Streets and Trips Add-on

[Ray Davis]

I ran across this addonn to Microsoft Streets and Trips today which I thought I would share. Has anyone used this? Comments?

http://www.truckstopsplus.com/


Here's their first paragraph describing the product ....

The Truck Stops Plus 09 template transforms the popular Microsoft Streets & Trips routing and navigation GPS software into easy to use trucker’s software. It is a new add on template that replaces the standard out of the box template that comes with Microsoft Streets & Trips with a special template called the Truck Stops Plus 09 that contains more than 8800 trucking specific points of interest, including more than 4100 truck stops, which includes all of the major franchise truck stops plus more than 3150 independent truck stops. Also included are more than 2150 Wal-Mart Supercenters, more than 1650 rest areas, turnpike service plazas, and picnic/parking areas, 788 state weigh stations, and new for 2009, 107 Blue Beacon Truck Wash locations. The Truck Stops Plus template is a first of a kind high tech truck stop guide and Wal-Mart Supercenter locator tool on steroids, and together with Microsoft Streets & Trips it will handle all of your routing and GPS navigation chores. It’s everything you need plus much more!

It also supposedly links (somehow) with online sources to allow you to check high restricted roads.

Has anyone used this?

Ray

[jasperjr]

I have not used this product, but I'm certainly going to give it a look. We certainly could use a web based interface to help get us to were we want go. Having a dynamic and useful tool constantly updated (TBD from MS) will be awesome. (On a sad note; could be the end of Big Rig Best Bets.)

As a new member, I'm quite surprised (ignorant) by the computer literacy and skillful use of these machines by fellow POG members. The Acme Supply Company sure did do a great job training everyone.

[dalej]

Remember the good ol days when we would say....don't worry, I know where we are. Now a days we blame our GPS

[Sid Tuls]

How about the days when you could stop and ask for directions and could understand what they were saying.

[rfoster]

Amen to that Sid!

Ray, I would be interested in getting my hands on that add on. I use the Streets and Trips regularly to plan trips and stops. That Wal-Mart and truck/rest stop info would be great. I will see if I can locate one for me. My wife needs to hit Wal mart at least once a day while we are travelling and we already have everything we own in the bus, go figure.

[Ray Davis]

The add-on costs almost as much as S&T does, but hopefully it is worth it. I believe it's $39, and you are then given a download key.

I am seriously thinking of trying it.

Ray

[LarryB]

Ray, did you get the Streets and Trips ADD ON? I can't find it in my part of the world. How is it? Would you care to update the group?

Thanks, Larry

[Jeff Bayley]

Ray-

I would be most interested if it allows you to put your height in and route you around low bridges since I go into NYC a lot. Where is the link to buy it and read more ?

[Ray Davis]

HI Guys,

I did indeed purchase the add-on, but I'm not sure it's all that wonderful of an accessory.

It is essentially a S&T template file, which includes a LOT of push pins which have been added to the system. The push pins define locations of truck stops (different ones for Pilot, Flying J, Petro etc). Different pins for weigh stations, Walmarts, etc, etc.

The problem with the system, is that there is no way to turn off the push pins. S&T pushpins are always visible, and when you view the entire US map, you see thousands of these darn pins.

So, sorta at the suggestion of the seller, I run two copies of S&T when planning my route (you can start multiple copies). One regular, and one with the push pins. As I look for truck stops (for example) in the pushpin version, I then manually put that address/location over in my real S&T for my trip.

That seems to work pretty well.

Jeff, the bridge height stuff is NOT worth it. It pretty much simply points you to the website which contains a listing of low bridges, and it's up to you to see if you're going on that route. It's not automatic at all. There is a few "avoid" zones setup on the map, but I think there are mainly disabled.

All in all, it's an OK purchase, but not currently worth $40 to me. IF you don't mind doing web searches, you can find most of this stuff online. The benefit is that this is on your own drive, so you can route yourself, without connecting to a web, if you need to.


Ray