2024 Rand McNally Road Atlas

[CtrlAltDel]

How does a Rand McNally Motor Carrier atlas differ from the normal atlas?

Highways for trucks are highlighted.  In some states, almost all highways are highlighted, in others (NJ and much of the Northeast) very few are highlighted.  Weigh station locations are shown with a red circle with a black border and an arrow.  There is also a listing on what highways trucks are not allowed in each state.  There are probably a couple of other differences that I cannot remember at this moment.

Much of the cartography is the same as a normal atlas along with city inserts being the same.

With the one I have, the pages are also laminated, so it's a bit more durable than the standard atlas.

[HighwayStar]

I would gladly pay more for a usefully enhanced atlas, but I was never able to tell if anything in the motor carrier version was worth buying.

[bluecountry]

I have to ask again, if you have a lot of maps and books, is this really worth it?  What are the pros?

[bugo]

I have to ask again, if you have a lot of maps and books, is this really worth it?  What are the pros?

I used to buy a new atlas every year, but now, i just buy one every 2 or 3 years. I did buy the new one, but the last one I bought was a 2021 edition. I had an Amazon gift card, so I ordered the spiral-bound large scale atlas. These days, I mostly collect digital maps, but I still like to have a fairly recent paper atlas at all times.

[oscar]

I have to ask again, if you have a lot of maps and books, is this really worth it?  What are the pros?

I used to buy a new atlas every year, but now, i just buy one every 2 or 3 years.

I bought at least one new atlas every year, through 2023. It helped, before Wal-Mart started jacking up the prices on its version of the RMcN, that it wasn't overly expensive to buy one a year. Even if the road network hasn't changed that much from year to year, the Wal-Mart versions included store directories, and it was nice to get updates on the store directories. But I see that Wal-Mart is putting out its own rather pricey Wal-Mart Atlases, so maybe it's not putting out a Wal-Mart version of RMcN for 2024  I haven't seen the latter, or any Wal-Mart Atlas in the stores, so I don't know if the Wal-Mart Atlas is any good or at least somehow uses RMcN cartography.

[bluecountry]

I have to ask again, if you have a lot of maps and books, is this really worth it?  What are the pros?

I used to buy a new atlas every year, but now, i just buy one every 2 or 3 years. I did buy the new one, but the last one I bought was a 2021 edition. I had an Amazon gift card, so I ordered the spiral-bound large scale atlas. These days, I mostly collect digital maps, but I still like to have a fairly recent paper atlas at all times.

Is it worth it?
Also, yeh should you get the spiral or the regular book?

[Rothman]

I have to ask again, if you have a lot of maps and books, is this really worth it?  What are the pros?

I used to buy a new atlas every year, but now, i just buy one every 2 or 3 years. I did buy the new one, but the last one I bought was a 2021 edition. I had an Amazon gift card, so I ordered the spiral-bound large scale atlas. These days, I mostly collect digital maps, but I still like to have a fairly recent paper atlas at all times.

Is it worth it?
Also, yeh should you get the spiral or the regular book?

Depends on the person and their needs.  What would make an atlas worth it to you?

[bluecountry]

I have to ask again, if you have a lot of maps and books, is this really worth it?  What are the pros?

I used to buy a new atlas every year, but now, i just buy one every 2 or 3 years. I did buy the new one, but the last one I bought was a 2021 edition. I had an Amazon gift card, so I ordered the spiral-bound large scale atlas. These days, I mostly collect digital maps, but I still like to have a fairly recent paper atlas at all times.

Is it worth it?
Also, yeh should you get the spiral or the regular book?

Depends on the person and their needs.  What would make an atlas worth it to you?

I love collecting geography things, but it has to be worth it now as I have too much clutter.
I mean, is this atlas really that different/special from other years?

[Rothman]

I have to ask again, if you have a lot of maps and books, is this really worth it?  What are the pros?

I used to buy a new atlas every year, but now, i just buy one every 2 or 3 years. I did buy the new one, but the last one I bought was a 2021 edition. I had an Amazon gift card, so I ordered the spiral-bound large scale atlas. These days, I mostly collect digital maps, but I still like to have a fairly recent paper atlas at all times.

Is it worth it?
Also, yeh should you get the spiral or the regular book?

Depends on the person and their needs.  What would make an atlas worth it to you?

I love collecting geography things, but it has to be worth it now as I have too much clutter.
I mean, is this atlas really that different/special from other years?

How different does it have to be for it to be worth it to you?  When I was kid, when the Interstate System was still being built, the changes between atlases were more drastic than it's been over any of the last 20 years or more.  You're not going to see those types of big changes year-to-year anymore.  In terms of content, sure, there are the usual big number of minor updates, but no, the overall atlas pretty much stays the same, despite it being the 100th Anniversary edition.

Not sure what you'd expect otherwise, really.  Maps only represent reality...

[bluecountry]

Well then the question becomes, book or spiral?

