Software Review: Rand McNally Route Planner

I recently started using the Rand McNally Route Planner software (version 1.00.06), which makes it possible to quickly obtain travel directions, maps and distances without accessing the Internet. Read on for more details and system requirements on the Rand McNally Route Planner software.

Route Planner begins by showing a road map of the entire U.S. Users can scroll across the map and zoom in/out. Cities and other locations may be selected by mouse as starting points or destinations. It's also possible to type them in manually. After this, it provides detailed directions, times, Rand McNally print atlas page numbers, and mileage.

One aspect of this particular software program I like is that it doesn't require the CD-ROM to be inserted every time it is used (like some CDs do). After installing it from the CD the first time, it can be opened from the hard drive at any time. This makes Route Planner run faster and helps prevent the CD-ROM from getting scratched.

One function that does require the CD-ROM is obtaining additional information about a specific restaurant or attraction. It supplies details like payment options, food type, addresses, and phone numbers. Rand McNally Route Planner's maps include many attractions and dining establishments, but certainly not all of them.

Other features include a travel cost calculator, location finder, and toll road list. It can automatically provide "quickest", "scenic", or "shortest" routes from one place to another. For the most part, I prefer Route Planner to Microsoft Streets & Trips. Route Planner doesn't offer directions from one exact street address to another.

The software also covers Mexico and Canada, with approximately the same amount of information and road detail. Alaska and Hawaii are included as well. The Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic appear on the map but are otherwise blank (they do not show any roads or attractions). A long red line indicates each time zone.

Route Planner is generally easy to use, although a few functions aren't so self-explanatory. If you have any difficulty, try using the "Guides" section in the "Help" menu; this provides voice instructions and more details on each step of planning a trip. The CD sleeve also offers some brief instructions on use and installation.

System requirements for Rand McNally Route Planner are not too demanding. According to the sleeve, it works under Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0, or 2000. I found that it also runs in Windows XP without any apparent problem. It only requires 16MB memory and a 486 or faster processor. The Route Planner software takes up 110 megabytes of hard disk space.

Overall, I recommend Rand McNally Route Planner as a good software program for travel planning and research. It's faster and provides more options than web-based directions. It's especially good to have if you use a laptop computer on the road without an Internet connection.