Trucking Navigation: separate device vs. phone app?

If I was DOT Emperor, any truck driver without a Rand-McNally Motor Carrier Road Atlas MCRA would be put out of service. Look at the national map, lay your pen or a straight-edge from origin to destination and look at what interstate highways to consider. Let Google tell you the mileage and time for the various options, then flip to the state page for the origin, destination, and whatever major cities in-between, to decide about bypasses, etc. Once you have that in mind enter the address in the GPS and select the route that agrees with your decision. Riding around without an MCRA or riding around with an MCRA that's never been opened is how you get your CDL revoked because you then put your GPS in charge and they all make mistakes and you find a new job at McDs .

 

I have a Garmin. Stuck to the windshield, don't have to look away at my phone, or drop the phone if I see a LEO.
Also have the rand mcNally, but mine is the 2000 edition...

 

I'd NOT do Garmin. I have one and the only reason I still use it is because I have it...but, I find it quite frustrating.

 

I had the same feelings about my Rand-McNally but learned through use what to ignore and how to make it do what I wanted it to do. I found that the truck features of the RM and Garmin added enough value above what Google provided to use the trucking GPS for navigation and Google for info and a 2nd opinon.

 

I run a 10" Garmin truck GPS, Google maps/satellite, and common sense.

When in doubt I verify with an atlas.

Its gotten me every where I've needed to be.

The 3rd party trucking GPS mobile apps are all trash, cost way too much for what they offer, and constantly record your phone metrics even when not in use.

I personally did not like the rand McNally GPS UI.

 

You know what, you are right. I do enjoy a few things about Garmin:
-It keeps me from low bridges
-It provides little pictures of which lanes to navigate on big junctions
-It shows average traveling speed, distance to destination, amount of time to destination, time on the clock at arrival (my company GPS doesn't show those)

My gripes are:
-Several times it lead me down tight neighborhood roads where Waze would have lead me down major big town roads
-It'll tell me to get off freeway just to get back on a mile down the road
-It'll lead me down 2-lane backcountry roads instead of staying on the interstate just to "save" 30 miles/20 minutes...no sense in taking the backcountry road just to get stuck behind some old grandpa going 5mph below posted speed limit for 15miles...don't get me wrong, I'm glad old gramps is using the backcountry road and not the interstate...he's doing the right thing, but it doesn't save me time to go down the backcountry road if that's what's gonna happen.

But Garmin for $400...it may be better to try Trucker Path or Hammer apps.

 

I liked Garmin's user interface, but had 4-5 years with RM so it's what I was used to already. The Garmin screen is much better and the device seemed much more sturdy than the RM My main point is Garmin users have their complaints. RM users have their complaints. The drivers that have only used one think the other will solve their problems, they don't. The best you can hope for is to learn to ignore the common mistakes of the device you pick. IMO, there are enough YT videos to learn the devices and this forum can help alot.

 

I use the 7" GarmenDezl. But I always use Google Maps satellite view to initially scan it's recommended route (for cars) and especially to san around the drop/load location to identify scale and feed bin locations as well as best roads and directions to access using the bird's eye and street view. Then I "share" the adjustment pin drop I selected as my entry point to the Garmin Dezl app to send to the GPS. Once there I check its turn by turn to see if any questions arise.

I've found, as others have mentioned that it's not always 100% accurate but most of the time it is and almost always the ETA is within 30 min of my actual arrival.

But even though it does pretty good on minimizing truck routing errors (over length, bridge heights etc).... Pay attention to common sense driving and road signs or actual atlas .... I have had it try to take me under low bridges that if followed blindly and not paying attention to road signs would be bad.

 

I've been using car based gps since about 2007 and googlemaps for the past 15 years or so. Both are fantastic how did we ever manage without? I started in 2000 with no cell phone and just a spiral bound road atlas. I supplemented the spiral bound road atlas with some more detailed city maps you used to could purchase in the truck stops. Some of you guys these days would be completely over your heads having to rely on that or heaven forbid actually talking on a CB radio.

Google maps is and always has been the best. Have I ever been pointed down a path that under no circumstances a semi truck should venture down? Even a bobtail? YES. Many times. But never once has my common sense failed me. Even my current job with all their resources their live traffic gps leaves a LOT to be desired and if you miss a turn it'll re-direct you to some routes that under NO circumstances you should take. I still rely on Google maps. The best. Live traffic way better than any cb radio reports. Never failed me. And when it does, use your head for more than a hat rack driver.

 

I never had a problem keeping and using a motor carrier road atlas for 2 years. I typically bought 'last years' version around New Years when they cost half as much and the new year is expensive.