WeatherBug Elite iPhone App

WeatherBug Elite — 99¢ (weather reports)
Simply the best weather app I’ve found — and there are lots of them. It has a really nice interface, very easy to read and understand, and all the important info you’ll likely need right on the opening screen. It’s shown in the photo above.

WorkLog — $4.99 (personal time clock)
Great app for tracking your work hours if you get paid by the hour and want to keep your own records. It has nice reporting and makes it easy to check that you’re getting paid for hours actually worked (or not overpaid, LOL).

Qik Video — $1.99 (video camera for older iPhones)
If you have the latest iPhone 3GS, you won’t need this … but if you have an older model, such as my iPhone 3G, this app gives you a pretty decent video camera for just two bucks! This is a relatively new app and works much better than I would have expected. Worth checking out.

Flashlight — FREE (turn your iPhone into a flashlight)
I’m amazed how often I use this. It’s one of the first apps I ever downloaded, it’s still regularly updated (although most of the newer features are of little or no use to me), and I still use this nearly every day! It’s great to find your way around a dark hotel room at night or look for something you dropped under a seat in a dark bus.

FlickTunes — 99¢ (iPod music controller)
I use my iPhone for its iPod features almost every day on my motorcoach to play background music. FlickTunes makes it easy to control the music while you’re driving without taking your eyes off the road; a simple finger swipe lets you pause or play the music or adjust the volume. Before I start the trip, I select what play list I want in the iPod settings, then after it begins playing, switch to FlickTunes, and I’m set for the trip.

AOL Radio — FREE (listen to radio stations across the country)
Part of my daily morning routine is listening to KYW1060, the local all-news station, for the latest news, weather and traffic reports for the day. This app lets me listen anywhere, anytime, as long as I have a cell phone signal!

Kindle — FREE (Amazon’s ebook reader for iPhone)
Before I had my Amazon Kindle (which I got this past Christmas), I had the Kindle app on my iPhone and began building my Kindle library. Now I use it mainly to read in bed at night; during the day I use the real Kindle. What’s cool, though, is how it keeps my reading synchronized, no matter which device I’m using — it goes to the last page read on whichever device was last used.

NoteMaster — $3.99 (note taking app)
I don’t take a lot of notes on my iPhone. But I do have some info I need readily available, and that may need updating occasionally. Apple includes a basic Notes app with the iPhone, but it’s a little too basic. NoteMaster syncs with Google Notes, so I can create notes either on my iPhone or my notebook computer and have them instantly available on the other — or any computer with online access. Some of my most used documents include a list of prescriptions for doctor visits, and a list of my hotel frequent-stay membership numbers. Lots of other uses, too.

Incidentally, I believe all of these also work on the iPod Touch, with the exception of Qik Video, since the iPod Touch has no camera.

Other apps I use nearly every day include many of those you probably already use, too: Clock, Calendar, Contacts, Messages, Calculator, Maps, Google, Voice Memos, and more …. I don’t know how I ever survived without my iPhone! If you’re not already an iPhone user, you might want to seriously consider it when it comes time for a new phone. Even though I had to jump ship from Verizon to AT&T, the iPhone made it more than worth my while.

Will the Apple iPad (available starting April 3rd, 2010) change things? You bet … but no one knows how just yet. I’ll likely replace my Amazon Kindle with an iPad in the near future, so stay tuned.

What are your favorite apps? Use the comments section below to respond to this article, or click the link to the forum discussion of this article.

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Four of the closed rest stops are scheduled to reopen by February 17th, 2010; eight more will reopen by March 17th; and the rest by April 15th.

Click here for a PDF map showing all of Virginia’s rest stops and welcome centers, both those now open and the ones scheduled to reopen.

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On the Interstate

Now, before you email or comment, I know there are numerous exceptions to most of what I’ve listed below! But in general, these tips will be very useful in finding your way around the Interstate Highway System. It’s the government, you know … and they don’t always follow their own rules.

1. It’s a big grid.

   Not a perfect grid, thanks to our geography, but a grid none-the-less. The grid consists of one- and two-digit even numbered highways running east and west, lowest numbers in the south and highest numbers in the north; and one- and two-digit odd numbered highways running north and south, lowest numbers in the west and highest numbers in the east.

