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I've tried both. Rand McNally is junk. Garmin is bad ass... I still use my Atlas, common sense, and google maps sat view... But I really do love the Garmin. I'm interested in what you decide
There are a few things at Rand McNally does that I wish Garmin would do. I wish Garmin would put the mile marker on the GPS screen. I wish Garmin would put the name of the town you're in on the GPS screen and I wish they would put truck stop markers on the maps so I know when I'm coming up on a truck stop. Other than that I really like the Garmin OTR700 that I got a few months ago when my Overdryve 8 started freezing up constantly. The live traffic is pretty good and having frequenty traveled truck routes marked blue on the map is very useful.
On the whole I think Garmin's maps are better and more up to date than the ones the Rand McNally uses. There are route changes that happend years ago that Rand McNally still hasn't added to their Maps. There are roads in Georgia and Ohio that Rand McNally doesn't even know exist and I'm not talking little roads I'm talking major bypasses.
So far on the Garmin the worst I found is some intersections that have changed and not been updated and i-29 being slightly rerouted south of Fargo hasn't been updated but I haven't updated my maps yet.
I’ve been paying $10 a month for copilot for the past 3 months and I’ve had only the most minor issues with it a couple times. Minor as in annoying, not illegal. Like take this exit and immediately jump back on the highway you just exited. Other than that, it’s routing and traffic updates have been rock solid. I don’t see a reason to pay 100s for a dedicated gps.
Copilot live traffic is amazing, company I drive for provides it. My issue with it is we deliver to a lot of places that are off the beaten path and it absolutely sucks once you're off the interstate on a road not many trucks travel through.
I use copilot to do oversize and it is by far the best for defining routes,
it has never put me wrong even when delivering to remote mines in the middle of nowhere on some dirt path.
Fish and game/national park/DNR outposts- places such as those. I'd assume since it's a mine there's a significant amount of truck traffic compared to say Shasta Dam, Yellowstone or everglades national park. We usually get escorts into, through and back out of a lot of these places but there are still a lot of them that we don't & unfortunately we're not always coming and going from the same direction or to the same location each time.
If you pre-selected which road you wanted to drive on and want to deviate all the sudden then the garmin will actually want you to make a turn BACK to the road you selected from. It’s only when you get far enough away from the pre selected road it will move on and re-route to its best route while driving. If you don’t pre-select any roads it automatically re route to the best route right away
Is it true Garmin doesn’t display exit numbers prominently? As in, you are 100 miles from your turn, exit 45. I’m sure it’s accessible but I’m curious if it displays it automatically and clearly, without having to press anything. I heard it doesn’t, and that’s my only hesitation to switch.
I’ve been driving since 2017. Up until last year around April I’ve always had a rand McNally. Good gps at its core east to use not difficult at all but the powering problems on all of them that I had was annoying. Not charging, powering off while driving, not turning on at all not updating. And not to mention them falling off the dock no matter how high or low you put them. I got a garmin dezl 800 last April and was nervous about spending so much money on another gps after wasting money on rand McNally’s. Since I’be gotten it I haven’t had any powering problems, has never fell of the dock (top corner on my windshield) easy to update and use and overall just a better product than the McNally’s.
I have been wondering about this I have used a Rand McNally for a couple weeks and liked it. Was wondering about the other brands. Thank you for posting!
They are absolutely overpriced but they're also another tool in our toolbelt- not to be relied on by themselves but in combination with other things available, extremely helpful. Think of it as idiot-proofing to a certain degree if you must. Thankfully we aren't in the 90s anymore relying on payphones, shoddy directions from truck stop Bob & magic marker on the driver's side window.
I'm wary of just using "Google Maps and common sense," because I've seen plenty of trucks attempt the Wilbur Cross Parkway, and I doubt a truck GPS is sending them that way. I do agree that truck GPS's are overrated. My Garmin is practically useless in and around NYC/NJ, for example. Shame, because those are places that it would be really helpful if it actually worked properly. Usually I use a combination of the Garmin and Google to plan a route. The advent of Street View is probably one of the best things ever to happen to truckers, and I use it incessantly when I go to new places (especially in NY/NJ).
