best Truck GPS

Wifi it while parked at a truck stop? I use Verizon but the pay as you go is pretty featureless.

 

You don't need traffic while parked at a truckstop. It's wifi'd in the city.

 

I have a RM TND 720 and I have had problems with the early units. Once I got an updated unit at the Mats trade show, all has been well. The unit just works. Must keep the unit updated IMO.

I'd like to check out the TND Tablet, but, I hear these units are not stable. From what I have read, the units are early production units. I haven't seen any comments on the later model units. I want to test a TND 730 to see if it is in deed faster which would be a plus when reloading from being powered off.

Anyway. I like TND 720

 

I recently purchased the RM730... I like it for the bells and whistles... But fast, I don't know how it compares to the RM720 but it's fairly slow in calculating routes compared to CoPilot... But, it's running on an iPhone 6S Plus... So hardware to hardware, no chance.

I use a two screen option at the moment... I use both CoPilot and RM730... I look at options from both and use the one that makes the most sense to me... Then use the RM for its "trucking aspects" but use my iPhone for different apps like Truckers Path, Traffic, Weather, etc... and last minute changes if needed.

But in town going the last mile... I don't trust CoPilot for keeping me on Truck Routes.

One week CoPilot routed me right through Atlanta ... three times... LOL ... So ya, I like CoPilot for some things but it's not a good "Truckers GPS"... IMHO

 

i don't if it's "the best" but have been using a Magellan Roadmate 5370T-LMB for about 2 years and it has done a pretty decent job. It is not perfect----i.e., has routed me down a no trucks route and frozen up twice (in that case, you unplug and turn the unit off and on again). But that's why you NEVER RELY ON GPS 100%.

i was able to get this unit at the Kingman T/A for "free" using my rewards points when i was doing OTR. So, i don't remember how much it cost, but it was over $100.

i have only been using GPS units for about 3.5 years and i'm amazed we were able to get where we needed to go most of the time before this! Before gps i used a laptop and Microsoft streets. And before that maps........

Magellan has worked good for me and would not hesitate to recommend it. Lots of features---truck settings, routing options----shortest, fastest, least traffic, largest roads etc.

 

The only problem i've had with copilot, is california. It works but it really seems to hate that state. Sometimes i've had to use google, but even that hasn't been perfect.

 

The 730 is quite a bit faster. HOWEVER, we get asked the "should I upgrade" question all the time. Here is the answer we give:

"If you have an earlier model than the X20 series (i.e. 500/510/700/710) then yes - you will get big gains by going to the X30 series. If you have a 520/720 and it is in good working order, then NO, in general the gain is much smaller. The program and the maps (if your account has lifetime maps) are matched on those two series as long as you are keeping those updated. The X30 has a faster processor so for example, calculating (or recalculating) a 2000 mile trip with happen 30-50% faster on a 730 than on a 720. For some, those few seconds are enough to justify the cost. But for most users the speed gain is not enough to change. Perhaps if/when a 540 or 740 comes out with some new function that the others didn't have, then maybe it's worth a new look."

At present the actual newest thing they are working on in terms of navigation are the Android tablets and the ELD. But for just the navigation device, the 530 and 730 continue to be the staple units as of this writing.

Side note on something that was mentioned: nothing calcs or recalcs faster than CoPilot and never has. They simply do some algorithm trick there that makes it very fast at that. They don't have some of the other bells and whistles, but they do the route calculation stuff faster by a long shot.

 

I am looking at a TND 7" tablet. My 720 work well, but, I want something faster. I want the ability to create my own route as well with trip maker. I don't really want the tablet, but, I don't know if trip maker is available in the TND 730 tablet. Any insite on this feature in the 730??

 

Just to clear up the terms here, there is no such thing as a 730 tablet. There is a TND730 GPS and there is a T70 tablet. There is also a T80 Tablet. The TND730 GPS is the same as your 720, only faster and comes with Lifetime maps. (most 720's came with Lifetime Maps)

Tripmaker can be used with any Rand GPS, including your TND720. To use it with your current GPS, go here: http://tripmaker.randmcnally.com/ Click "Help" at the bottom-left. Then click "Take the Tripmaker Tour" to get a look at how it works.

On the tablets (T70 or T80) the Tripmaker app is built on the device. But you need a Wifi connection to use that app. For the 530/730/520/720 GPS devices, you can use an internet-connected laptop to crate a trip in Tripmaker and then transfer it to your GPS with the wire.