In the News with Highway Miles: Robert Phillips on The Lead Pedal Podcast

In the News with Highway Miles | October 2026

What does a working truck driver bring to the design of a free truck GPS app? That question runs through Highway Miles co-founder Robert Phillips’s conversation with Bruce Outridge on The Lead Pedal Podcast. Released October 7, the interview goes beyond a feature list to explore the people behind Highway Miles, the decisions that shaped it, and the daily problems it is intended to help drivers manage.

Bruce brings his own trucking experience to the conversation and asks a direct question: with so many navigation products already available, why build another one? Robert’s answer connects his background in technology, his work behind the wheel, and the partnership with his son Justin that turned an idea into Highway Miles.

A father-and-son project with experience on both sides of the screen

Before trucking, Robert worked with control systems, automation, and touchscreen interfaces. His job involved making complicated systems easier for people to operate. In the interview, he explains how that experience influenced the way he thinks about navigation: useful information should be easy to find, with fewer screens to work through.

Robert also describes his experience as an owner-operator and his current work as a company driver. Continuing to drive gives him a practical way to test Highway Miles and bring feedback into development. Justin handles the core programming, while Robert contributes design input, testing, and conversations with drivers. The project began taking shape in late 2024, and Justin left his previous programming role to work on it full time.

It is a personal part of the interview. Bruce and Robert trade a little family humor, but the underlying story is about teamwork: one person building the software and another putting it through the situations it is supposed to serve. Watch the background and family story from 2:28.

A truck GPS app that brings trip information together

Robert’s motivation came from the experience of searching through screens and using separate tools to get the information he needed. The design goal he describes is to bring navigation, nearby services, weather, and trip information into a shared view.

He walks Bruce through the look-ahead wheel, which displays points of interest along the route. Drivers can review a stop’s details or expand the list while keeping the map in view. Weather and upcoming-stop information follow the same approach. Bruce compares the experience to opening an additional view over a page, with the navigation still visible underneath.

The emphasis is on making information easier to reach and understand. For drivers evaluating the app, this section explains the thinking behind the screen layout. See the single-screen discussion from 15:02.

Truck trip planning still starts with the driver

One of the interview’s central points comes from Robert himself: drivers still need to review their routes. He raises concerns about relying completely on navigation, and Bruce connects that concern with the trip-planning habits he teaches new drivers.

They discuss looking beyond the immediate section of map, understanding the approach to a destination, and paying attention to roadway signs. Later, Robert explains how truck profiles account for details such as vehicle configuration, weight, axles, and hazardous cargo. He also acknowledges that routing information depends on the available data and can be incomplete.

The practical takeaway is to use navigation as part of preparation. Review the route while parked, enter accurate vehicle details, and follow current signs and restrictions. The app provides information; the driver still evaluates the road ahead. Our truck route planning checklist turns that preparation into a practical routine. Hear the trip-planning conversation from 7:03.

Planning a multi-stop truck route

Bruce asks Robert to explain how a trip comes together. Robert covers address and coordinate entry, including the usefulness of coordinates for deliveries to job sites. He describes adding multiple stops, saving favorites, and returning to previous trips without entering every destination again.

Stop order gets particular attention. Robert explains that his own appointments can require a fixed sequence. When the work allows more flexibility, route optimization offers another option. That distinction matters: the shortest sequence is only useful when it also fits the delivery requirements. For a closer look at this workflow, read how to plan a multi-stop truck route.

The walkthrough then turns to reviewing the route before departure, including available traffic incidents, congestion, weather at stops, and radar along the journey. Bruce connects this to a familiar trucking question: what is happening farther up the road? Follow the trip walkthrough from 18:12.

Truck parking, available hours, and being clear about the limits

When Bruce raises truck parking, Robert distinguishes finding locations from knowing whether a space is available. At the time of the interview, he says Highway Miles was not offering live parking-availability reports. He explains that crowdsourced information needs enough participation to remain useful and reliable. Our guide to finding safe truck parking before your hours run out expands on planning a stop before it becomes urgent.

Later, Robert gives an example of planning around his remaining driving time: switching the look-ahead display from distance to estimated travel time, then considering stops that fit within the hours he has left. He is clear that this is a planning aid alongside his ELD; it is not an ELD integration or an automatic determination of available hours.

The discussion also mentions planned additions, including Truck Parking Club locations. Those comments describe development plans at the time of recording, rather than a promise that every discussed feature is already available. Hear the parking discussion from 21:37.

Route sharing and the details a street address leaves out

Robert explains how a driver can share trip information with a dispatcher, customer, or family member. He also describes saving notes against stops, such as details about a particular dock or receiving entrance. Those details also matter when finding the correct truck entrance before arrival.

That prompts one of Bruce’s most relatable stories. In his driving days, route details lived in a binder that had to be kept current and passed to a replacement driver. Deliveries were not always to an obvious loading dock; knowing whom to call and where to go mattered. Their exchange shows how the same practical knowledge still matters when the tools become digital. Watch the route-sharing and stop-notes discussion from 23:46.

Why keeping a free truck GPS option matters

Robert recalls meeting new drivers who were already stretched financially when they entered trucking. That experience shaped the decision to offer a free, ad-supported version with the same navigation features as the optional Ad-Free plan. Read what the free Highway Miles truck GPS plan includes for a closer look at the available tools.

He closes by encouraging drivers to try Highway Miles and compare it with their existing tools. The invitation is practical: explore the app, set up a truck profile, and see how the workflow fits the trips you actually run. Hear the free-plan philosophy from 12:30.

Bruce’s show notes — summary

Adapted from Bruce Outridge’s official episode notes. Bruce introduces the interview as a look at commercial truck GPS and trip planning shaped by experience behind the wheel. The episode covers the development of Highway Miles and how in-cab technology can support professional drivers facing everyday challenges. It is aimed at both owner-operators and company drivers.

Read Bruce’s complete original show notes and episode credits.

Listen, watch, and get to know Highway Miles

Listen to the full audio episode (41 minutes, 24 seconds), or watch the full interview on YouTube.

Thank you to Bruce and The Lead Pedal Podcast for a thoughtful conversation about the work behind Highway Miles and the drivers we build it for. We’re pleased to share it in In the News with Highway Miles. Visit Highway Miles to explore the app and find the download links.