Suppport Thread for the TND 500, TND 700 or future Rand McNally products.

STexan · Nov 20, 2013

I have to admit the 720 does do some really strange routing in seemingly obvious situations across longer conveyances. I can NEVER get it to route the way the company "suggested route" is (along with those preferred fuel stops). And "multiple route options" are mostly quite goofy as well (the difference between route 1 and route 2 often makes no sense it's logic needs to be re-worked)

You run a route one time, and it does one thing, cancel, and from the same location, and it does something completely different. Say from Baltimore, MD to Terrell, TX. And if you input a waypoint or via location, then it wants to route you to the waypoint keeping you in the dark and clueless about how long/far it is to the destination. Some parts of the 720 are user intuitive and make sense, and other parts don't/aren't.

I also don't like the way the unit will not provide a route map overview immediately upon completing a new route (or easily from any point while on a route) so the driver can easily see what the route is further down the road to the completion and decide if he wants to accept or reject the route and try again something else that might also makes sense.

Mark Kling · Nov 20, 2013

Jarhead235 said: ↑

I am REALLLLY unhappy with RM and their Tech Support. I upgraded to a 720 from a 710 last July.

3 weeks after I got it, I got an oversize ticket in NY while following the route given by the 720. I called in to Tech Support and talked to Kevin. He verified I had the latest software, and basically said tough noogies. The lawyer cost $235, the reduced ticket cost $200. A week later, while following the route specified by the 720, I ended up at a 4 way stop with a sign that said no trucks straight, left or right. Pardon me?? Fortunately Barney Fife wasn't in the area this time.

I need to know the start/stop locations for both of these and approx where the restrictions were.

I called in about 6-8 weeks ago because the unit was doing strange things - I believe I visited with David. Whenever I am headed west, the routing on the unit gets odd. I can be running an obvious I80/I76 route from PA to Denver, and the thing will want me to drop down onto I70, adding almost 200 miles - not shorter OR faster. It will also want me to go north into Chicago and then take I88 west to Davenport rather than staying on I80 to start with. Dave agreed that there was something odd going on. He suggested I experiment with the Prefer Interstate and Avoid Small Roads settings, and that if it didn't improve he would replace the unit.

Last week I was heading west on I80 in IN. Planned on getting fuel at the J in Lake Station, but exit 21 on I80 was closed. No problem.....I got on I57 south, and reset the next stop to the Petro in Gary, IN. Got onto I80, the billboard said next exit and the 720 agreed. I've never been to this Petro, so I was relying on it to get me there. It said to head north off of the exit. It kept acting like the Petro was roughly 2 miles ahead. IT LIED. I got to where it took me - into a freaking residential area!

2 weeks ago I was headed east this time and got to the quad cities area. The 720 wanted me to take I480, but I knew the construction was still active there, so I stayed on I80. It kept trying to turn me around until I got past the exit where the J and Loves are. The mileage around the quad cities is the same regardless of which way you go. But instead of recalculating it that way, it kept trying to have me turn around at exits and added the miles onto the total. Not shorter or faster.

This past Saturday I again approached the quad cities area. It wanted me to take I480 again, but I had to get fuel at Loves. I didn't try to turn me around this time. But after I fueled and got back on I80 it wanted me to take I88 to Chicago! Again, not shorter or faster.

My current load is from Mountville, PA to Loveland, CO. I used the compare route function when I plugged the trip in. It showed only 3 miles difference but 1.5 hours difference in time between running I70 and I80.....I 70 being the faster route (and the one effectively without tolls). Today as I approached Indianapolis, it wanted me to head north towards I80. I went straight thru town, and it kept insisting, now routing me on minor roads to I80, across IA, then onto minor roads in NE, KS and CO. I decided enough was enough, this unit could not be trusted any more.

I called in and got Kevin again. He would not confirm or deny that a Dave or David is in his department, and said there was no record of me contacting the company since August - when I got the oversize ticket. He then proceeded to tell me the following:

- There is nothing wrong with my unit.
- I70 didn't even show up as a possible route when he plugged in my addresses on his computer
- There is nothing wrong with my unit
- Any time you leave the road to go into a truck stop it will recalculate - duh! (But is it supposed to add over 150 miles and several hours of drive time?)

If the stop is set on your trip then it should not recalculate. If not, then you can turn off the Re-Calc feature under Preferences/Route.

- There is nothing wrong with my unit.
- The recalculation it did is correct (pardon me? 150 miles added and several hours?????)
- There is nothing wrong with my unit.
Since it is under warranty, I can have it replaced if I insist, but it won't do any good because......

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY UNIT!!!

