Whats the BEST GPS?

That is because it is a "given" at this point. ALL of the models that are identified as "for trucks" take the truck dimensions, hazmat, tolls, and road size preferences that YOU set into account. They just each do it to more or less accuracy than then next, or more and less "user friendliness" than the next. But they all do it. (IF it is a "truck" model from XYZ brand.)

 

Odd,.. I am partial to the Garmin. I had completely the opposite experience when comparing Garmin and RM together.

I had issue after issue with RM units. Everything from freezing up, extreme recalculation times, to redirecting me off a main interstate to travel 3 mi only to return me to the interstate with 400 mi still to reach destination.

I am not a fan of RM units at all.

I have used the Cobra, RM and Garmin. While none were with out faults and their own little quirks. I found Garmin to be the most versatile and the quickest with calculating and routing. Has some routing issues in Chicago land area,.. refusing to route me on streets where it claims there are weight restrictions. Old data that hasnt been updated. Had the same issue with RM and Cobra. Also I like the Garmin interface better. Easier to customize to how I want it.

Main gripe with Garmin is the inability to turn off lane assistance. Other then that, its my personal choice for navigation assistance.

Hurst

 

When you buy a truck specific GPS, before it starts navigation it will ask you a few parameters. Height, weight, length. Some go more in depth, asking specific axle weights, trailer length and combined length etc. With out this information,.. they would be no better then a GPS for cars.

Some can also keep track of fuel and state by state road miles for easy IFTA fuel calculating. Driver and multiple driver logging for HOS.

Over all the GPS should not be relied on 100%. You still need to use common sense, route planning and time managment that a GPS simply can not be 100% accurate at. I use a combination of Road Atlas and compare it with how the GPS is routing me. The Garmin will allow manual route modification. Detours for certain areas etc. I also will use Google satellite view when checking to see the shipper and delivery locations look like. Also when my hours are close and I need to find parking when regular parking sources are not available, google satellite view is very useful for finding 'spots' that truckers can use.

Hurst

 

Thanks for the answers, I still have to pick what I will buy.
I understand the truck model would consider the truck size but I was trying to see if some work better, RM 730 is said to have more abilities with better truck routes.

 

As far as routing goes,.. they ALL use the same national database. I have yet to see one route better then any other.

To pick and choose the right GPS for you,.. you need to find one that has features that you may come to need while out on the road. Sitting on the side of the road in the middle of no where with a flat tire or blown radiator hose, who would you call? A good GPS will have truck specific POI's that you can call in an emergency. It should break them down into different categories. What interface is most comfortable and appealing to you. How fast can it recalculate a 1000 mi trip if you miss a turn? How user friendly is it? Those are the things you need to consider when buying a GPS.

Hurst

 

Just a clarification here. Some use the same "base map" provider. Like Rand and Garmin (and most of the others) use the base maps from HERE/Navteq. But they do NOT use the same routing engine.

Base maps = the raw maps, street names, address numbers, etc. (If different brands are using the same release date from the same provider, then the base will be identical)

Routing engine = which of the above roads to take and under what circumstances. (there are vast differences in the routing decisions between brands using different routing engines.) Example - PC Miler/ Copilot and Garmin and Rand use entirely different routing engines from each other.

 

I am going to go to best buy Sunday and Play with them, I got the specs from the Truck at School and Will See if the Routes are the same, RM 730 vs Garmin 770. We did a field trip and the Route has 2 bridges one of them is 10' 9' and I will see what happens .. The bridge has the DOT sign so I will see. Kinda waiting to see if either GPS will take me there. Since the Truck is 13' 4 haha... Kinda a Test I could say but the bridge is 20 years old... Just wondering. I know there not perfect but for 370-400 dollars each I kinda see Garmin having the Traffic every 30 seconds a big plus, My TOMTOM today on the way to school POP up said Traffic DELAY and I am like WTF.... The road is clear then Yup there was a accident. On Spot... So I do use my GPS a lot. I will post what happens Sunday.

 

You can compare most any GPS and run a route on each,.. including google maps. Given the same parameters, the routes are typically identical.

 

i'm going to have to disagree with you hurst.

i used the rand for 2 weeks. traded it in for pcmiler (copilot) and have never looked back.

for instance, las vegas to phoenix. rand will route you down through flagstaff. it SCREAMS at you for taking the 93.
the first trip. i decided the heck with the 17. and took the 89. down into prescott. when i got close to town. there was a right hand bend, to which there's a sign pointing to the 17. that you don't see till after the bend. rand never directed me on that 17, it took me into town. (prescott) and ran me around in circles through one neighborhood after another. i had to use google on the phone to get me out of town and to the 17.

the reason i followed rand. is becuase i like to have a toy that's going to get me there without the hassles of directions and maps and what not. you could say i was testing the waters with rand. so i was thinking it knew another way to the 17 by going through town.

IT FAILED MISERABLY.

with copilot, i don't have to worry about where or how it takes me. the darn thing just gets me there. and does a darn good job too.
it's nice to have a toy, that i can input an address. and just FOLLOW IT BLINDLY. basically speaking.

i think i can count the number of times on 2 fingers, that it actually took me to a bad street. in the 4 years i've been using it.

i'm also not driving 2,000 extra miles every month.

 

PC Miller is one of the exceptions. Garmin, RM and Cobra dont work the same as PC Miller. So yes,.. you are correct. PC Miller will route differently. Not much,.. but in specific urban areas I can see where it will route differently. The others use national data bases for 'most' of their perimeters. Very little difference in how they route.

Are you using the stand alone or the software/tablet version?

I tried the stand alone back in 2011,.. was slow to calculate long routes,.. and the interface wasnt as user friendly as the Garmin or RM. Cobra and PC Miller seemed too busy and a bit complicated for me. I imagine with a good tablet and 4 core processor, the PC Miller software probably works pretty good.

I've been using the Garmin 560 and 'could' for the most part use it blindly as well. I just like to plan my trip out to the last detail and maintain good time management, which for me is important. Difficult to do when just running on the GPS blindly. I know where I will fuel, how long it should take me, even shower time and food are taken into account. Not taking anything away from PC Miller,.. I think its a good GPS. Just not the older ones. If Garmin dropped out, I would use CoPilot before RM or Corba.

Hurst