Ok there has been many post on this but with no good answers or reasons. I am just starting out in Class C and I am trying to sort out kit that I may need/want? So first off is what map do you use for reference? I don’t want to just rely on a satnav. I have narrowed it down to either Philips Truckers atlas or the Philips Navigator truckers Britain? What is the difference?
I also want to get a Bluetooth ear piece for the phone just incase, When in the car it links automatically to the Parrot handsfree kit and my phone is always out of reach either in the pocket or in the back so there is no chance of touching it, especially how easy it is to be distracted and don’t need the 6 points on offer too.
answers on a postcard
cheers Paul
There’s no difference between the two atlases you mentioned, it’s just how retailers advertise them.
ItsJoe:
There’s no difference between the two atlases you mentioned, it’s just how retailers advertise them.
You sure on that? Amazon sells both and they appear to have different covers. I don’t own both so can’t actually compare.
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IronEddie:
ItsJoe:
There’s no difference between the two atlases you mentioned, it’s just how retailers advertise them.You sure on that? Amazon sells both and they appear to have different covers. I don’t own both so can’t actually compare.
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I thought the same as OP when buying my atlas, I wondered what’s the difference. So I asked a seller on Amazon where I bought mine and he said there’s no difference as sellers list the same book under a different name.
ItsJoe:
IronEddie:
ItsJoe:
There’s no difference between the two atlases you mentioned, it’s just how retailers advertise them.You sure on that? Amazon sells both and they appear to have different covers. I don’t own both so can’t actually compare.
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I thought the same as OP when buying my atlas, I wondered what’s the difference. So I asked a seller on Amazon where I bought mine and he said there’s no difference as sellers list the same book under a different name.
Fair enough. I wonder why they’ve got different cover designs if they are indeed the same.
I went with the navigators truckers Britain. Not far any particular reason over the other though.
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I use the AA truckers atlas. It’s got heights, width restrictions, steep hills etc. It’s pretty bang on to be fair and easy to read.
Also I’ve got a Tom Tom 6250 truck satnav which I use but always cross referencing a route before I set off. Of course still use your eyes and common sense. Generally speaking I know where I’m going from the map and a few mental notes of road numbers and the satnav I just end up using for traffic and for the last few miles.
Google Maps on streetview is handy for scoping out a delivery as it may give you a clue of how to approach it etc
I have the Philips atlas and can honestly say that I’ve never had need to use it, a good sat nav regularly updated and google maps to check final destination has always worked alongside a bit of common sense.
wrighty1:
I have the Philips atlas and can honestly say that I’ve never had need to use it, a good sat nav regularly updated and google maps to check final destination has always worked alongside a bit of common sense.
Same here - although I’d go a bit further and say that the satnav is actually better than the book once you get away from the major roads in towns and cities (especially London).
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Thanks for all the replies regarding the map. I went with the 2017 Philips Truckers Atlas. I Ordered it last night and it got delivered this morning. It looks very good and well made with height,weight and width restrictions. I have been looking at the price of Satnav’s 
well I didn’t see that coming, around the £400 mark. I have seen other ones on fleabay made by xgody or something like that but can they really be of use? For a fraction of the price?
Cheers Paul
NPABU:
Thanks for all the replies regarding the map. I went with the 2017 Philips Truckers Atlas. I Ordered it last night and it got delivered this morning. It looks very good and well made with height,weight and width restrictions. I have been looking at the price of Satnav’s
Cheers Paul
My opinion would be is £400 really thst much for something that should last a few years and help to make your job easier. I have the Tom tom 6000 with live traffic and speed cameras and find it to be very good, Garmin and Snooper are apparently also good.
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I use the renault truck sat nav app on an iPad. I’ve used it all over the UK and europe, its not let me down yet.
Think its about £80
There’s the copliot truckers sat nav app for your phone that’s about £100 I think.
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Ive recently purchased the tomtom 620 professional.
Comes with free lifetime traffic and speed cameras.
Its got the truck/car/motorbike software. Allows setting of height and weight/length max speed etc. Dedicated truck routes based on your settings.
Its very good and the live traffic is the best ive seen.
Its been spot on with arrival times in the 3 weeks ive had it. Never more than 2 or 3 mins off.
Cost £300 direct from tomtom and arrived in 3 days.
The 520 is £50 cheaper. Same thing but a 5" screen instead of 6"
Phillips truck road map, that’s what I use
Re Sat nav
Think about what kind of work you will be doing before buying one,did 5 years at poundland some lads used to have truck navs but some of the places we had to tip a truck nav would steer you away but if its somewhere new nav said 1 thing map said another.
As an example Accrington along Eastgate turn into Avenue parade right into Whalley road then left into bus station signed “No vehicular access buses only” and its a bus lane
Have a look on google with truck setting it would steer you away but its where you need to be a right pita on a Saturday afternoon.
I’m finding it easier to find drops with Google maps. Tap the name in and it’s popping so can get their direct. Postcode or street will get me close.
Bloody co pilot just seems to get confused, never knows the location by name and wants a full postal address.
Only thing with Google maps is needing to be a bit more alert to heights and weight limits.
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Used normal Google maps for a while, just had to be extra careful to not go somewhere I shouldn’t
Co pilot app on android I’ve used more recently that’s very good
With paper maps, I found Phillips misses a ton of weight restrictions - in particular the South Hams. I made a thread on this ages ago.
With satnav, Google Maps works well, especially as you can just type a business name and it’ll pick out the actual building for you rather than rely on street name/postcode. But will navigate you through unsuitable routes, not recommended for a new driver as you won’t be able to smell these. The aforementioned Copilot app is pretty much the same software (if not better) than what they put into the £700 trucker sat navs, has a 2 week free trial and costs £80/year or £10/month. Added advantage with copilot is data is stored locally - quite a few times with Google I’ve tried to look up my next drop but can’t due to crap signal.
Once you get into the swing of it, Google is fine as you’ll be able to smell dodgy routes before you even get to them, and there’s a download option so you can fetch maps before you leave the house.
Edit - I don’t have a bluetooth earpiece. Well, I do, but I never take it to work with me. Don’t even know where it is. The depot knows I don’t have one. If you have one, that’s just an open invitation for them to be ringing you every 10 minutes with inane questions. I just call them back when I get to my break. If it’s about one of my drops that’s been cancelled or whatever, they text me and I read it next time I stop.
Google maps has tried to take me down some horrible routes I’d think twice about driving my car down haha.
It’s very accurate apart from the odd time it wants to take you offroading