To top it off, I found Kevin to be rude, obnoxious and absolutely void of any listening skills. He constantly cut me off and talked over me. At one point I asked him if he was going to let me ask a question. He stated, "No. You already asked a question and I am going to answer it.". As I tried to get him to understand that when he cut me off and started "answering" my question I had only gotten part of it out. He just talked right over me.

I then showed him that with the current routing to Loveland (back roads in IN up to I80, etc) that I could easily prove the unit was not properly calculating the route. He shut up.....and I thought he was listening. I plugged in a stop at the TA in Concordia, MO. Amazingly, the routing went back to what it should have been, and the extra time and miles went away. His response? Any guesses?

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR UNIT

In order to avoid going forever without a unit I agreed to pay the $399 for an advance replacement. After he takes my credit card and shipping information, I ask how it is being shipped and when I can expect it to arrive. He told me that it would be another 3 to 4 days before the order was even placed! According to him, that is some other department and they are backlogged and it will be that long before they even process the order.

Another interesting thing. If I am going east across IL, it correctly shows the speed limit. However, if I am going west, it shows the speed limit as 55 ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE STATE ON I70 OR I80.

Speed limits are in the Map Data base and cannot be updated till a new compile and issue of maps. If a state changes a speed limit and does not make it in time for the compile, then the map release will be showing the incorrect speeds. All roads are splits up as North/South/West/East. The data for each side is not always the same.

But that's ok. There is nothing wrong with my unit.

Everyone in the country is experiencing these same things, right? They MUST be. They HAVE to be. Why?

BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY UNIT

I will not waste my time on Kevin again. If I have to deal with the Tech Support group. it will be someone else, preferably a manager, since the guy I visited with 2 months ago failed to document my call.

RM, you have some problems. I am totally underwhelmed with how you are choosing to deal with them.

I cannot in good faith or confidence recommend that anyone purchase a unit from them.
Click to expand...

First off let me say this is a support thread, not a review thread. That being said since this is a long post it will take me some time to look at each of your routes and see what I see.

Offhand, I would think you have some settings that are forcing you to routes that you don't wish to be on.

Main Screen/Preferences/route/freeway -

Prefer will mainly keep you on Freeways, even though a US route is closer and shorter/faster.
Allow will mainly keep you on US routes, even though a Freeway is closer and shorter/faster.

Under Preferences/Route, let me know what your settings are.

PM me your name and the serial number off the back please.

Thanks,
Mark

Mark Kling · Nov 20, 2013

STexan said: ↑

I have to admit the 720 does do some really strange routing in seemingly obvious situations across longer conveyances. I can NEVER get it to route the way the company "suggested route" is (along with those preferred fuel stops). And "multiple route options" are mostly quite goofy as well (the difference between route 1 and route 2 often makes no sense it's logic needs to be re-worked)

You run a route one time, and it does one thing, cancel, and from the same location, and it does something completely different. Say from Baltimore, MD to Terrell, TX. And if you input a waypoint or via location, then it wants to route you to the waypoint keeping you in the dark and clueless about how long/far it is to the destination. Some parts of the 720 are user intuitive and make sense, and other parts don't/aren't.

I also don't like the way the unit will not provide a route map overview immediately upon completing a new route (or easily from any point while on a route) so the driver can easily see what the route is further down the road to the completion and decide if he wants to accept or reject the route and try again something else that might also makes sense.
Click to expand...

Once you have a route put in, go to map screen. on the right about middle you will see three arrows with three lines. Tap on that. Click on Route Display Options at the bottom to see what you mentioned.

Thanks,
Mark

double yellow · Nov 20, 2013

Mark Kling said: ↑

I would think Fuel stops, trailer washouts, 30 min break, shutdown, repair shops would be the main concern. If so, and you know how far you can go before a fuel stop, then drag the map that distance and do a search.

Thanks,
Mark
Click to expand...

Good tip for now, thanks. I too would like it to at least search 8 hours in advance. If calculation time is an issue, perhaps add a "more" button at the bottom of the initial search results to extend the search?

More GIS: I95 nb in SC mm 176 & 193 -- no reason for lane assist ( who cares if the median spacing goes from 400yards to 100yards?). VA I95 nb from I295 to the 49 -- speed limit is 65 not 55. And another unnecessary lane assist at i95 nb VA 155

Mark Kling · Nov 20, 2013

double yellow said: ↑

Good tip for now, thanks. I too would like it to at least search 8 hours in advance. If calculation time is an issue, perhaps add a "more" button at the bottom of the initial search results to extend the search?