2. The grid is supplemented with loops, beltways, and spurs.
   

   Interstate loops, beltways, and spurs

   Loops and beltways bypass or circle major metropolitan areas, often easing your drive around highly trafficked areas. They are numbered with three-digit numbers, the first number being an even number, and the last two reflecting the primary Interstate to which they connect at two different locations.

   Spurs, likewise, are also numbered with three digit numbers, the last two of which reflect the primary Interstate from which it’s a spur, and the first digit being an odd number.

   There are no duplicate three-digit Interstate numbers within one state, but the numbers are duplicated from state to state.

   

   Interstate Mile Marker

3. Mile markers are your compass.

   The Interstates are indexed with small green or blue signs marking each mile of the highway — in most cases, marking each tenth of a mile. It’s a great way to know exactly where you are on the highway. Miles are numbered from the west to the east, and from the south to the north, always restarting from 0 at the border of each state. So … if you’re on I-80 (an even number so you know it’s an east-west route) and the mile markers are increasing, you know you’re going east! If you’re on I-95 and the mile markers are decreasing, you’re going south.

   If you’re traveling south or west, you know exactly how many miles it is to the state border (or the end of the Interstate, if it doesn’t reach the border). Traveling north or east, however, you need to know how long that section of the Interstate is to know how far it is to the border.

4. In most states, exits are numbered by the mile marker.

   A few states still number Interstate exits in numerical order. But most states have followed newer federal guidelines and renumbered their exits according to the nearest mile marker, making exit numbers infinitely more useful. If you’re headed to exit 40, for instance, and you’re at mile marker 20, you know you have 20 miles to go to your exit. If the exits are numbered in consecutive order, you have no clue how far it is to the next exit based on the mile markers.

5. Left exit or right exit? The clue is on the sign.
   

   The exit number flush left to indicate a left exit, flush right to indicate a right exit.

   Interstate exit signs usually mark the exits at one and two miles in advance. The exit number is at the top of the sign on a separate board. If that exit number board is flush with the left of the larger sign, it’s a left exit. If the exit number board is flush with the right side of the sign, it’s a right exit! See the photo at the right for an example of each.

   Left exits are much less common than right exits, and are often marked in a yellow section at the bottom of exit signs, also.

   There are a few states who have opted not to update their exit signs to this national standard — Connecticut, for example. They have exit numbers centered at the top of the sign, giving no clue to whether it’s a right or left exit. You’ll occasionally see other exceptions, too, even in states that largely follow the federal guidelines. But for the most part, you’ll find this tip very useful.

6. The Interstate Highway number grid is a flip-flop of the US Highway numbering system.

   The US Highway system, around long before the Interstates, is also laid out in a nationwide grid. But it’s flip-flopped, north-south and east-west from the Interstate numbering scheme. Odd numbered highways still run north and south, but the lower numbers are in the east, higher numbers in the west; even numbered highways run east and west, with lower numbers in the north, higher numbers in the south.

   There are exceptions to both numbering grid systems, although more exceptions in the US Highway system.

   Because these numbering grids are flip-flopped, you’ll find no I-50 or I-60 route numbers; chances are they’d be in the same states with US Highways of the same route number, and would be very confusing for drivers.

7. Interstate Design Standards: Roadway widths, bridge clearances and weight limits
   

   I-95 Shield

   Interstate design standards include a minimum of four 12-foot wide travel lanes, a minimum shoulder width of 10 feet, full control of access, and design speeds of 50 to 70 miles per hour (depending on the type of terrain).

   Bridge clearances are specified to be at least 16 feet, including shoulder clearances. Although the maximum height of trucks in the US is 13′ 6″, the design standards were written to allow movement of military equipment, part of the missile defense system, now obsolete. Bridge weight limits accommodate at least maximum legal loads of 80,000 lb. (40 tons); in some states the limits are significantly higher — Michigan, for instance, with their super-heavy trucks.

