Whats the BEST GPS?

I had the Copilot standalone GPS, and found it to be a bit goofy. Now I've been using the Garmin 760 Dezl, and while at first it seemed to pick strange routes, once I set up the truck parameters correctly and did the initial updates, I had no further problems.

 

Every GPS has it Pro's as well as it Con's. Every driver will like one model or company over another. Some GPS's use one Map manufacturing company and others use a different Map Company. Maps no matter who maintains the Database will never be 100% correct. Too many variables as restrictions, roads, and many other items change daily.

GUI's are different on different models, so some like the touch/feel of one over the other.

Some have had bad experiences with some models in the past and hold that judgment. I have had bad experiences with some restaurants and I never go back to them.

Do I like everything with the model's I use? No, but some things are a business decision based upon factors I cannot control.

In the end it will come down to what works for you. Once you find a model then give yourself time to learn how to work the GPS and all the things that it can do.

http://www.dieselboss.com/truck_gps_review_features.htm

 

If you get a chance... check out/download the owners manual for the devices you are interested in. This will give a good idea of what features that unit will have and may help you decide what you want in a GPS.

DieselBoss.com has a comparison page that may help you as well.

http://www.dieselboss.com/truck_gps_review_features.htm

Amazon will have reviews as well.

I recently bought a RM TND 730- and so far so good....

The only GPS's I've heard anything bad about are the Cobra units.

 

And it's even more complicated than that. "Best" is also different from driver to driver depending on what features matter to him most. So the "mine is best bias" is actually a real factor depending on WHAT they drive, WHERE they drive, and WHAT peripheral features matter to them.

For example, I have a customer who ONLY drives in the 5 boroughs of New York City (with an occasional jaunt into North Jersey.) He does not care one bit about driver E-log features, or IFTA mileage logging, or truck stop locations, or scales.) Here only cares about not getting caught on a "no trucks" street in that area.

I have another driver who NEVER goes to New York City and he cares enormously about the scales, the IFTA logging, the weather, and the POI databases.

I have a third driver who wants one to Bluetooth to his phone for hands-free POI dialing.

And then there's a 4th who "doesn't want any more gadgets at all" but instead wants it on his existing laptop or tablet or smartphone.

If you ask those 4 guys which is "best" you will get 4 different answers. This has a LOT do with why there are always differing opinions about these.


For posterity, here are the current makers (alphabetical) of truck-specific navigation (to my knowledge at the time this post was written) -

ALK Technologies (CoPilot app for Windows, iOS, and Android. Also used in many "in-dash" units. PC Miler program for companies)
Aponia (app for Windows CE, Mobile, and Android)
Cobra (stand-alone units)
Garmin (stand-alone units)
iGo Primo (app for Android - also used on Trucker's Tablet brand devices)
Magellan (stand-alone units)
Rand McNally (stand-alone units and Rand-branded tablets)
Sygic (app for Android)
Teletype/WorldNav (stand-alone units and SmartTruckRoute app for iOS and Android)
TomTom (stand-alone units)

 

Yes - as with all stand-alone units
(stand-alone means NOT a laptop program or mobile app on a phone or tablet.)


side note: I know that I need to update our comparison chart with newer models, but I apologize that I have not had the time lately to do so.

 

Wasn't aimed at you. 99% of the readers of this forum to not post. It was a clarity statement for the masses.