Amid GPS boom, paper maps hang on

[bugo]

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-07-03/road-maps-gps-travel/56007828/1

[Alex]

In Delaware, for example, officials attributed a jump in printing of about 100,000 maps to people visiting beach areas and renewed real-estate interest.

I stopped by the Delaware tourist information desk at the Delaware House (I-95 Service Plaza) and got a 2008 state map last month. Are they reprinting the old base or what?

Charlie Regan, who runs the maps division for National Geographic, said the company has sold more paper map products in the past three years than it has ever sold since launching the division in 1915.

I thought I heard through the grapevine that National Geographic was eliminating their mapping division due to decreased demand and financial losses in printing them. Guess this is not the case, or this quote is of old news?

[realjd]

I own and regularly use a GPS (both car and trail). I own and regularly use Paper maps (both car and trail). Paper maps will become less common but will never disappear IMO.

[swbrotha100]

I've been driving for a living most of the last 10 years. Only recently have I started using the GPS available on my phone. I usually used paper maps. World Wide Maps has some of the best local maps for various locations in Arizona.

http://www.maps4u.com

[BigMattFromTexas]

Washington state DOT no longer prints paper maps... I tried ordering and the website said they stopped due to advancing technologies..
BigMatt

[OCGuy81]

I think AAA has eliminated their old "Triptiks" as well.  If you want something similar, they basically log onto google maps and press ctrl P

[Alex]

I've been driving for a living most of the last 10 years. Only recently have I started using the GPS available on my phone. I usually used paper maps. World Wide Maps has some of the best local maps for various locations in Arizona.

http://www.maps4u.com

Glad to see that they have not succumbed to being bought out as I heard a rumor that they were sought after...

[hbelkins]

I think AAA has eliminated their old "Triptiks" as well.  If you want something similar, they basically log onto google maps and press ctrl P

I'm not quite sure about that. I found that if I requested a Triptik online, I got that computer-generated version. But if I called to request one, I got the traditional version. I called earlier this week to get info for my wife's upcoming trip and they asked if I wanted a traditional (or some variant of that word) Triptik. I said yes. I love those strip maps.

[OCGuy81]

I'm not quite sure about that. I found that if I requested a Triptik online, I got that computer-generated version. But if I called to request one, I got the traditional version. I called earlier this week to get info for my wife's upcoming trip and they asked if I wanted a traditional (or some variant of that word) Triptik. I said yes. I love those strip maps.

That's cool to know!  I love the page by page maps as well.  I'm thinking the girl at AAA last time I requested one may have been new and/or a bit of a slacker....

Think I'll request a traditional next time and see what happens.  Thanks!

[venturafwy]

Nothing beats the sensation of unfolding a brand-new AAA map!

[NE2]

Not even watching grass grow?

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Not even watching grass grow?

Not even reading your posts

[hm insulators]

I don't think the paper road map will go entirely extinct; I believe there will be an entire niche of people devoted to them rather than GPS and that nonsense and eventually there will small companies making them. It's like vinyl phonograph records: it was thought that the compact disk would completely kill off vinyl, but even in these days of MP3s or whatever the heck they're called, there is enough of a demand for vinyl that such outfits as Acoustic Sounds (see www.acousticsounds.com) as well as used record stores are doing a thriving business.