More GIS: I95 nb in SC mm 176 & 193 -- no reason for lane assist ( who cares if the median spacing goes from 400yards to 100yards?). VA I95 nb from I295 to the 49 -- speed limit is 65 not 55. And another unnecessary lane assist at i95 nb VA 155
Click to expand...

Thanks, I will bring it to RM's attention.

I will submit the other issues to the GIS dept.

Thanks,
Mark

Mark Kling · Nov 21, 2013

"My current load is from Mountville, PA to Loveland, CO. I used the compare route function when I plugged the trip in. It showed only 3 miles difference but 1.5 hours difference in time between running I70 and I80.....I 70 being the faster route (and the one effectively without tolls). Today as I approached Indianapolis, it wanted me to head north towards I80. I went straight thru town, and it kept insisting, now routing me on minor roads to I80, across IA, then onto minor roads in NE, KS and CO. I decided enough was enough, this unit could not be trusted any more."

Using your settings. I went from city center to city center since I don't know the exact address's. Tollways allow and Freeways allow.

Route 1
View attachment 57823 View attachment 57824 View attachment 57825

Route 2 (last pic unable to upload due to 10 pic limit on upload)
View attachment 57826 View attachment 57827 View attachment 57828 View attachment 57829 View attachment 57830 View attachment 57831

Mark Kling · Nov 21, 2013

"My current load is from Mountville, PA to Loveland, CO. I used the compare route function when I plugged the trip in. It showed only 3 miles difference but 1.5 hours difference in time between running I70 and I80.....I 70 being the faster route (and the one effectively without tolls). Today as I approached Indianapolis, it wanted me to head north towards I80. I went straight thru town, and it kept insisting, now routing me on minor roads to I80, across IA, then onto minor roads in NE, KS and CO. I decided enough was enough, this unit could not be trusted any more."

Using your settings. I went from city center to city center since I don't know the exact address's.

View attachment 57832 View attachment 57833 View attachment 57834

Mark Kling · Nov 21, 2013

"My current load is from Mountville, PA to Loveland, CO. I used the compare route function when I plugged the trip in. It showed only 3 miles difference but 1.5 hours difference in time between running I70 and I80.....I 70 being the faster route (and the one effectively without tolls). Today as I approached Indianapolis, it wanted me to head north towards I80. I went straight thru town, and it kept insisting, now routing me on minor roads to I80, across IA, then onto minor roads in NE, KS and CO. I decided enough was enough, this unit could not be trusted any more."

Using your settings. I went from city center to city center since I don't know the exact address's.

Prefer Freeways and Shortest Route, avoid Tollways.

View attachment 57835 View attachment 57836 View attachment 57837 View attachment 57838 View attachment 57839 View attachment 57840
View attachment 57841 View attachment 57842

Mark Kling · Nov 21, 2013

"My current load is from Mountville, PA to Loveland, CO. I used the compare route function when I plugged the trip in. It showed only 3 miles difference but 1.5 hours difference in time between running I70 and I80.....I 70 being the faster route (and the one effectively without tolls). Today as I approached Indianapolis, it wanted me to head north towards I80. I went straight thru town, and it kept insisting, now routing me on minor roads to I80, across IA, then onto minor roads in NE, KS and CO. I decided enough was enough, this unit could not be trusted any more."

Using your settings. I went from city center to city center since I don't know the exact address's.

Prefer Freeways and Fastest Route, avoid Tollways.

View attachment 57843 View attachment 57844 View attachment 57845 View attachment 57846 View attachment 57847 View attachment 57848

Mark Kling · Nov 21, 2013

"My current load is from Mountville, PA to Loveland, CO. I used the compare route function when I plugged the trip in. It showed only 3 miles difference but 1.5 hours difference in time between running I70 and I80.....I 70 being the faster route (and the one effectively without tolls). Today as I approached Indianapolis, it wanted me to head north towards I80. I went straight thru town, and it kept insisting, now routing me on minor roads to I80, across IA, then onto minor roads in NE, KS and CO. I decided enough was enough, this unit could not be trusted any more."

Using your settings. I went from city center to city center since I don't know the exact address's.

Prefer Freeways and Shortest Route, allow Tollways, allow Tunnels. (note you have Tunnels set to Avoid)

View attachment 57850 View attachment 57851 View attachment 57852 View attachment 57853 View attachment 57854

So in effect the 720 was routing you according to the settings you have in place.

If you change Tunnels to allow, you might find your routing a bit different and more in line with your choices.

You have Tollways set to Allow, but you made the statement - I 70 being the faster route (and the one effectively without tolls). If you wish to avoid Tolls, why not set to Avoid Tollways?

Thanks,
Mark

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