Trucking GPS. What brand to get?

Discussion in 'Trucking Electronics, Gadgets and Software Forum' started by Ducktart, Jul 13, 2014.

  1. Ducktart

    Ducktart Light Load Member

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    Hey everyone. New to this forum (this is my first post)
    Anyways I just finished school and am about to finish training with USA Truck and am looking at buying a GPS soon. However as the title implies I have no idea which brand to get. My trainer said rand McNally makes great atlases, but if you want a GPS stick with companies that strictly just make GPS units (Garmin, TomTom etc.)
    I just wanted a second opinion because these things aren't cheap.

    Thanks
     
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  3. Mark Kling

    Mark Kling Technology Contributor

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    Look under Electronic Connection and do a search.. this has been asked many times.
     
  4. Charli Girl

    Charli Girl Road Train Member

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    Nothing and I mean nothing compares to a Garmin
     
  5. Starboyjim

    Starboyjim Road Train Member

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    Look at it this way: most all of us buy a commercial road atlas. Rand McNally is the publisher. Their GPS is pretty dang strong. 520 or 720.
     
  6. iraqralph43

    iraqralph43 Road Train Member

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    Garmin is the best.......Garmin has been used by military for years......garmin was what we had driving in iraq
     
  7. freightlinerman

    freightlinerman Road Train Member

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    I have a Rand McNally TND 520, and I'm not to pleased with it. The routing it gives you is way off some times. For example, travelling South on I95 through NYC going to Maryland, coming from Massachusetts. The Rand McNally kept trying to tell me to turn around and get off. My NaviGo GPS on the Qualcomm said I believe 70 miles, and the Rand McNAlly was 150 miles. Just as I reached the New Jersey border, it will change the route and the miles will be close or match. There's times where Rand McNally can give me a shorter route, and there are times where it just tries to reroute me hundreds of miles for no apparent reason. What the heck.

    The Garmin, I just didn't like the set up on it. I'm almost tempted to buy a Garmin now. The Rand McNally is okay, but I think there are better GPS units out there. I don't think Tom Tom makes a commercial unit. If they did, I'd buy it. Tom Tom is an awesome GPS, it was my first one years ago.
     
    Starboyjim Thanks this.
  8. johnn5272000

    johnn5272000 Light Load Member

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    Well if the government uses it thats a good enough reason for me not to. Rand McNally all the way. You know Garmin is overpriced even though i do use a garmin LoL. My next one will be rand mcnally
     
  9. Mark Kling

    Mark Kling Technology Contributor

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    One of the reasons is part of I-95 going thru NYC is Non-STAA meaning 96"/48' only. Even though you see hundreds of 53' trailers, it is what the road is rated for. Please post items like this in the support thread so I can address your routing issues

    http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/trucks.shtml#map
     
  10. TexTrucker

    TexTrucker Medium Load Member

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    I like my RM 720 for the most part. It has some great features. However, there are times I feel like I'm beta testing their software with all the mistakes in it. Some are minor, like mispelling Indianapolis, coming out of St Louis, and some are just poor routing decisions.

    The RM is the only solid experience I have with a gps, so I don't know if it's common or not. I talked to RM customer service, and they want you to contact them with the mistakes you find.. well, I am not going to put that much time into fixing their product for them.

    As with any gps, double check the route it gives you. I ignore it when it routes me wrong, and eventually it will see it my way.
     
    Cetane+ Thanks this.
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