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As we build our own RTA road trip planning software, I am curious about what software packages you use out there. I think I know, but real info would be better. In particular, I am curious about those packages that create maps for your use.
Thanks,
Mark
For pre-planning purposes, I use Streets and Trips. I create a rough plan and fit the trip to my needs and time, then when I begin, I use paper maps either from AAA or from the states themselves for the driving. I usually have a rough outline on paper for "oversight" purposes from the pre-planning (times, waypoints and mileages) , so I know about how far I need to go each day to stay on schedule, and how much extra I have if I want to deviate. Bob
I still use the good old fashion paper atlas for planning most of my trips. But when I'm looking for quick mileage estimates, I generally go with randmcnally.com.
For the web based programs, I still think mapblast a few years ago was the best, but I stopped using it after Microsoft bought them out.
For mapping software, I rely most heavily on MS Streets and Trips which I have installed on by my desktop and laptop computers. If I'm at work or using someone else's, I tend to use MapQuest. The thing I like about Streets and Trips is the ability to rearrange routes on the fly with multiple destinations and get immediate feedback on what the changes in routing are doing to the distance and time involved. I also like the ability to set my own average speeds for various types of roads and to change scale at will. And it will update information on road construction on request.
That having been said, software is only one of the tools I use when planning a trip. I have somewhere between 800 and 1000 paper maps as well as a handful of atlases and these will always come in to play as I try to get an overview of the terrain I'll be covering, what's available in the way of attractions, especially parks, historic sites, and scenic roads. I find there's nothing better for the synoptic view or situational awareness than 2-d paper. Besides, by and large, you can still get many of them for low or no cost.
About 2 weeks before departure, I will sit down with AAA and get a customized Trip-Tik. The advantages of these are that they are easy to read and manipulate on the fly, give a decent overview of the road and what's available in the way of services, and give current info on both road construction and 'strict enforcement' areas. Also, now that they are computer produced rather than just pre-printed, they can be pretty customized.
Once I actually hit the road, though, my primary reliance for navigation and making changes to routing falls back on the paper maps. I've tried GPS and computer generated maps and I have always been disappointed. So I guess my answer to the survey's actual question about which software package I use is MS S&T, but it is only one arrow in the quiver.
AZBuck
AZBuck, I wonder how many I actually own? I think 1000 paper maps would exceed my collection. But from where I am sitting, I can see 25 and there are a bunch in the files.Quote:
Originally Posted by AZBuck
I like that one arrow in the quiver concept.
Thanks for the feedback from all, thus far.
Mark
I only have Delorme Street Atlas USA and it is also the only planning software that I have used aside from RandMcNally.com
I just downloaded the free version of Google Earth, and I must say, it is EXCELLENT! Wonderful satelite images of most of the country, digital relief terrain, and 3D buildings, not to mention a cool 'fly in' feature. I've been up all night playing around with it....
I haven't tried to plan a trip with it, but using it along with Streets and Trips (S&T to do pritable mapping, Google Earth to get a view of what you'll be seeing), I think it would be a great, great tool. For those who are lucky enough to be a 'dashboarder' with some sort of Wireless Internet connection (cellular, Cellular Wide-Area Broadband) or just motel access, I would definately recommend having this on your notebook.
It's layers function is very nice too, you can opt to have the program show certain things, such as schools and school districts, parks and recreation areas, sports arenas, Earthquakes, etc.
The geocoding is, well, the same as Streets and Trips, hit and miss. Some addresses (like my home) come up Pin-Point, where my work (sadly, the AAA Building in Phoenix), is about 100 yards off (Google Earth, just like Streets and Trips, shows AAA Arizona's HQ at N. 7th Ave and Earll Drive, where we are actually about 100 yards north at 7th Ave and Flower.
I'm suffering the Insomnia tonight, so I will plan a few fake trips with the program and get back to you all in about, oh, 30-40 minutes.
-Brad
*** Okay, I've gone and tried some things out. The program, which intergrates Google into the map from Keyhole, does allow some things that even S&T doesnt. The lodging layer looks to be fairly good. There is also another layer you can add that syncs your view with the Google Earth Community and creates pinpoints from submitions by users to their service (some examples include pinpoints of known free WiFi spots at motels, coffee shops, etc, to Amtrak Station locations).
