Trip Planning Software - Not Sure About MS Street & Trips

[Samanthahhi]

I like planning my trips using Google Maps as I know that I want to drive 6 hours a day on certain parts of the trip and 4 hours a day on another. I can just enter my start and stop points, see how many hours it will take and figure out where i need to stop each day along the way.

I bought MS S&T as I thought it might be good to research and lay out POI's along the way, but I am running into some issues and maybe MS S&T's just can't do what I want and maybe you all know of other software out there that can.

I like that I have the software on my laptop. It worries be to have something I can only access with Internet connection as that was an epic fail last summer. I am not going to bring a printer, that's just silly. I do have my Garmin GPS that we used last summer along with knowing the general route as laid out via Google Maps.

In MS S&T, I am trying to do basically the same thing by setting my start time at 10am and stop time at 4pm so that it figures out basically 6 hours. However, I am finding this to not be precise.

Also, it keeps a running tab on miles for the whole trip rather than for each segment.

I keep thinking I am fighting against the general process of the mapping system and if I could just wrap my head around it, it will do as I need it to.

Any advice or am I just using the wrong software?

[Samanthahhi]

Good points!

I plan my trip out first via Google and then plug into my Garmin. I just thought using a comprehensive trip planner would add more details and be good to archive the trip, too. Wish Google worked offline. I've learned that there are too many times that the supposed "wifi" in a campground doesn't extend to my spot and often I just don't have it in me after a day of driving to locate the sweet spot for connection.

[paulj]

A good think to remember is that you can disregard the directions from the GPS. If you take a wrong turn, or willfully disobey it, it can recalculate the route. Go ahead and follow the signs, or your nose. Practice in familiar territory.

[Hank85713]

I use the KOA trip planner for basic routing, then plug destination into the navigator and go. Too much effort to try to analyze everything IMO. This way you have basic idea of route, can look at unexpected roadside attractions and not have to worry about anything you also know approximate time and distance involved and cross check with the navigator. traffic delays will pop up no matter where you plan. Nashville is terrible as is cinncinnati and and everything in between.

[paulj]

How import is the map updating? It probably depends a lot where you are driving.

If visiting a friends who recently moved into a new development, updating matters - if they can't give you directions.

If driving interstates and major highways, it probably isn't significant. Those routes don't change frequently, and when they do, paying attention to the signs rather than the GPS voice should get you through.

It doesn't hurt to research the route when you have full internet access. My impression is that Google Maps is as up to date as anything else. A couple of test cases involving major highway closures are:
- I495 through Wilminton DE.
- US98 Flagstaff to Page

Scanning state DOT conditions pages is also a good idea.

[dkreuzen]

I have used many Mapping programs including Strees & Trips, DeLorme Street Atlas, DeLorme Topo, Both Garmin products Mapsource and Basecamp, Google Earth, RV Road Trip Navigator 2012 (GoodSam version) and RV Plan'n go 2013 (it's non-GoodSam replacement).

The best would have been RV Road Trip Navigator as is had all the GoodSam park data but when GoodSam dropped it and the RV Plan'n go 2013 that replaced missing most of the RV park data. DeLorme Street Atlas is probably the best overall product but it is weak on the RV parks.
I though Street & Trips was going to be useful with the road construction data but that function is so poor that the program is at the bottom of my list and now removed from my computer.

Something to watch for is that most of these mapping programs do not update their maps until you purchase the next version at which time the new map will probably be a year old. The DeLorme products seem to do regular updates but as yet I have never seen a road correction with the roads I use. The most current maps are the Garmin products as they share the same map that their GPS uses. If you have a Garmin GPS with lifetime map updates you can update the maps on your computer at the same time you do the GPS, usually about 3-4 times a year.

No one mapping product does it all, I use a combination of them but it always ends with Basecamp where the most current maps are and where I transfer the data to my GPS.

[paulj]

pitch wrote:
...
I like to choose the roads I travel,is there a software that I can just input a list of intersections and cardinal directions?

I like the flexibility of Google Maps. I usually start off with 2 end points, and ask for route(s). Then I tweak the one I like. It's easy to 'grab' the route line and move it to pass through a specific point. Sometimes it's necessary to add destinations by name - and/or reorder them.

Entering every intersection would become tedious. I just want to enter the ones that affect the generated route.

[DaveG39]

Consider using this POI megafile. You can be selective on which ones you activate foryour particular trip file you are building: http://msstreets.com/poimegafile/

[pitch]

I use streets and trips, but I guess it is not what I really want. Is there a mapping software as opposed to a routing software?
I also have to force my chosen routes by adding stops. Once I hit the maximum eleven stops I have to go back and manipulate them.
I like to choose the roads I travel,is there a software that I can just input a list of intersections and cardinal directions?

[1971duster340]

Samanthahhi wrote:

> 1971duster340 - How do you plot how many hours a day you drive> All I can see is that you plan your start time and stop time, rather than me stating I want to drive time limit of 6 hours.

I don't use the Automatic Rest Stops feature much and it's not exact, but after you plot your END, add some automatic rest stops for a few minutes every hour or two. Rest stops are different than "Add as Stop" in the Route start/end pulldown. Look at your plot on the map and you'll see the rest breaks...or click on the rest breaks in the directions page and you'll be zoomed to that segment of the road. At 6 rest breaks you'll have gone your 6 hours.
OR
Set your day longer than planned, say 8AM to 4PM or start time of day + 8 hrs. Pick your start point and a bogus "Add as End" point beyond your planned end...get the directions. Set an "Add as Stop" as your real destination. (I use several "Stops" to command the route engine to go my way.)
Most important, you have to tell the software a route, then you can finesses it to your liking. You can't draw a 6 hr drive circle to see where 6 hrs is from your start point...you have to tell it the amount of drive time, it will tell you where that drive time ends.

[RVWithTito]

Thanks for this timely thread. I've used various versions of Streets & Trips throughout the years and was about to download the latest version for my Windows 8 laptop. I think I may try Street Atlas this time instead.

[2gypsies1]

We've used DeLorme Street Atlas for over 20 years with great success. DeLorme has a User Forum. Perhaps S&T has one, also, for some help.

[Matt_Colie]

Samanthahhi wrote:
> dalenoel - I plan my trips exactly the way you do!

> 1971duster340 - How do you plot how many hours a day you drive> All I can see is that you plan your start time and stop time, rather than me stating I want to drive time limit of 6 hours. Your explanation did help.

> Matt_Colie - "both are looking for a day of given length as either miles or hours." I cannot find the "hours" option? Thank you for the deeper clarification. Where do I find the Discovery Owner's website?

I do have AllStays Camp & RV and I totally get about having more overlays than you can handle...lol!

Samantha,

I no longer have a copy of S&T loaded. I can tell you that in SA, it is right there in the "Plan Your Trip". There is a switch to select hours or miles and the associated flexibility. I remember that S&T was similar in the older versions. The loss of the open travel time may be one of the reasons I gave up on S&T.

The Discovery Owners files can be found (click). There are instructions and you will find a lot of the Allstays data duplicated.

I hope this is a help.

Matt

[paulj]

What do you mean by S&T not being precise?

[Captain_Obvious]

Under "More Options" from the Route Planner tab, there is a setting for flexibility. Mine defaults to 1/4 hour. You can use this to try and stretch to the next destination - or set it to 'none' and you'll get your exact times. Also, you can set an arrival/departure time for each stop on your route.