   HOWEVER — it’s important to note that there are many exceptions to these numbers! While new construction meets these design standards nearly 100% of the time, many older Interstates do not, especially roads such as the Pennsylvania Turnpike that were not originally constructed as Interstates but became part of the Interstate system later. Motorcoaches should not generally have a problem on any of the Interstates, but trucks do have to be careful and watch for an occasional low clearance or underweight bridge limit even on the Interstates. Exceptions should be well marked in advance of the problem. Most problems will be limited to oversize loads, not a problem for tour buses.

8. Interstate Highway Trivia

   The longest Interstate:
   I-90, 3,020.54 miles, from Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts

   The shortest Interstate:
   I-97, 17.62 miles, Annapolis to Baltimore, Maryland

   The highest point on the Interstate system:
   I-70, in the Eisenhower Tunnel at the Continental Divide in the Colorado Rocky Mountains (11,158 ft.)

   The lowest point on the Interstate system:
   I-95, in the Fort McHenry Tunnel under the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland (107 ft. below sea level)

   Highest speed limit:
   80 mph (130 km/h): I-10 and I-20 in rural western Texas and I-15 in rural central Utah

   Lowest speed limit:
   40 mph (64 km/h): I-490 through Rochester, New York; I-68 through Cumberland, MD; and I-394 east of I-94 in Minneapolis, Minnesota

For references and more information, visit these sites:

• FHA’s National System of Interstate and Defense Highways
• FHA’s Interstate System Design
• FHA’s National Highway System
• Wikipedia’s Interstate Highway System

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Four Points by Sheraton, Charlesbourg, Quebec -- a very bus-friendly hotel.

When you’re on the road that much, the right hotel room can mean the difference between a great trip and a terrible trip. It’s often the little things that make the difference. But it never ceases to amaze me how many hotels screw up the little things!

The basics: a clean, quiet room is a given. But many hotels fall down right there — the room isn’t clean, or not as clean as it should be. Good help is hard to find, I know; but in most cases I’ve seen, management is the issue. People do what’s expected of them and only so far as they’re held accountable. Often a dirty room means someone at a higher level isn’t doing what they’re supposed to be doing. (Does that apply to dirty buses, too?!)

A comfortable bed is also a given, you would think. I’m a tall guy — 6’5″ — and used to a king size bed at home, which is my ideal on the road, too. A queen size bed is still comfortable; but some hotels, mostly older ones, still have full size beds in their standard room. In those, my feet stick out the end, and I definitely don’t sleep as well. Some hotels have newer style “pillow-top” mattresses — wow, some are so comfortable I’m in no hurry to go home! Others have hard, “spring-loaded” mattresses; when you sit down you bounce right back up again — not good.

Other important factors include working temperature control in the room, preferably without having to hear a very noisy air conditioner or heater. A bathroom big enough to turn around in, with plenty of fluffy white towels. A wall mirror in the room in addition to the bathroom. A TV with a working remote. An elevator if you’re not on the first floor. A portico high enough to get the bus underneath for loading/unloading luggage on a rainy day. And, of course, bus parking — if you can’t safely park your motorcoach at or very near the hotel, all of this is a moot point.

Some hotel chains have introduced amenities over the years that have now become must-haves for the regular traveler. In the bathroom, a curved shower rod (thanks, Hampton Inn), and a great shower head (thanks, Holiday Inn). A “free” continental breakfast with at least one or two hot items (saves a lot of time and money when you’re on the road). Free Internet access. All of these used to be niceties, but I don’t want to stay in a room without them anymore.

If you’re away more than one night, especially on a trip where you end up killing a lot of time in a hotel room, a microwave and refrigerator is really important, too — partly for convenience, but especially for cost savings. On a multiple day trip I’ll often make a stop at a supermarket the first day and pick up a few things I can lunch on in the room.

Ironically, the more expensive hotels don’t include many of these things, or charge extra for them. Breakfast and Internet access, for instance, are often extra charges. Those hotels are more for vacationers and corporate travelers. Fortunately, for working travelers like motorcoach drivers, there are several chains who do a great job at meeting our needs. But the list is pretty short for those who do it well and do it consistently. There are exceptions, but overall, here are my favorites; the first three are way, way ahead of the pack:

1. Drury Inn
   Too bad this chain is only in the midwest. “The extras aren’t extra” and they have no equal in my limited experience with them. It’s probably not a coincidence that they aren’t franchises — all are family owned.
2. Hampton Inn
   Long my number one choice until my experience with Drury Inns this summer. They just get it right, over and over, across the chain. Must be someone following up somewhere!
3. Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Select
   These are the newer of the Holiday Inns, and, like Hampton Inn, get it right over and over again.

