Jun 29, 2015

“I can see 15 truck stops near where I am right now.”

“I’ve been driving a truck for about 30 years,” says Florida native Allen Wilcher, “ever since I was old enough to get behind the wheel.” He still remembers learning to drive his father’s International Transtar 2, hauling ammonium nitrate.

Trucker Path gave veteran trucker Allen Wilcher a whole new perspective

“I learned real quick, you didn’t want to grind gears with him in the truck,” Allen laughs. “Working with my father, you were going to learn something. By the time I was 14, I was helping him change brakes.”

On the road again

Allen recently returned to long-haul trucking, and his home state, after 16 years hauling trash locally in Missouri, while his son grew-up. “That’s a lot of trash!” says Allen. “After my son graduated high school and moved-out on his own, I was ready to get back out there.”

And the best part is

Allen’s now an Owner Operator with Roadrunner Expedite, and he couldn’t be happier with his decision to get back on the road. In large part, because his fiancée [Sierra Sugar, whose Trucker Path profile you can read here decided she wanted to join him. “She’s smarter than me!” Allen says. “She’s the one who found Trucker Path, and now we use it for everything from planning our routes to the places we stop for the night.”[/p]

Another day, another roadside gem

Tonight, Allen and Sierra are at the Little Nashville Truck Stop in Nashville, Illinois. “We looked at all the reviews for this place, and there wasn’t a single bad one.” And while Sierra is well-known for her cooking skills, “we’re not cooking tonight.” It’s why the two of them prefer the small Mom & Pops to the larger truck stops – where the menu is often limited to fast food fare.

Well, what do we have here?

“When we know where we’re going, we program our route into Trucker Path. Then we’ll switch to the Satellite setting – which gives us an overhead view of the places we stop. Right now, I’m zoomed-into the area where we’re parked. I can see our parking lot, the gas station across the street, and the pool next door.”

Allen can also see the nearby field where he and Sierra plan to enjoy a long walk before dinner. “It’s important to both of us that we get exercise out on the road,” which factors into most of their daily parking-site selections, says Allen. “The satellite view really helps us with that. And we geo-cache just about every place we go, for future reference.

Download the App. Discover America

With Trucker Path, Sierra’s helped Allen find spots he never even knew existed. And what would he consider his best new discovery? “There’s a rest area Sierra found along 191 in Moab, Utah – which is already one of my favorite places. When she zoomed-in on it, we saw that it was surrounded by huge climbing rocks. We walked all around them. It’s amazing.

“I bet I’ve been up and down that road fifty times, and here she finds this place the first time we passed through.”

Better still, earn extra money while you play!

Allen even credits Trucker Path with a recent cash windfall. “Sierra found a truck stop with a casino in Las Vegas, and we stayed there for three days. Our last night, I was playing a slot machine when Sierra figured she wanted to ‘help out’. So she pushed my hand down and the machine paid $600.” Being a wise money manager, Sierra looked Allen right in the eyes, and said, “Time to go!” Wherever they went next, you can be sure Trucker Path had a hand in it.

SUMMARY: Our profile of Owner Operator Allen Wilchire, a fan of Trucker Path – the App he and his fiancée Sierra Sugar use every day to find the best truck stops, rest areas and overnight parking lots. Allen particularly appreciates the App’s Satellite view, which helps the two of them scout the areas where they’ll be staying for the night.

