Virtually everything available on google maps today where you’re likely to need to go was and still is usually available in some form on paper maps just not a computer screen. 
While in Europe a basic knowledge of French,German and Italian direction instructions was also useful at least as far as Yugoslavia especially in places with Cyrillic road signs.
As for Asia don’t ask me how they did it. 
Same here, I used to carry a road atlas and lots of A to Zs.
Also plenty of change for the phone box 
Before the great arrival of sat nav all drivers used to drive around in a bewildered state, aimlessly lost with no idea of where they were or where they should be.
Surprised that nobody has yet mentioned the “dirt maps”, you know, the ones that someone who had been to a drop drew on the side of your motor after you’d asked him directions! You did look a bit of a ■■■■ with your head hanging out of the window trying to read it upside down though as your approached the delivery!
maps - a-z - speaking to others all worked for me. drivers would often give a rough map and its easy to follow, having said that we also used to chat on breaks etc. not just sit numb in our cabs.
think I had about 25 a-z’s in a box and as other said I either bought new ones or got used to where I was going (you tend to pay far more attention without a robotic machine telling you which way to go).
wasn’t all good mind as if you happened to chance on more than one driver when asking directions you often got different ways.
I had better eyesight then, used to be able to read the small print in the back of the A to Z, couldn’t do that now.
Maps,A-Z’s and if in doubt,ask.
Beau Nydel:
Driving down a one way street somewhere years ago and needed directions. Saw a guy walking towards me so pulled over to the right hand side, leaned out a d said where’s xyz. He looked at me, smiled and covered his mouth and ears - he was deaf and dumb! Looked at the delivery note, nodded, climbed in and I gave him a lift to work! Chances of that happening - zero.
My fad was telling me a similar story a few years back. He was collecting from a place in the middle of nowhere in France. Got to the village early morning, and found a cafe open, so he went in and asked where the place was. The cafe owner explained that one of his regulars worked there and would be in shortly for his breakfast. Guy turned up, said no problem, you take me to work and i show you the way.
After breakfast, they got in the truck and made their way down a little road into the countryside, when they came to a bridge over a river with a 6ton limit sign on it.
Dad stopped and pointed at the sign - the French guy shrugged his shoulders, got out and hung his coat over the sign. ‘All good, now you come over bridge.’ Apparently it was the only way to this place, and every artic went over it carefully - it was still standing after god knows how many years!
I was much the same as everyone else. carried a box of a2zs and if that failed I would look for a local shop or a postie. I was cheap though, if it wasn’t on my map, I would go into a shop and sketch the roads I wanted from the a2z on the back of my hand. I had loads of scraps of paper with hand drawn maps in my box if I thought I would ever go to the place on my hand again.
If I’m going somewhere not been before its a map open next to me and a nag nav as a guide,Tuesday went from Trowbridge to Andover (wait for the that’s easy that is lol),left Trowbridge thro westbury towards Warminster to pick up A36 to A303 for Andover didn’t look right heading for Salisbury to stopped for a peek at the map when a tipper driver pulled up behind so it was out the cab and went and asked.
He said makes a change for someone to ask for directions as it happens was only a few miles off the A303 so was all good.
I had a large holdall with county map books, and town A-Zs in. Probably covered about 75% of the UK.
Driver-Once-More:
Used to go into a services, flick through an a - z on the shelf, or ask at a local shop when in the right area.
This. I had, maybe still have, a talent for being able to memorise a street map page. One look and I could find my way. I’ve also got a large box of old maps that I’ve kept all these years.
Well young Rowley, us truckers on 111 Scanias, F88 Volvos, Ford Transcontinentals and the like, used telescopes, the position of the stars, and planned on our large charts with sextants the night before setting off.
If you could afford it we used to hire an Apache warrior to ride shotgun (literally) and he would get out every 20 miles on the hard shoulder, and put his ear to the tarmac to listen for traffic jams up ahead, and warn us.
The Apache would stand guard outside the truck all night, while us drivers slept, ok in summer, but bloody cold in winter, so he had to run on the spot all night to keep warm.
Sometimes you would forget about him and go for your breakfast, many a time you would hear the words in the transport cafes…‘‘Hey driver, you’ve left yet injun running’’
Hope that helps.
(An extract from Rob’s old trucking tales)
Driver-Once-More:
Used to go into a services, flick through an a - z on the shelf, or ask at a local shop when in the right area.
Yep me to, the gathering of truckers round the top shelf one handed mags section was only matched by the gathering round the A to Z section muttering to themselves the road name of the road before the one they wanted in an attempt to memorise it. The amount of times I’ve walked out the services then had to go back again coz I forgot is unreal.
Then a dash back to the cab to write it down.
Oh for the younger viewers, in the days before ■■■■ was moving pictures on computers and tablets we had to make do with still images in magazines and a bit of imagination. The top shelf was so the tiddlers couldn’t reach it, which is why due to sheer frustration growing up little folk are always the first to kick off. My theory anyway.
robroy:
Sometimes you would forget about him and go for your breakfast, many a time you would hear the words in the transport cafes…‘‘Hey driver, you’ve left yet injun running’’
Hope that helps.(An extract from Rob’s old trucking tales)
Left your Injun running
LOL - brilliant…
I used to phone Bking on my satellite fone and he would look at his saT nav and tell me the way, but always got hopelessly lost cos neither of these things existed, then or now (actually like others I would go into a services/shop and take a sneaky look at one of their maps)
I had a box full of County maps. Would still ask anyone when the roads looked dodgy though.
Used to infuriate me with the locals directions.
Somewhere near Poulton le Fylde (other driver told me to aim for the windmill) local said, “turn right where the bus stop used to be”. Not sure where I am, don’t know where I’m going, I’m certain I don’t know where the friggin bust stop used to be 
Another one is turn right, then move their hand to the left which right are they on about?? The real one or the other one 
Couldn’t beat buying an A-Z then finding it was 4 years out of date.
Ato Z maps ask at previous drop and if totally stuck shout on the CB or find a plod
I remember when another driver used to give directions by drawing a map on the truck with his finger.
One time in particular after being given a tricky job my colleague proceeded to give my back doors such a thourough ■■■■■■■■■ that there was no way I could miss my drop. Unfortunately half way there I forgot and had to park up to try and copy what was squiggled on me back doors onto a peice of paper. Not an easy feat when me rear end was now sopping wet.