The rest of the list is a distant fourth place or worse. They tend to be inconsistent — I’ve stayed in some excellent ones, and had to leave an occasional one, it was so bad. But because of the cost and/or location, they’re often in the running:

4. Comfort Inn
   Many (most?) of these are two floors, no elevator. Many are older and run down. But a few are also very nice. I’ve had both good and bad experiences with these.
5. Red Roof Inn
   Low price, pet friendly (which means if there’s a local dog show, you’re going to have lots of animals around!). Inconsistent quality.
6. Days Inn
   Many of these are older and not in good shape, but there are some good ones, too.
7. Ramada Inn
   I’ve only ever stayed in one Ramada I was comfortable in (Ligonier, PA). But I’m sure there must be a few other good ones somewhere.

Sheraton isn’t on my list above, because they’re often among the more expensive hotels that charge extra for things like breakfast and Internet access. But I recently had a good experience with a Sheraton near Quebec City in Canada, which is where the above photo was taken. Note the bus parking — right by the front door! I was the only bus there, so no competition for that spot; but other buses wouldn’t have had too far to go, since this was a fairly new hotel with very large parking lots.

A driver friend of mine has a real simple hotel rule: if there’s no front door giving access to all the rooms, it’s the wrong hotel. An oversimplification, perhaps, but you know what — he’s often right!

That’s my list, based on my personal experience. How does it compare to your experience? Feel free to add your comments below.

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1) The Phantom of the Opera

The longest running show on Broadway, and once you’ve seen it you start to understand why. Great music. And one of those very rare shows you want to see more than once. I had one passenger recently who was seeing it for the 11th time!

2) Mamma Mia

I love ABBA’s music, and this is a fun story built around their great songs. Another one you can see more than once — my wife has been there twice already.

3) Jersey Boys

Okay, I love oldies … and I love Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. So this show in a no-brainer — great music and a great, mostly true, story.

4) South Pacific

My wife bought me tickets for this show (on a Hagey Tour, of course!) for Valentine’s Day earlier this year. It’s playing at the Lincoln Center, and is a revival of the famous Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. Really well done.

5) In the Heights

Winner of the 2008 Tony for Best Musical, this is a wonderful show about two days in the life of a Washington Heights neighborhood. You’ll laugh and you’ll cry. A good story, and definitely worth seeing.

So those are my current “top five.” Other great shows still playing on Broadway that I’ve seen and highly recommend include Mary Poppins, Wicked, Chicago, and The Lion King. Other shows that my passengers are talking positively about but I haven’t yet seen include Billy Elliot the Musical, Hair, and Guys and Dolls.

Two shows I loved that, sadly, are no longer playing on Broadway include Hairspray (I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt by the end of the show), and The Color Purple (a show that played with my emotions, both happy and sad, more than any I’ve ever seen). Moral of the story: no show plays forever; don’t wait until it’s too late to see the show you really wanted to see.

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1) New York City

What an easy way to visit the Big Apple! Take the motorcoach directly to the Times Square area. There is so much to do. If you like Broadway shows, pick up a half price (or deeply discounted) ticket for a same-day show at the TKTS booth in the center of Times Square. Lunch at one of the hundreds of great restaurants. Shop along Fifth Avenue in some of the most famous stores in the world. A short subway ride takes you uptown to the world’s finest museums, or to Lower Manhattan for Chinatown or a visit to the Statue of Liberty. So much to see and do, you could do this every month! It’s my favorite day trip.

2) Washington, DC

There is so much to see and do in our nation’s capital! The Smithsonian museums alone can occupy your time for days — and they’re all free (your tax dollars at work!). See the numerous monuments and memorials. And visit the brand new Visitor Center at the Capitol.

