nuvi 465T - GPS navigation for trucks

Look again at your Rand McNally low-clearance introduction. It says the following:

"Generally, county and local roads with any low-clearance locations are not included in the listings."

 

Regardless of whether it lists all of them or not, it is the responsibility of the driver to know and plan his route. I was against GPS units and thought drivers that used them were unprofessional until I went on vacation with a friend of mine who brought his with us. Going from city to city I wouldn't need it. But when you are looking for a road and can see in real time where you are and what road is coming up, that is a tremendous help and the reason I want one. I don't know how many times I have called a shipper or receiver and they say "get off I-70 at Main St. and go to James St. then go to Broadway and we're down there". Well, how far is it between streets? Most times people have no sense of distance. "A couple blocks" ends up being 3 miles.

I want to get one as an added tool for doing my job. I don't want to rely on it soley for all driving information. And if it doesn't have the local and county roads low clearance's (as I did look in my Rand McNally and seen where it says that) then hopefully it's not a place where I would need to go with my truck.

 

Rand McNally says clearly low-bridge postings in their book do not include local and county roads.

 

P.S. I did have to take my 13' 6" 53-footer on a narrow Maine road and yes, I ended up having to back around to avoid a low bridge.

So there are places where us truckers will have to go that take us through small local and county roads with low bridges.

As you say, use common sense, ask questions, because a GPS alone won't do the work.

 

The first time you have to deliver early in the morning before the sun rises and the fog is so thick you can barely see the road much less see the road signs, you will appreciate using GPS navigation. However, I would never go for a GPS stand-alone unit even if they advertise it can do truck routing because the screen’s are way too small. While a GPS stand-alone unit may be all right for cars, in a truck you need the full panoramic view you can only get with a laptop. Not to mention also that a software solution is far cheaper, plus with a laptop you can multitask and do many other things than just only GPS navigation.

 

After reading all the posts here, I have to agree on one thing ... there are many different points of view.

Small screen, big screen, laptop, no gps, maps ... its a wonder we get our freight delivered at all !!

But after perusing (like that big word? ... my 8 yr old son taught me that one) all the info about gps systems for big rigs, I must admit that I'm as confused as ever.

Is anyone else in the same boat as I am?

Does it make sense just to follow the crowd and get a PC Miler?

Or should I strike out on my own, go with a trusted name and get the new Garmin 465t?

Can anyone out there help me make this tough decision?

 

If you don't currently have a GPS, I would wait a few weeks until the Garmin Nuvi 465T is released onto the market and buy one.

It'll be about $500. But if you want a reliable GPS, Garmin is worth the money.

I have an older Garmin and I love it. Only thing it doesnt do is route my big truck around low bridges and tunnels, which the new one will do.

The only thing the new one won't do is include local and county popstings for low bridges, but nothing on the market will include those anyway.

Garmin is excellent on customer service and very responsive to questions so I am a huge Garmin fan. Theirs is the only company I trust to buy this sort of electronics.

 

Oh, one more thing Couponier - the 465T as you know is not a laptop nor is it software for a laptop, as opposed to PC Miler which I believe is.

The 465T is fairly small, as you my know, but I have never had any problem viewing Garmin's screens.

 

Thanks for the advice. In fact I took it and just ordered the Garmin 465t from the folks that advertise it here in the forums.

I'm not sure if I can post the link or not here according to the rules.

All that I can say is that I found them here in one of the banner ads and they have a great price. They not only advertise the Garmin 465t, but also the Goodyear and the PC Miler Nav 430. Well under the $500 you mentioned.

 

OK, I am not sure from whom you ordered it so I can't tell whether it's a good supplier.

If it is a reliable, honest supplier you will be very happy with your 465T. Let me know.