Rand McNally intelliRoute TND 500

I used the TND 500 on my Rochester, NY shuttle route with no problems. It got me to the Penske drop yard and got me back without issue. So far what I can see everything I have tried works as it should. I used the Hours of Service for both myself and co-driver and it was right on the money. I also made use of the trip odometer and it recorded exactly the amount of mile I drove, 738. Tomorrow will be a more extensive test, I will be doing a 13 stop route in MA, RI, NH and ME.

 

I just read a short article that said NY state is considering passing a law requiring the use of commercial gps systems (gps's with truck routing), because of damage to bridges and the cost of repairs. And apparently they created a bridge strike task force to make someones bad day even worse, with fines (400 tickets and counting)! They apparently believe gps's to be more accurate than what I have been reading here. I wonder if you have one of these "truck" gps's, they wont ticket you (ha ha)!

 

Well, I see we all had a lively weekend in the old Rand GPS thread.

I just wanted to comment on this "Where am I" thing and hopefully clear it up a bit.

From the "navigating" sceen:

Rand TND: One click to the "where am I." (the "cog" icon in the lower-left)

Gamin 465T: Three clicks (Menu / Tools / Where am I)

- Both units then show your your current address, coordinates, and nearest cross-street. Both units alow you to "save" that current location. The Garmin also allows you to search nearby hopitals, police, or truck stops by direrctly clicking away from here into the search and it shows your elevation. The TND allows you to modify your current route settings or cancel your route rom this screen.

- In BOTH cases this screen is extremely helpful if you are looking for a certain building number (especially at night) because they are actively "ticking away" at the building addresses as you pass them on the screen, or if you are sitting at a location that you want to save into your "favorites."

See attached picture of both brands on this screen.

 

Interesting ( if a bit long-winded) thread...

As a former fisherman turned truck driver, I have been using GPS devices since the early '90's...when all you got was your position in latitude and longitude, which then had to be plotted manually on a chart. This replaced the Loran C shore-based system and was more accurate to the chart, even though the US gov't at first purposely "degraded" the accuracy to about 100 meters. Fine for marine use, but not considered accurate (or reliable enough) for aviation, and obviously not much use for cars...

My first marine chart plotter was a simple green monochrome display of the Juan de Fuca Strait, and my first vehicle device had only major roads and highways, no addresses...I moved to a MIO Mitac when driving in the EU through the early '00's, and went up through the ranks of Tom Tom Navigator, until my current little ONE...

My point? My point is that I have used many GPS devices over the years and I don't think there hasn't been one unit that at one time or another I haven't wanted to fire over the side of the boat, or out the truck window...from not being able to re-locate fishing gear (which the LoraN excelled at), to once being routed through a golf course in a truck in the UK...every device I've ever owned has at one point or another seemed, at least for a few minutes, like a useless POS.

I liken these little critters to golf. You have a good day, and your ready to join a membership and spring for new clubs...one or two bad shots and it's the stupidest game ever...

Of course, at the end of the day... you must remember, as has been pointed out over and over, that these things are just tools, bot auto-pilots, lol, and must be used with caution.

Even a simple marine compass can experience deviation for instance, due to magnetic anomalies, etc etc...

The point is, that some of the criticisms I'm reading here seem to be from folks who have maybe not used GPS enough to understand the kinds of things that can happen....and with ALL brands. The example of the unit that exited the driver, through the clover leaf and back on a again. My &%^&*& Tom Tom does that occasionally, at least in rural parts of Canada. I have gotten used to having a quick look in "map view" of every route it plans, and looking for such wacky exits ahead of time. Often they only appear at the last minute. That's why I make sure to pay attention to what turns/exits are showing to come up next...if the GPS suddenly changes it's mind, I stick with what it's been saying all along. If there's time I jump to "map mode" and can then see that it's an odd exit on/off anomaly etc, and to just ignore it.

Sometimes, even the best units will suddenly jump from the road you're on, to a parrallel one, just for a few seconds...especially in areas where there is new construction. But if you've been paying attention, you'll know that it's just a temporary mis-direction. I agree that it can be a shock when the unit is suddenly telling you to exit...whereas a few minutes ago it was saying go staight, whatever...

This thread has been very informative, not to mention entertaining in spots, and it's certainly great to hear first-hand accounts of things that have gone wrong using different units...so, it's not just ME and MY GPS!...there's a common thread here as well - no one unit is "perfect" - if "perfect" means never ever having a "confusing" moment, or blip. I wonder, given the complexity of truck routing in America, if there even CAN be a unit that is 100%.

I DO find it encouraging that a bloke from Rand Mcnally seems to be here and willing to answer queries (and take the brunt of the frustration of new users of the 500). There's been times that I wished someone from Garmin/TomTom/Magellan etc was right there in the cab with me...so's I could wring their neck, lol!

I'll be sure to check back and see how this, and other units work out in the long run.

Myself, I am a devotee of Tom Tom products...and await the upcoming release of the mighty GO 7000 commercial HGV (heavy goods vehicle) GPS here in North America...I have a feeling that it's going to top all these other units, not with silly features like audio books (!?) and Mp3's etc etc, but with ease of use and a focus on what I need - Where am I, and how do I get where I aren't?

Cheers
JP

 

How many Mac users do we have out their with an actual unit? I know of two,,, Greg P. and Rich..

any others?

 

Bloke? lol... email me at rmleadbetateste at gmail dot com...

Thanks,
Mark

 

fingers faster than spelling..

rmleadbetatester at gmail

 

My first introduction to the TND started back in March 2009 at the MATS Truck show. I along with many other attendees filled out a 20 page questionnaire as to what we wanted in a truck GPS system. One of the questions on there was "would you be willing to test a unit?". Short time after that and a few correspondence with RM I received my first beta unit in the early part of June. All of the information that I could have ever wanted in a GPS is inside of this unit. This experience has allowed me to see the BIRTH of this product. From the early infant stages of a very basic unit and program to watching us build and give suggestions to a very mature and solid product that is now being sold to the open market. It has taken a lot of dedicated people working long hours and communicating across the US to bring this unit to fruition. I can say that my experience has been one that I will never regret along with my investment of time to help create something my fellow truckers will be glad they purchased.
The testing doesn’t stop here… . the TND 500 offers a feature called Tell Rand where you can report anything that you feel isn’t correct or even a suggestion that you want to make. This goes back directly to RM whenever you dock your unit to the computer for updates (which are FREE) and RM reviews those responses immediately. I personally met many of the individuals behind this project at Rand McNally from the people who create the programs that run on the unit all the way up to the President of the company. ALL of these people have put their hearts and soul into the creation and success of this unit. They are standing behind this product 150%. . KEEP THE SHINY SIDE UP!!

 

Ted, What is your Problem???????????? I resent the implications that you have towards us 'the testers' AND Rand McNally!!! How dare you suggest that we are all just liars or are being bought off!!! I am surprised that people are having as many problems as they say, I didn't as many problems on the first units and I have been testing them from the start. I do know that it does take some getting use to. If you have been using a different GPS then it is hard to get aquianted with a new one.
Now just a short note about MY creditablty...I have been driving for 20 yrs, I OWNED MY TRUCKING COMPANY(I did sell it this year and retired from trucking), I hauled OVERSIZED AND OVERWEIGHT. So when you are 16' wide and 120,000+# you MUST know your route. I was able to try to trick the 500 by changing the route and it would always take me back to the route I needed.
Now I can understand if you don't like the 500. I don't like Internationals but I don't try to beat them into the ground EVERY CHANCE I GET! So just MOVE on and let us try to HELP the Drivers that WANT IT.

 

good stuff kilroy....good stuff!