I tried out the Directions portion of the program, and I must say, I am very impressed. Like S&T, it automatically gives the most direct route via federal/interstate highways, but it also gives you a flyover of the entire route (yes, thats right, a High Res. Satellite image flyover (high res not in all areas, by the way) of your entire route.). For me, the route flyover option is a little too slow for my tastes (I'm impatient, I know), but if you broke your trip into segments that you wanted to see the areas "as real as you can get without being there or seing it on TV/Pictures", It's great. Again, with the 3D Relief terrain, you get a fairly accurate idea of the lay of the land... especially when the map view is 'tilted'.
I suggest trying it out, seeing how you like it.
I have been using it for a couple of weeks -- Yes it is cool, and I have used to spot geographic characteristics I had not noticed before. Downside -- it is RAM and storage Hog. I have 2 GB of RAM on my desktop, so the fly-over is reasonably quick, but I wouldn't attempt using it on any machine with less.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arizona Brad
Mark
Wow... I'm running it just fine (save some graphic changing slowdowns if I try to work to fast or have many things open) on my machine, and I'm running approx a gig between my two Sticks. I'll keep an eye on my processor monitors and check that out further...
I've never tied MS Streets & Trips, but I'd have to say Mapquest is what gets it done for me. I also like AAA's trip-tik as well. Only time I had trouble following something from Mapquest was in Washington DC, but I think that was more of me not being accustomed to the weirdest set of streets I'd ever encountered and crazy traffic.
Brett
I am a AAA member and usuaully so to their site for printable maps and directions. I have downloaded Google Earth on my laptop and have enjoyed "playing" with it, but have yet to really figure out it's benefits.
I would like to know if anyone has a GPS receiver that can be connected via USB to a laptop. I've seen these products and they are so much cheaper than the all-in-one GPS recievers, but is this a case of you get what you pay for?
A USB or PC Port GPS Receiver is useless by itself. You need a digital mapping program such as MS Streets and Trips or Delorme for it to be usefull to you.
I have yet to get my hands on one personally, but used one a few times playing with it and they seem to be of good quality. Again, all you're buying is the GPS Satelite antenna and the ability to recieve GPS Signals.
-Brad
Thanks Brad. I knew that software would be necessary for USB port GPS to be functional on a laptop, but even with the purchase of software, this is considerably less expensive than purchasing a GPS for the automobile. (That is if you happen to already have a laptop of course!) If anyone else has any suggestions about a specific brand of USB port GPS receiver please post.
hi guys,
do you all know whether there's any software out there for apple machines? i've been using ms street and trips but i'm gonna be using a mac laptop for the trip so wondering whether there's something similar
I recently got Streets and Trips and I must say it is very good, however do have a few issues with it:
1. Everytime you load your route, it has to work out the entire directions again (can take a long time if you've got a long route with lots of stops)
2. It's really unstable!
- I have a route which I have programmed in 35 stops, I asked it to Optimize them to make sure I was going the best way. It couldn't handle this and crashed (I've tried 3 times and it makes no difference).
- It crashes if it can't find a route. I asked it to tell me how to get to the Everglades NP from Miami and it crashed.
- I like being able to specify not to use highways but this has never worked for me as everytime I change my preferred roads it crashes.
Because of these shortfalls, I still love using a paper map (I like to be able to spread everything out and see my whole route), but Streets and Trips is pretty good at telling me where nearby places are and taking the hassle out of the route finding bit.
Hamish.
I have never had S&T crash on me. Wierd. Maybe it's something with your system?
You might need to drop another stick of memory into your PC. Streets and Trips '06 can be memory-intensive sometimes. A 1 GB stick would be excellent, but a 512 MB stick will do the trick most of the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by hamdevguru
Be sure to run an anti-spyware software every so often. These tips might help you.
I've always found Mapquest gives me the structure I need, and from there I tend to use printed material (maps, guidebooks) to see slight deviations I can make from the route to enhance the trip. I'd probably avoid software that did offered that service, however, I prefer SOME element of discovery.Quote:
Originally Posted by packman
-M. Monetti
I love S&T because you can tweak it more and play with it. It's far easier to add stops and detours and get an idea of how many miles these add to your trip to get an idea if you will have time for them. And while I also like to explore areas on my own and find serendipitious things that I didn't expect along the way, I also find out about things using S&T that I never knew existed that are off the beaten track and that I might have missed without it.
Well, imho, anyway. YMMV. I think we should all just use whatever works best for us. There's no right or wrong way to plan a roadtrip.