3) Baltimore Inner Harbor

Baltimore, MD has done a marvelous job at bringing their Inner Harbor to life, with lots of activities for visitors. Stroll around the harbor; visit the state-of-the-art Aquarium and see the dolphin show; visit the Maryland Science Center and watch an Imax movie. Tour one of the ships or submarine docked there, and visit the Baltimore Maritime Museum. You can take a boat cruise of the Inner Harbor area. Lots of shopping and great eating, too!

4) Ocean City, NJ

There’s nothing like a day at the shore to just relax and get away from it all. Stroll the boardwalk, spend time on the beach, enjoy fresh seafood, and more.

5) Statue of Liberty

Everyone should visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island at least once in their lifetime. Easiest access is from Liberty Sate Park in New Jersey, where the motorcoach drops you off right by the ferry access point.

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1. Introduce yourself, as the person in charge, to your driver.

You’d be amazed how often we have to guess or ask around the group to find out who is in charge of things like letting us know when you’re ready to depart, confirm destinations and time schedules, letting us know that all passengers have boarded, etc. Sometimes our paperwork tells us who’s in charge and we can find you, but just as often the person listed on our paperwork is the person who booked the coach for the trip, not the person who’s actually in charge on trip day.

2. Ride Bus #1, and sit in the front of the coach.

If you’ve booked multiple coaches for your group, the overall group leader should ride on the first coach in the group. Sometimes last minute “executive decisions” need to be made en route, and it’s difficult to do that when there’s no one in charge on the first coach. Sit up front where the driver can talk to you if/when necessary, or at least be prepared to move to the front quickly when needed.

3. Make sure your group understands that you’re in charge.

Introduce yourself to your group (or other bus captains) as the “go to” person if there’s a problem or a decision that needs to be made on behalf of the group. Don’t put the driver(s) in the position of having to negotiate between passengers, group leaders, and previously arranged trip plans. The group leader is the contact person between the driver and the group.

4. Allow time to review trip plans with the driver before you depart the pickup point.

Drivers are usually pretty good at double checking trip plans with the group leader, including things like selection of the route, plans for rest stops along the way, etc. But sometimes trips are less well organized and the group leader is so rushed, we’re on the road before we’ve confirmed the details. If things have changed since the original itinerary was given to the driver, it can make it difficult for the driver to make adjustments en route. Also, give the driver the overall picture for the day if it’s not clear from the itinerary. We like to research things like directions and bus parking ahead of time when possible.

5. Remember, the driver likes to eat, too.

Too often groups will try and make up time by eating meals on the bus. That’s not a problem, as long as the group hasn’t already been traveling all day and the driver has had time for a meal. Expecting the driver to eat while driving, or to skip meals altogether, is definitely not a good idea. Make sure your driver has time off — 30 minutes, at least — to get a meal and eat before he has to continue driving at meal times.

6. Allow adequate time for rest stops along the way.

Yes, the coach has a bathroom. But it’s not really designed to handle everyone on the bus using it multiple times during the day — it’s there for emergency use for those who just can’t wait until the next rest stop. With a full bus, you need to allow a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes every 2-3 hours for a bathroom break. Even those who don’t need the bathroom break will enjoy being able to get off the coach and stretch their legs.

7. Exchange cell phone numbers with the driver.

This will usually be initiated by the driver, but don’t hesitate to ask if he/she forgets. You may not need to use the phone numbers, but just in case — things do change — you want to be able to communicate with your driver. He/she needs your number, just as you need theirs. But don’t give the driver’s cell phone number to the rest of the passengers, especially if it’s his personal cell phone number — give them yours, instead.

8. Don’t ask or expect the driver to subsidize the cost of your trip.

Motorcoach drivers rely on gratuities for a substantial part of their income — and that’s good for you and your group — a merit-based pay system! Don’t cut back on the gratuity for your driver because of a cutback in your group’s trip budget. If your driver has done a good job for you, he/she deserves to be paid.

Your motorcoach driver is a professional and can help make your trip a success. We want it to be a great experience for everyone, including you, the group leader! Just a little time, planning, and good communication are all it takes. Your comments or questions are welcome.

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