I just downloaded the demo for S&T 2009. I like it and at the same don't like it. It could be an incredible program with a couple new/changed features:

1 - When calculating the distance/time, do it for the next stop, not just for the final destination. I add/remove locations as I go throughout my day. I can have stops added that I won't be at for a few days. I just want to see how far it is to the next stop, not until I'm done with the entire trip.

2 - Allow adding "waypoints" (not an actual stop). This would be to create a custom route if you need to bypass areas.

3 - Add a more touchscreen friendly interface, similar to iGuidance, CoPilot, etc.

4 - Allow the user to select POI categories that will pop-up and alert the driver as they approach them with a selectable distance, say 2,5,10,20 miles.

5 - Even though S&T has the ability to import pushpins, do them better. As a truck driver, I need different categories than just 1.

I don't know of what you mean by that, but actually, you can have a start point in green, a end point in red an intermediate stop points in yellow (like a pushpin). What is the difference with what you call waypoints and what i am seeing as waypoints (yellow ones) already supported

A waypoint is simply a location that you add to set a route correctly. It's not calculated that you'll stop there, but only pass through. A waypoint doesn't actually show in the routing directions, either.

Just for clarification, on Garmin navigation devices they are called "via points". Eg. I want to force the calculated route to go from waypoint A to waypoint B via C rather than wherever the default routing would take me.

With Garmin's routing software you can use POIs, waypoints or arbitrary locations you point at dynamically as Via Points (eg. when you select to Add Via in the routing you usually get the choice of how you want to add it, which will include manually typing coordinates, pointing at it on the map or using the Find function to get a POI or waypoint/favorite).

Many (most?) Garmin units do not have the Avoid Area feature so you can use one or two via points to force a route around an area you want to avoid.

...ken...

In S&T, i know two ways to change the default routing:

1- You can click on a route segment that turns cyan color and drag it with the mouse (a little flag will be dragged) to where you want the route to go through. It will add a yellow stop point to the route which seems the same thing as a way point as you are calling it. And the route segment you dragged will simply goes through this new place where you dragged it before.

2- You can have pushpins you placed on the map before. Just select one of these pusphpins and with the mouse right button use add to route function as a stop point (it will add another yellow point to the route and the routing will go through this pushpin).

Stop points in S&T are what you are calling waypoint or via point i guess. It looks to me exactly the same thing. The routing will use these intermediate points but you are not stopping necessary there and you can continue travelling through them until the final red end point. Event if you are seeing these yellow stop point (or waypoints) in the routing panel, it is not a problem, the final result is the same!

So the feature seems to be already there

I think this one is already there also

Just look this thread:
http://www.laptopgpsworld.com/1063-does-streets-trips-need-legend-overview-pane#post7026

You can have many pushpins sets in the same map, one for walmart, one for truck stops, one for campground, that you have imported from many excel sheets for an example. Once these different pushpins sets are there, you can work with them as a group (change the assigned icon, delete the complete set, and so on). So i think that pushpins sets can play a role of category of pushpins on your map.

My own words:

There is a third way, you can also draw an avoid aread by drawing like a yellow rectangle on the map and S&T will avoid to route through this area, when it is working correctly

http://www.laptopgpsworld.com/1052-correct-use-avoid-area-feature-microsoft-streets-trips

Malaki86 said:

In the meantime, you can try a low cost alternative (free) S&T Keys 2009, which is a separate tool developped by some guys in this forum. It will allow a partial touch screen interface control, especially usefull while navigating (we big buttons). You would have a F4 buttons on screen that allow to popup an on screen menu with big buttons, for major operation while navigating.

You can find the beta3 version here: http://www.laptopgpsworld.com/1021-streets-trips-2009-s-t-keys-work-progress#post7931

I'll grab it and install it in the truck on Sunday to see how it works out. Thanks for pointing me towards it.