Is there a high load trip planner?

[Aaron]

Hi everyone, I'm about to take a trip with my fifth wheel and was wondering if there is a trip planner that routes you around low overpasses. I know I'll be ok on interstates and highways, since the trailer is just under 13 feet high, but I'd like to be able to know which roads to avoid before I go.

[Lifemagician]

Hi Aaron, and Welcome to the Great American Roadtrip Foirum.

The best thing you could do for that information is to get hold of a truck edition of one of the road atlasses. I do know that Rand McNally publish one, and I know there are others. That is what my friend who drove an 18 wheeler used.

Why not make your way to your local truck stop - Pilot, FJ, TA, or any of the other big ones. They are bound to have them in stock.

Lifey

[travelingman]

I like listening to the podcast LIVING THE RV DREAM. Here is what they suggest if you have an iPod

Rand McNally RV GPS ($99.99) We have been using this app for RV trip planning for quite some time and we like it a lot. Its RV specific features let you enter your length, height, width, and weight. Then it will route you on safe roads for your vehicle. It is only available for the iPad at present. It is an on-board app that provides turn-by-turn navigation customized for your RV. Unlike off-board navigation, the maps load on your iPad, providing access everywhere—even in remote areas where you may not have a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. Includes full mapping for the U.S. and Canada, plus a built-in electronic version of Rand McNally’s Deluxe Midsize Road Atlas.

[DonnaR57]

I will second Lifey's suggestion of a trucker's atlas. My husband, an ex-trucker, still has his - it's called "Rand McNally Deluxe Motor Carrier's Road Atlas". The "Deluxe" means it's rather large and it is spiral-bound. It's also a bit pricey, around $50. You can get one either at a local truck stop (if you're lucky enough to be close to one), or order it through Amazon (which is less expensive). The trucker's atlas is a normal Rand McNally atlas, but with highways and roads highlighted, that are suitable for trucks, and any underpasses that have height restrictions. Low clearance listings are separate from the maps, though.

Having something electronic is nice for those situations where you might be driving through a city. However, I think if we were still towing a 5W (sold ours about 5 years ago), we would still plan using maps/atlas.


Donna

[DonnaR57]

This is what my husband has used in the past. $18 for the regular version, just under $55 for the spiral-bound laminated version.

For your own comfort, you may want to actually measure your rig at its tallest place. That would mean where the A/C, satellite dish (travel position), MaxxAire, or whatever is tallest. Frankly, only in national parks did we run into any low-clearance areas, and they were well marked with usually a detour to go around.

We were more impacted by a couple of other things. One was a place located on private property, where the grade was not well done. The cabover portion of our 5W collided with the truck's tool box at that point. Ouch, but thankfully, no real damage was done. Another were tunnels. You may be routed away from certain tunnels because you are towing with 2 propane bottles (as are most RV's). Fortunately, these are even few and far between. However, the trucker's atlas made a note of these, too.



Donna

[Aaron]

Thanks for the recommendations. I bought theTruckers' Atlas today.