[bugo]

I used to buy a new atlas every year, but now, i just buy one every 2 or 3 years. I did buy the new one, but the last one I bought was a 2021 edition. I had an Amazon gift card, so I ordered the spiral-bound large scale atlas. These days, I mostly collect digital maps, but I still like to have a fairly recent paper atlas at all times.

Is it worth it?

It was for me because I had the gift card. It's worth it if you can easily afford it and you have a place to store it.

Also, yeh should you get the spiral or the regular book?

See above.

[bugo]

Well then the question becomes, book or spiral?

My eyes are pushing 50, so I bought the large scale atlas, which is spiral bound.

[CtrlAltDel]

The truckers' atlas is for truckers, and so the additional information it contains largely relates to trucking:


In particular, it shows which routes are legal for trucks, which incidentally, does not include a small bit of the 101 in northern California.

[kphoger]

In particular, it shows which routes are legal for trucks, which incidentally, does not include a small bit of the 101 in northern California.

Looks like there are warning signs at both ends.

Here's the south end:  https://goo.gl/maps/upTd63vHGS1g58tK8

[bluecountry]

Alright I got the atlas, few things:

1.  I would recommend the large spiral, which is what I purchased.
2.  Unless I am missing something, it does not appear to be that 'special.'  Other than the label I do not see anything else to differentiate.
3.  Interesting that:
       A.  In DC, it shows the current I-395 stub @ I-695 as I-195, and it shows I-395 going east, there is no I-695.  Yet this has not been signed.
       B.  But the I-66 express lanes are not displayed.

[Rothman]

Alright I got the atlas, few things:

1.  I would recommend the large spiral, which is what I purchased.
2.  Unless I am missing something, it does not appear to be that 'special.'  Other than the label I do not see anything else to differentiate.
3.  Interesting that:
       A.  In DC, it shows the current I-395 stub @ I-695 as I-195, and it shows I-395 going east, there is no I-695.  Yet this has not been signed.
       B.  But the I-66 express lanes are not displayed.

Still not sure what you'd expect in terms of it being "special."  It's a road atlas.

[hobsini2]

Alright I got the atlas, few things:

1.  I would recommend the large spiral, which is what I purchased.
2.  Unless I am missing something, it does not appear to be that 'special.'  Other than the label I do not see anything else to differentiate.
3.  Interesting that:
       A.  In DC, it shows the current I-395 stub @ I-695 as I-195, and it shows I-395 going east, there is no I-695.  Yet this has not been signed.
       B.  But the I-66 express lanes are not displayed.

Still not sure what you'd expect in terms of it being "special."  It's a road atlas.

If I recall, it did say Special Edition on the cover. I will check when I get home.

[Bickendan]

In particular, it shows which routes are legal for trucks, which incidentally, does not include a small bit of the 101 in northern California.

Looks like there are warning signs at both ends.

Here's the south end:  https://goo.gl/maps/upTd63vHGS1g58tK8

Those curves are no joke, either.
Fun drive though

[JayhawkCO]

Whenever I buy one, which is every few years, I get the spiral bound that comes with the national park guide. I don't really need that guide, but I like the regular, not large, type and the spiral is much easier to have in the passenger seat when I'm on a trip.

[kphoger]

Whenever I buy one, which is every few years, I get the spiral bound that comes with the national park guide. I don't really need that guide, but I like the regular, not large, type and the spiral is much easier to have in the passenger seat when I'm on a trip.

My dad bought me the national park edition.  I still like my spiral-bound large print edition better, though.

[bluecountry]

Why is it that
       A.  In DC, it shows the current I-395 stub @ I-695 as I-195, and it shows I-395 going east, there is no I-695.  Yet this has not been signed.
       B.  But the I-66 express lanes are not displayed.

[Concrete Bob]

I bought the 2024 RMN atlas this morning.  Biggest changes for California were on the Bakersfield inset:

(1) The Centennial Corridor portion of the Westside Parkway is shown as open.
(2) Neither the Centennial Corridor nor the Westside Parkway are designated as State Route 58.  The inset map shows State Route 58 on Rosedale Highway.
(3) Alfred Harrell Highway is designated as a freeway (because it is) west of Hart Memorial Park.

[ran4sh]

I'm not aware of Rand McNally ever displaying any type of preferential lane, whether that's express, HOV, etc . Which makes sense to me, those types of lane are mostly used by commuters, but national road atlases like Rand McNally are meant for people taking road trips, most of whom have no need to use express/HOV/etc lanes in the places they travel to.

[Mapmikey]

I'm not aware of Rand McNally ever displaying any type of preferential lane, whether that's express, HOV, etc . Which makes sense to me, those types of lane are mostly used by commuters, but national road atlases like Rand McNally are meant for people taking road trips, most of whom have no need to use express/HOV/etc lanes in the places they travel to.

The DC inset shows Express toll lanes where they are a separate carriageway.  Does not show if it is a single lane on the same carriageway like US 50 or I-270.

[DenverBrian]

I've always thought it would be helpful if road atlases noted Interstates with 3+ lanes in each direction vs. 2. No need for separate indications of 3, 4, 5, 6, etc. lanes; just some differentiation between "classic" four-lane Interstates and upgraded ones.