I do and for the same reasons you stated.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
I've always thought GPS should be sold with regional dialects/slang or perhaps with celebrity voices. Trplnkl would have his Texas drawl, helenofcalifornia would have her Valley Girl, stevetheupsguy would have his Brookyln accent and the boys from New England would all have help to pahk thayah cahs.
As for the celebrity voices, I would have no problem with Marissa Tomei giving me directions.
As for the celebrity voices, I would have no problem with Marissa Tomei giving me directions.
New Englander
Well-Known Member
Just buy the $20 map book at the gas stations.
A map is way better, however a GPS can be handy in crafting you through some back streets to avoid main roads.
Use them both, and learn to transition to paper-map only. Wherever you go, I always advise people to circle the street they looked up so they can remember it the next time they look something else up.
Use them both, and learn to transition to paper-map only. Wherever you go, I always advise people to circle the street they looked up so they can remember it the next time they look something else up.
Overpaid Union Thug
Well-Known Member
Even the most experienced drivers will probably need a map for saturdays but not always. It gets easy enough to where you can just use the feature in the DIAD that shows what streets are located near the one you are looking for. I do that all of the time when I run a route that I'm not real familiar with.
StickMonkey
Junior stick.
I know some brands/models do allow downloading alternate voices. A buddy of mine had Darth Vader, Austin Powers, and one that sounded like a phone sex operator with lots of innuendo in her "directions."
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
You are right but in my center Saturday Air is not put through EDD and my DIAD does not have all of the streets for the towns that we deliver on Saturday.
rod
Retired 22 years
You couldn't find my house with a GPS unit. According to Map Quest , Yahoo maps, Google Maps and a couple of more of those sites my road don't exist. I've tried for 4 years to get the problem corrected. Anyone out there have any suggestions? According to the local fire dept. there are 2 different programs- one for the 911 system (my road is on that) and one for the general public that is usually behind the times----but 4 years behind? I find that hard to believe. My son-in-law showed up at my place with his fancy GPS unit but he ended up just putting it away after he got sent on wild goose chases twice trying to use it. By the way these aren't new roads or developmemts we are dealing with. They have been platted roads for 20 years that I know of.
