hi i have recently started work for a multi drop company (7.5t) and have had two seperate routes(rural) in 2 weeks,i am given a drop list and a sat nav,however it takes me along single track roads that would feel narrow in a van and i,m getting a bit fed up having to get out when the road widens to pull the mirrors back to where they should be.can anyone recomend a site that i can download a multi drop route planner that i can customise the settings to accomodate a vehicle wider than a car ,i appreciate i will never find a dual carriage way between two villages but there must be a better way than the sat nav takes.i have tried modifying my route using a map but with little success .
I used to do grocery multi- drops in the sticks, i used to have a full compliment of A-Z’s for the areas i covered (4 of ) is the sat nav set for shortest route or fastest route ?, they are not necessarily the same route, shortest route will try to send you down the green lanes, if it looks tight then ignore it and try alternative route/ route blocked feature on a tomtom for example, the downside is it will cost you time and distance to the delivery point.
I was on extremely tight deadlines which became impossible to maintain in the sticks due to blocked lanes with roadworks. Also ancient green lanes which the company sat nav software thought were viable routes, which they were not. Plenty of vehicles had to be recovered stuck down these lanes on a daily basis, which was one reason why i left .
Hopefully that will take you to another thread on this forum (currently on page 5 titled sat navs and maps), i gave a small list of tried and trusted maps worth buying for drivers who want to do the job properly, IMO of course, there are real multitasking experts here who will know better though and suggest you spend the price of a decent car on some electronic toy to lead you, Pish i say. 
.
Sat nav is not and never will be the right tool for professional lorry drivers to route plan by, it is a useful little pocket sized street map of the country, and is invaluable as a tool to confirm unsigned turnings by counting down to junctions, and very good at guiding you in the last bit, but you, the driver plans how to get there.
A professional driver plans the route, that can only be done when full maps of suitable scale are before you.
Roadrunner’s post says it all, and you may well need maps of better scale for your own area as he points out.
If you have electric windows carry a broom handle or similar long bit of wood, nearside mirror gets folded, drop the window and poke it back out again with your stick, window up and off you go. Such a stupidly simple idea but it’s so much better than getting out every time.
8wheels:
If you have electric windows carry a broom handle or similar long bit of wood, nearside mirror gets folded, drop the window and poke it back out again with your stick, window up and off you go. Such a stupidly simple idea but it’s so much better than getting out every time.
Also to be used when mirror arm brackets are worn and company doesn’t care to get it sorted… 
I had a go at multidrop in the early 80’s for a well known company … no sat nav they gave me a box of well thumbed maps , i remember turning up at 5.30 am all trucks had been started , you had to make sure your load was secure before you left in choking diesel fumes from well worn trucks… first day Bradord and areas… talk about sat navs not updated these maps must have been printed for horse and cart days… lots of roads in bradford dead ended… time wasting… not much has changed i lasted a week and left, i think you have be a certain breed of driver to do the job… i take my hat off to all you multi drop drivers.
thanks for the replies , i got myself a local street guide which has loads of detail.however the pics dont show that B road 1 is narrower than B road 2 so have taken to trying a different route every day until i get(imo) the best route . ps love the brush idea
When I used to do Multidrop I had the coloured Phillips county maps. Still have most of them!
I still carry a map with me now but it’s only the national truck atlas and the London lorry guide, although I don’t often do London thankfully! Plus I’ve got a Snooper TruckMate 6000, but even then it needs a bit of a stern talking to 
I do a lot of rural driving ,often there is only one road. Just think of the guys who deliver tractors to farms etc.
Perhaps another good reason then Alan for using a Wag & Drag rather than a regular artic
8wheels:
If you have electric windows carry a broom handle or similar long bit of wood, nearside mirror gets folded, drop the window and poke it back out again with your stick, window up and off you go. Such a stupidly simple idea but it’s so much better than getting out every time.
Thats a crackin idea 
uncledek:
8wheels:
If you have electric windows carry a broom handle or similar long bit of wood, nearside mirror gets folded, drop the window and poke it back out again with your stick, window up and off you go. Such a stupidly simple idea but it’s so much better than getting out every time.Thats a crackin idea
such a simple idea, never thought of it.
FOR SALE 1 telescopic mop handle …i have been given a new(ish) truck with closer fitting plastic moulded type mirrors. a very usefull tool with only 1 carefull owner
Keep it they still fold in, I’ve got a Scania R series with quite a stiff mirror assembly on the nearside but that still gets folded in.