Best GPS unit?

Since you're with Rand McNally, I'll address the 720 in my comparisons...

If I bought software that performed as poorly as the 720, I'd by all means do everything in my power to get my money back (not likely, considering most stores' policy on opened software), and I'd make a huge stink on what a rip-off said software is to hopefully prevent other people from having the same experience.

There's a huge difference between needing an update and beta products. Software that needs updates functions just fine without it. Updates provide added functionality or minor tweaks. Beta products have major quirks and are highly unreliable.

Let's see... major quirks... highly unreliable.... sort of like needing a hard copy atlas because the electronic maps - the primary function - can't be counted on to be accurate. Yep, that's the 720 (and Garmin), all right!

It's especially odd for the Rand McNally, considering they make the atlas I rely on when their BETA PRODUCT fails to perform. Here's a thought... why not use the same data that's in that big ol' atlas in this new-fangled machine? (and before you say it does... no, it doesn't. There are many discrepancies between the two)

(PS: And on restrictions, how often can low bridge clearances change over the course of a year? EH?! That's one of the major offenders of these machines you like to tout)


Edit to add: Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the 720. I just think it could be a lot better than it is. Same with the DEZL. Both have potential, but as long as people go around singing their praises, it'll take that much longer to see any real improvement. There's a lot of work to be done on these units.

 

I'm

Since my current co-driver and I are only in our third week together,.the side by side comparison exists for that period only. I purchased my Garmin at least four months ago, so I will speak to the extent of that experience.

In my opinion the Dezl is easily overpriced by one hundred dollars. The reliability just isn't there, so the only usefulness I find is in the speedometer, time of arrival, altimeter and other gadgetry that makes it fun to play with.

Funny thing just happened. I've just returned to the sleeper from the cab where I had to redirect my co-driver who without a gps couldnt find bubble gum on the bottom of his shoe. He's one of my favorite people in the world, fortunately, and I trust his driving skills, but in three weeks we have gone off course several times due to gps error. We are currently traveling West out of Toledo and neither of our navigation units recognizes US24,apparently a new highway.

Finally, I regret spending $423.00 for my Garmin Dezl and cannot recommend it. And the only thing it has over the Rand, IMHO is the softer screen which seems easier to read than the RM's bright, busy and cluttered screen. Garmin should have done a better job, and as Stile stated about the Atlas company, Rand, so should they.

 

The MCRA and the TND run two different types of data, they are not compatible. RM draws their data from HERE for the TND's. As stated maps will never be 100%. If you look back at map data the main concern was on routing for cars. Trucks started to come around in about 2008 for the stand alones. The data was inconsistent in the map DB. As the information is found it is corrected, but this takes time. Speed limits are a big issue. A map update may come out and then a state will change a speed limit.

If the map data was to be highly accurate we would need each state to stop what they are doing, go out and survey each section of road, update their DB's, then pass that info over to HERE/TeleAtlas, then they would in turn verify that data and then make it public for release.

Even today with information coming in, restrictions are still not current. Maps are constant ongoing struggle daily.

Maps are build into segments and in each segment there are many points to a segment. Things like thickness of road, what kind of Hazmat, weight restrictions, width restrictions, etc etc.

If states like NY wish to runs overpasses less than true then what they publish is what RM has to go by.

I am always open to any issues you find with a road or restriction. You can post on my thread or PM me. I will find out what the issue might be.

Sometimes restrictions are put on a road and are missed by the state since a county or township may have placed that restriction. If this information does not flow up, then yes the map data will be off.

Sometimes restrictions are in place and no physical signs are posted. You might see other trucks on that road, but that does not make it truck legal. I know of a US route between two "I" routes that trucks take daily to shave off about a hundred miles, but that US route is restricted to 78k, nothing posted.

RM works hard on any reports of incorrect restrictions, routing, addresses, etc.

Maps and anything tied to them such as restrictions and speeds are only updated between map updates and that for RM is yearly although RM does run a proprietary DB that is tied to the maps during compile that updates restrictions. RM has seen the need to update this proprietary DB more than yearly so with the latest maps during updates you will get basically an update file that is separate from the main map data.

A lot goes on "behind" the scenes to make sure those with the latest maps have the latest data that has been passed from HERE.

If a user determines not to update their maps, then they will be behind in road improvements, restrictions, address updates, etc.

Post #22 mentions US-24 in OH. That is in the next maps to be released.

Any new/improved road construction unless the state has signed off, it cannot be shown as done in the maps. This sometimes takes a few months also.

So in real life nothing is perfect at any given point in time. Maps are a constant work in progress.


Mark

 

All excuses & colored bubbles, Mark. Not a word of it is accurate. Know why? The hard copy atlas is right more than the gadget!

Something that is updated 1x/year (and even less, for many drivers) should not be more reliable than something that can be updated at any point.

There's no dodging that simple truth.