What is crowdsourcing, and how can it make your life easier? [p]Imagine if there was an App that could tell you whether or not there’s parking available at the truck stop just up the road from where you are right now. Well there is, but more on that later.[/p] [h2]Our App for truckers does just that[/h2] [p][b]First, what is Crowdsourcing?[/b][/p] [p]According to [a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing"]Wikipedia[/a], Crowdsourcing is the process of obtaining information or services from an online community. It’s an increasingly powerful tool for solving problems and saving time and money.[/p] [p]For instance, Waze – which has been downloaded nearly 100 million times from the Google Play store alone – uses data gathered by crowdsourcing to give its users up-to-the-minute traffic information. And when there’s trouble reported ahead, Waze offers you alternate-route suggestions.[/p] [p][b]Other current and future benefits of crowdsourcing[/b][/p] [p][i]Helping you find better roadside restaurants.[/i] These days, [i]way[/i] too many truck stops offer only fast food as an option – and that’s no way to eat on a daily basis. Using a crowdsource app like Yelp in conjunction with a trip planner, you’ll find endless suggestions for eating healthier, better and cheaper.[/p] [p][i]Helping you finding more quality load opportunities.[/i] Imagine an online “marketplace” that does a lot of things Load Boards [i]should[/i] have been doing for years. Like providing more, and better, info on drivers and brokers. And includes a User Ratings option – to help you avoid brokers (or drivers) you don’t want to work-with.[/p] [p][b]Too many trucks, too little parking[/b][/p] [p]As the [a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/truck-drivers-face-shortage-of-legal-safe-places-to-park-1421799404"]Wall Street Journal[/a] reported in early 2015, the parking shortage for truckers is getting worse. A recent FHA study, for instance, identified a stretch of I-40 through Arizona and New Mexico with barely 300 parking spots for the more than 10,000 trucks that passed-through daily. In a 2013 web survey of some 4,000 truck drivers, nearly 40 % said it typically takes them an hour or more to find parking at night.[/p] [p][b]So how does that crowdsourcing app work for parking?[/b][/p] [p]The first question you’re probably asking is: Who would take the time to grab their phone, when they’re pulling-into a truck stop or rest stop, and type-in detailed parking information? Lots of people, as it turns-out. The [a href="https://truckerpath.com/"]Trucker Path[/a] app has over 220,000 users, and its developers have made the sharing of parking info as easy as tapping your phone a couple times.[/p] [p]Using your phone’s GPS, the app sends you a quick message, when you pull-into a truck stop or rest area – asking if there is any available parking. If you answer Yes, it offers you three choices:[/p] [ul] [li]Lots Of Parking[/li] [li]Some Parking Spots[/li] [li]Lot Is Full. Which, of course, takes just one more tap to enter[/li] [/ul] [p]Oh, and incidentally, that “marketplace” app mentioned above? That’s another service Trucker Path will be offering soon. Now ask yourself: How much easier would an app like [i]that[/i] make your life?[/p] [br][p][i]SUMMARY: An overview of how carriers can use crowdsourcing technology to find parking at truck stops, rest areas and overnight parking lots. With the Trucker Path App, truckers can also find open weigh stations and nearby TRANSFLO.[/i][/p]

Mar 31, 2015

Facebook friends comment on our parking lot status feature [p]Not long ago, Trucker Path officially announced the release of our Truck Parking Lot Status Updates feature. [a href="https://www.facebook.com/TruckerPath/posts/676574665822152"]That post[/a] generated 748 likes (and counting) – the most of any announcement this year, by a margin of nearly 200. It also generated 65 Comments (and counting!) from our Friends.[/p] [h2]Check-out how our app is now helping these users![/h2] [p]First, special thanks to everyone for your Likes and your comments. We’ve read them all. We love all the kind words so many of you offered, and we genuinely appreciate all of your suggestions. And yes, we even appreciate the complaints – because you’re helping us make Trucker Path App better for you.[/p] [p]Here are a few comments we thought you might find interesting, followed by our responses:[/p] [p][b]Sandi (from Vallejo, CA)[/b][/p][p][i]The [updates] are awesome!!! I loved the app BEFORE the changes. Best and most used app on my phone. These changes will make it even better. Love it! By the way, this is a great app for anyone who loves a trucker. My husband calls me all the time, asking me to check this app because he is currently driving and doesn't have reception, but needs to know where the nearest TRANSFLO is. Or the number of overnight parking spots at the next stop, the closest weigh station, etc. He tells me all the time, I keep him running smoothly. Thank you. :0)[/i][/p] [p]– Thank you, Sandi. And please feel free to send us any ideas or suggestions for making the app even better for you, and your husband![/p] [br] [p][b]Ross (a dirt-bike enthusiast)[/b][/p][p][i]It looks like you guys got it all together now. Success is inevitable, the snowball affect has started. Good for you, I supported the app when it started and I still do, use it every day. Overall very good job. But I've already shared with all the people I know who drive a truck, so stop sending me the “Share” pop-up.[/i][/p] [p]– Duly noted, Ross! By the way, love your Yankees hat. Are you a fan?[/p] [br] [p][b]Leroy (from Houston)[/b][/p][p][i]I love the app. It’s really great with finding fuel and low clearance stuff like that. Need to update Weigh Station info faster. Always slow to update.[/i][/p] [p]– We agree, Leroy. And that’s where you can help! Whenever possible, remember to report a weigh station’s Open / Closed Status. We’ve tried to make it as easy to report as possible, but we welcome your suggestions for improving that feature.[/p] [br] [p][b]Eric (from Reese, MI)[/b][/p][p][i]I update scales and parking all the time.[/i][/p] [p]– Eric, users like you are the biggest reason why so many people love our App. Thank you from everyone at Trucker Path.[/p] [br] [p][b]Raymond (from Smiths Grove, KY)[/b][/p][p][i]Love this app. Wish we could’ve had this technology 30 years ago.[/i][/p] [p][i]– Great news: We’re putting the final touches on Trucker Path’s time-travel feature, and we’d like to enlist you as a Beta Tester. You can expect a call from us sometime in mid June, 1985![/p] [br][p][i]SUMMARY: The developers of Trucker Path – the best App for truckers (company drivers, owner operators and independent carriers),available as a free download for Android and iPhone – are proud to announce the release of a new feature which helps truckers find parking at truck stops, rest areas and overnight parking lots.[/i][/p]

