Best gps for truckers ???

Buy a real Rand MC Nally map and learn to use it.

 

I used Rand McNally GPS when I started and didn't have many problems at first. Over time, the GPS units would become inaccurate to the point of placing me on frontage roads while I was really driving on the interstate, which would end up recalculating in a never ending loop and making the unit unusable. It seemed to happen after updating the units. So after 3 units, almost always replacing them within a year of buying it, I decided to give Garmin a shot. I'm convinced that Rand McNally purposely engineer their products to fail prematurely, but I guess it's also possible that they just produce inferior products.

Garmin has remained accurate for years as far as positioning. But one area specifically that has always been a problem is around Iowa and Nebraska. The unit will not route me on the interstates unless I set the truck weight under 10,000 lbs. Maybe some programmer confused the 10T axle signs for a 10k total weight or something. As soon as I get out of those states, it will start routing me on the interstates again. So when my partner called customer support, the guy on the phone treated her like she had no clue what she was talking about and that the problem was her fault. He never even considered the possibility that we had a faulty unit, or even to give us a solution to the issue. It was one of the worst customer service experiences we've had to deal with.

One big thing that helps is the ability to read signs. Stick to truck routes and plan ahead by looking at Google satellite or street view for local routing. Understand what it takes to make turns, make sure the route has adequate lanes and cutouts so you don't run over curbs or worse. If you still have doubts, call the customer and ask what they think is the best way to approach. Look for waterways on the map along smaller roads, which will be more prone to having lower weight ratings for bridges. Hop online and do a Google search for bridge weights for that road, or use street view to find a sign that displays any restrictions. Avoid driving through residential streets, unless the signs specifically are designated for trucks. Reading signs is also going to be important in the event that there is a detour on your route. Sometimes you can't fit on a street making a right turn, so you'll want to figure out how to come at it from a left turn. Even if we could trust tech companies to make a quality product, there are going to be times where they do not account for these variables.

 

Garmin. They have good software for POI sync and management and the ELD is the only one better than Platform Science..

I've had the most expensive Rand McNally and didn't see any difference besides the fisher price looking GUI.. I think people go with it because it costs more; The Starbucks effect...

They all route you in to low bridges in Pittsburg and have horrid RF and Digital traffic..... The up-ahead is all franchise truck stops too..

Take both to the Jacksonville, FL junction or Manhattan, NY and watch what happens...

 

What happens in Jacksonville and Manhattan?

 

Anyone who enters an address into ANY GPS device or app and just starts rolling without checking the route is a fool. I use Google Maps because it is the absolute best at giving current traffic information, and alerting me to accidents and construction delays.

It absolutely doesn’t tell me about low bridges or truck restrictions. That’s why anytime it routes me somewhere I haven’t been before, I pull out my Rand McNally Motor Carriers Road Atlas and make sure that it’s not routing me into trouble.

I’ve used it for the last five years driving trucks, and for a decade before that as a charter coach bus driver. I’ve only had it steer me wrong twice, both times because I got lazy and didn’t look at the route before rolling.

 

They both go haywire and become completely useless.. The Jacksonville, FL junction will make them recalculate non-stop, and NYC boroughs will recalculate non-stop or just have no signal..

GA has entire interstate exists missing on both..
They all route in to low bridges and restricted roads etc..

 

They're talking about the atlas... Which is only STAA major routes, and is useless for local planning, by the way...

Anyone who drove before GPS knows you need local maps too.. There's only like three map companies lol

 

I've been using Rand McNally for a decade.
My first GPS was a Garmin, but I prefer the McNally

 

Get a fricken compass and use the stars. That’s how they did it in the old school days.

 

One that won't lead you down a boat ramp.

Bet that fella wishes he had asked this question..


Sirscrapntruckalot -