I don't know why you spend so much time worrying about speeds. Routing (simple interstate/highway relays from A to B) is a far more fundamental function, and Rand can't even get that right. I'm not talking about highways with road work, either.

 

Okay, I have not worked each day with the GPS for the last 5 - 6 years. The MCRA is not embedded in the TND. The DB's are not compatible.

There is a lot more to picking a road on the TND or any GPS for that matter when you put in truck variables. I am not going to go into the details of how and why. A lot of this is proprietary for each company in the code.

You see a road, you see a truck, you see your truck can fit on that road. It is not clear cut as that when trying to find a route from point A to B. Roads are given "weights" along with ramps. Each road "weight" or "cost" will determine the routing based upon what the router sees at that moment in time.

A lot of details are given to roads.

Updates that are given several times a year are for the Software, not the Maps.

Until you know the small details of how the roads actually look in the DB it will never make sense to a driver.

I don't give excuses or colored bubbles. Simply stating what the limitations are.

Mark

 

Actually, his post contained... like a dozen truisms.

True – the MCRA doesn’t even have most of the roads once you are off the exit and in the city streets. The data isn't even there TO copy from the paper version.

True – there must be 10 major state road projects started within 100 miles of me right now. Some of them are adding actual exits or entirely new road names.

True – New York infamously posts many bridge heights as lower than they actually are for “snow accommodation.” A GPS company would be insane to over-ride the state regs.

True – like EVERY time. I’ve seen him do it…

True – Not sure what state you are from. But I am lucky if they even pave the potholes out of the road – let alone build and publish a truck attributes map for even themselves…

True – I know many “local driver tribal knowledge” roads and bridges. Nothing posted, but the locals are using them because “they know what’s up.”

True – I’ve sent about 50 of these over the years and I’ve seen them implemented on the next map update.

True – Rand obtains the maps from a GPS base map maker and then overlays their proprietary truck attribute data on top of it.

True – uhh, ya, no more logic needed there.

True. Addressed in other threads.

True & also True – building and improving stuff does involve some form of temporal shift in the cosmos.




So, regardless of your opinions or even facts of this (or other GPS brands) to say that “not a word of it is accurate” to the man in relation to what must have been a time-consuming effort to respond … is......... well, NOT true.

 

I'm well aware, but you're limiting yourself to your own viewpoint and not that of the end-user. I'll elaborate.

You're not the only one who has worked with products on a technical level, Mark. For example, there's a lot more that goes into forum software than clicking a reply button, typing words and hitting submit. However, the end-user doesn't need to know all the minutiae of forum software. They just need it to work & be reliable.

How would you like it if you paid $400 for a forum software license, couldn't even type a post half the time, and the forums were throwing database errors several hours a day, and I just came along and made technical excuses for why something you paid several hundred dollars to use didn't work? You wouldn't be too keen on my attitude, Mark!

Bottom line: I look at my atlas and I can tell how to go from point A to B. Oddly, the paper atlas seems to take all that into account and provide a reliable route with no issues.

I'm well aware of the detail work of local routing, which I'm not even nitpicking! I'm talking interstate & state highway travel! I'm talking about rolling up on underpasses that are 10' 6" that my GPS demands I drive under (and no, I'm NOT referring to New York City!)

All the detail in the world don't mean squat if you can't use it for its intended function.

Until the maps are close to functional, maybe that should change!

Nor should we have to. It's a device, it should do what it's made for without us being electronic engineers.

Should I have to get my MCSA to use Windows?

Not being able to rely on the software to use interstates to make an optimal route across the country is not a limitation. It's laziness and/or incompetence on the part of the developers.

There's no getting around the fact that a hard copy being more accurate than an electronic device is just pathetic in this age of technological advancement.

 

It was, and remains, excuses & colored bubbles. For several reasons already provided.

When all the man can do is be an apologist without willingness to look at the inherent flaws of his product, then nothing he says is true, as far as I'm concerned.

 

I am not making any excuses. Simply the facts that any GPS unit has to deal with daily.

The "flaws" you seem to refer to are the maps. As stated above this is and will be an ongoing effort all the time.

I have had a lot of drivers post areas or restrictions and needed to know why. I have found each of them an answer. If it was incorrect data then it was submitted to the GIS dept to pass on to HERE.

A GPS simply does not see the road. It has to look at all the details of that segment and based upon the details and the variables of what you give it for your truck it will try to find a truck legal route based upon the most current data that your GPS has in it.

Again, if you can give me examples of where you think that the maps are incorrect in a restriction, bring it on. I have the next set of maps and I can see if that restriction has been fixed or I can ask the GIS department to verify the restriction.

 

I vote for the rand McNally 720. I've been running rand McNally GPS units for 5+ years and haven't ran into any dangerous places yet. If I try and second guess the unit that's when I get in trouble. If you have it set up correctly and updated fully you should no problems.