Truck Routes - Montana Owners Club

bobsals · 07-24-2011, 04:03 AM

We have a Garmin with POI's loaded with current low clearances. The problem is these POI's are good when you get near a low clearance object, but then it might be very hard to turn around and find another route. I e-mailed "Low Clearances" which we subscribe to and asked if they plan to come out with routing software so we can establish a route free of low clearances before even beginning a trip. My response was "Not a this time". So, another option is the Rand McNally Motor Carriers Guide which shows many truck routes. Another option is to buy a GPS with truck routes built into it. How reliable those are, not sure, any input here? However I did a search on online truck routing and found many that require a subscription or an extremely high software puchase price designed for trucking companies. I did find one that seems to work really good but have not used it yet and it's free. http://www.truckmiles.com/
Anyone here use this service? It would be nice to be able to plan a trip free of low bridges rather than dodging them on route.

exav8tr · 07-24-2011, 04:51 AM

I have used the Rand McNally truckers atlas for 4 years and nary a problem. I know that Garmin has come out with a new nav device that you can input your vital stats into and will route you accordngly. Just not sure how accurate it is and how often you should update. You might check the Garmin website...

sreigle · 07-24-2011, 11:15 AM

I use the Motor Carrier's Atlas and the POI's for our Garmin. But, to tell the truth, neither are all inclusive. However, in more than 8 years of fulltime traveling I've really not found it to be much problem. All but once there was not only ample warning but also signs with directions to get around the obstacle. The only time that was not available the obstacle was only in one lane. Our lane, on a 2-lane road, of course. But traffic pulled over to let us pass.

In other words, if you encounter a problem situation not fitting the above descriptions, then it's a serious problem. But so far we've found it to not really be much problem. I hope the same is true for you.

richfaa · 07-24-2011, 11:47 AM

Garman 465T truckers GPS will not give you a route with low clearance. Got one works fine.

Lee F. · 07-24-2011, 01:04 PM

+1 on 465T

bobsals · 07-24-2011, 04:00 PM

What got me to start this post was a bad experience trying to get to Niagara Falls in 2007. I missed a low bridge sign when entering the Robert Moses Parkway and after going around a cloverleaf was confronted with a sign on a bridge that said 12' clearance. At the time we had a Sunnybrook fiver that was just around 13'. OOPS!. Stopped in front of the bridge with no place to turn around. (One way divided highway). We were able to get over far enough on the shoulder so traffic could get around us. Called State Police and within a few minutes had New York’s finest sitting behind me. He was not amused, but was very helpful by stopping traffic on the ramp while I backed all the way back up to the interstate. The end of story?? Nope! Took the next exit and stopped to ask a couple guys for directions to Niagara Falls that had no low bridges. They directed us down a side street and guess what?? Yup, another low bridge 12'3". Fortunately, there was a large parking area right there so we were able to turn around and get back on the highway. Continued on to our next destination and gave up on the falls.

After that, got very cautious with low bridges.

richfaa · 07-25-2011, 03:55 AM

Not pushing the Garmin 465Tbut the low bridge thing will likely not ever happen.Here is the trucker profile for my rig.

Width 9 feet,Overall length 53 feet,height 13 feet 2 inches,Hazmet none,Gross weight 23,500lbs,Max weight per axle 6,000(that is set to match the Gross weight) Number of trailers one. The 465T routes me accordingly.

Waynem · 07-25-2011, 05:18 PM

Do a web search on "AITA Low Clearances" without the quotes. It is up-to-date, and I check our routes when we know we are getting off the beaten path.

Happy trails.

mhs4771 · 07-26-2011, 03:52 AM

I have used the AITA info, but if you get too far off the beaten path you can still find low clearances. We found one recently on an outing with our Good Sam group. Was marked as 12'10" and didn't show up on there list. Now we did see semi's going under, but we decided to go around the block (sort of) to miss it, didn't want to hear and crunch.

rich6506547 · 07-26-2011, 05:23 AM

rand mcnally has come out with one for rvs check it out.looked at one
haven't got on yet.

Waynem · 07-26-2011, 03:26 PM

If a Semi with a box trailer clears it, then it is 13' 6" clearance because they are 13' 6".

My 3400RL on the King Ranch was 13' 5", as measured by H. John and I.

richfaa · 07-26-2011, 04:04 PM

That AITI list is a nice listing as I am familiar with several of the reported low clearances in Ohio.However one that we know of is not on the list and when I routed the 465T in that direction it would not let us do it. The Trucker GPS's may add some miles to the trip but it will keep you on trucker friendly routes. On a trip to a C.G we go to in Southern Ohio it took us 12 miles farther but kept us out of a couple of small towns, many red lights and tight turns. It will also route you on truck routes around towns which may add miles.But that is why we got the trucker GPS.

sreigle · 08-09-2011, 01:41 PM

The only problem I have is I don't often like the trucker routes. They're often rough and sometimes in not very pretty areas. I will use them when it works for us, though. I have saved the link to the low clearances site and will use that as an additional source. But, as I said earlier, we've just not found it to be much of a problem. I'll still check my sources, though.

richfaa · 08-09-2011, 04:02 PM

We used the 465T on our first long trip here to the Mid Atlantic rally .Down I-77 to N.C 564 miles. It also warned us of steep grades well before the grade and sharp , twisty turns. It also switches to car mode and will route you like any non trucker GPS.

sreigle · 08-10-2011, 01:19 AM

That's a good feature, switching between car and truck mode. My old Garmin StreetPilot 2720 has the car and truck (or was it bus) options but my Nuvi 1490T has only car, pedestrian, and bicycle. I do enable avoidances for u-turns and dirt roads when we're towing, though. My Nuvi also does not warn of steep grades. Each has it's pros and cons and we have to select based on what best meets our needs.

richfaa · 08-10-2011, 12:14 PM

I agree Steve. It took awhile before the 4565T came down to a affordable price and being able to switch between truck and car mode was a factor as it is two units in one. It does a good job routing around cities and towns even the small towns as it will keep you on the truck routes. Neither Helen or I care to westle this thing through narrow streets and those sometimes really tight turns. The down side is it will add time to the trip as you are on the truck routes. When the Montana is not attached we just switch to care mode. It is working for us.

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