Jun 10, 2015

Where are the best truck stops, and how do you find them? [p]In the summer of 2014, [a href="http://bit.ly/1J9KBEa"]Talking Truckers[/a] published a list of the six truck stops that appeared on the most Top Ten US Truck Stops polls published online.[/p] [h2]Yep, there’s an app for that![/h2] [p]Those truck stops (in alphabetical order) are:[/p] [ul] [li][a href="http://iowa80truckstop.com/"]IOWA 80[/a] (Walcott, IA)[/li] [li][a href="http://flagstaff.littleamerica.com/travel-center/gas-and-fuel-prices"]LITTLE AMERICA[/a] (Flagstaff, AZ)[/li] [li][a href="https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=MORRIS+TRAVEL+CENTER+truck+stop+illinois"]MORRIS TRAVEL CENTER[/a] (Morris, IL)[/li] [li][a href="http://www.sappbros.net/travel-centers/"]SAPP BROTHERS[/a] (Sydney, NE)[/li] [li][a href="http://www.thesouthoftheborder.com/"]SOUTH OF THE BORDER[/a] (Hamer, SC)[/li] [li][a href="http://www.primmvalleyresorts.com/whiskey-petes"]WHISKEY PETE’S[/a] (Primm, NV)[/li] [/ul] [p]That said, our search for websites for the six winners above highlights the difficulty of answering the question posed in this piece’s headline. Given the revenue generated by a well-run truck stop, you’d probably think all six would have easy-to-find websites. You’d be wrong.[/p] [p]In fact, one of the six (Morris) didn’t even have a single page dedicated to it on TA /Petro’s website, while Whiskey Pete’s page in the Primm Valley Casino Resorts site mentions nothing about the truck stop itself.[/p] [p][b]So how do you find good truck stops?[/b][/p] [p]We’ve already demonstrated the problem with relying strictly on the Internet for ratings. There are still huge gaps in the information published online. Which is why, until very recently, there was only one [i]mostly[/i] reliable source of information. Word of mouth. We say “mostly” because opinions can vary widely – and what one driver considers good may not be remotely important to another driver.[/p] [p]At the same time, Word of Mouth isn’t always available where you need it, when you need it.[/p] [p][b]What if there were an app for that?[/b][/p] [p]That’s exactly what the founders of the Trucker Path app asked themselves when they started development of its Trip Planner feature – which shows users every major truck stop along whatever route they type into its extremely user-friendly interface.[/p] [p]Truck stops are displayed either as pins on a map or in List View – which displays results from the closest to the farthest along your route, by miles, and includes each truck stop’s address [i]and[/i] user rating. Tap on a truck stop’s listing, and you’ll find the following information and / or options:[/p] [ul] [li]Current fuel price[/li] [li]Directions[/li] [li]Phone / fax / web address[/li] [li]Parking availability and parking load history[/li] [li]Scales? Y/N[/li] [li]Showers? (# available)[/li] [li]Wi-Fi Internet[/li] [li]ATM[/li] [li]Bulk DEF[/li] [li]Tire care? Y/N[/li] [li]TRANSFLOW Express[/li] [li]RV dump station? (# available)[/li] [li]Overnight parking? (Y/N)[/li] [li]Truck parking spots[/li] [li]Nearby restaurants with distance & directions from truck stop[/li] [/ul] [p]And on top of all that information, the app features user ratings on thousands of those truck stops. Programming, for instance, the 146-mile trip from Birmingham to Atlanta yields 26 truck stops. Not to mention three Weigh Stations and one Overnight Parking lot. The app also lists route-side truck washes, rest areas and Walmarts.[/p] [p]So remember: The next time somebody tells you they’re having a hard time finding good truck stops, you have a ready response: “There’s an app for that.”[/p] [br][p][i]SUMMARY: An overview of the best US truck stops, from the developers of Trucker Path – rated one of the best Apps for truckers. Among its many features, the app helps truckers find open weigh stations and nearby TRANSFLO.[/i][/p]

May 11, 2015