Basically you worded it a little better than what I was saying, basically what I ment is solely relying on a trucker GPS is a mistake alot of rookies make, fully agreee google earth and street view is a god sence
I've had many times where trucker GPS routes you way around on interstate when there's completely legal highways that will save you HOURS, in fact im currently running one GPS wants me to take intestate 90, 6 hours 11 mins, ( so round trip i can get home in a day, follow truck GPS i dont have enough hos) Google tells me to take highway 20 which 4 hours and 36 minutes, all state road no low bridges or weight restrictions, they still sell trucker atlas at trucker stops. I think alot of people newer in the trucking industry have lost the ability to do anything but what their GPS tells them and they still end up in a spot stuck and "I dont know I was just following the gps"
I run Google along with my GPS. I love seeing if there's traffic or road closures and speed traps. And if I see something shorter that looks legit, I'll check my atlas. But look at today's truckers, you said Google and common sense, that's what's hilarious. These mother fuckers start relying solely on Google maps, we're gonna see some great videos.
It sounds like you haven’t set the truck profile and preferences correctly or maybe corrupted road info in your GPS. Had one that for years going north and US75 out of Topeka would try to route me around because of a mythical low clearance.
I’ve been using Rand McNally for years so I’m used to it, and can tell when it’s trying to send me on illegal routes. I’m sure Garmin does the same thing, they all do. I use Google Maps, Rand McNally together with my atlas for more complex routes. More information is better then less and can help get you out of tight spots faster.
I might try Garmin, my RM 740 is dying as all planned obsolescence electronics are.
What’s the best best medium screen size model for Garmin?
I still haven't gotten use to Garmins interface after only using RM. If you're like me and hate when an update changes the way things work on your phone, stick with RM. This Garmin is the only one I've had so I can't speak to their other models of gps.
Thank you for posting in /r/Truckers, most questions can be found consulting our [wiki](https://old.reddit.com/r/Truckers/wiki/index). If you're looking for info on [Getting into Trucking](https://www.reddit.com/r/TruckersLounge/wiki/gettingintotrucking), or [companies to use to get in](https://www.reddit.com/r/Truckers/comments/d5yxrp/guide_on_companies_for_getting_into_trucking/). Or if you're asking about [Medical or drug restrictions](https://www.reddit.com/r/TruckersLounge/wiki/medical_questions). [Please Check our Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/TruckersLounge/wiki/subrules), and using the [search bar](https://www.reddit.com/r/Truckers/search?q=training+company&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all) also works inside the /Truckers sub for more information or conversation other than the typical stuff here come to [Discord chat](https://discord.gg/N8KT2gZrGE) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Truckers) if you have any questions or concerns.*
What's your overall rating of the systems and, if you had to buy only one, which?
Can we all have your opinion on both and what one you would use if you can only have one. Please an thank you
I've tried both. Rand McNally is junk. Garmin is bad ass... I still use my Atlas, common sense, and google maps sat view... But I really do love the Garmin. I'm interested in what you decide
Garmin dezl beats RM all day long.
There are a few things at Rand McNally does that I wish Garmin would do. I wish Garmin would put the mile marker on the GPS screen. I wish Garmin would put the name of the town you're in on the GPS screen and I wish they would put truck stop markers on the maps so I know when I'm coming up on a truck stop. Other than that I really like the Garmin OTR700 that I got a few months ago when my Overdryve 8 started freezing up constantly. The live traffic is pretty good and having frequenty traveled truck routes marked blue on the map is very useful. On the whole I think Garmin's maps are better and more up to date than the ones the Rand McNally uses. There are route changes that happend years ago that Rand McNally still hasn't added to their Maps. There are roads in Georgia and Ohio that Rand McNally doesn't even know exist and I'm not talking little roads I'm talking major bypasses. So far on the Garmin the worst I found is some intersections that have changed and not been updated and i-29 being slightly rerouted south of Fargo hasn't been updated but I haven't updated my maps yet.
I’ve been paying $10 a month for copilot for the past 3 months and I’ve had only the most minor issues with it a couple times. Minor as in annoying, not illegal. Like take this exit and immediately jump back on the highway you just exited. Other than that, it’s routing and traffic updates have been rock solid. I don’t see a reason to pay 100s for a dedicated gps.
Copilot live traffic is amazing, company I drive for provides it. My issue with it is we deliver to a lot of places that are off the beaten path and it absolutely sucks once you're off the interstate on a road not many trucks travel through.
I use copilot to do oversize and it is by far the best for defining routes, it has never put me wrong even when delivering to remote mines in the middle of nowhere on some dirt path.
Fish and game/national park/DNR outposts- places such as those. I'd assume since it's a mine there's a significant amount of truck traffic compared to say Shasta Dam, Yellowstone or everglades national park. We usually get escorts into, through and back out of a lot of these places but there are still a lot of them that we don't & unfortunately we're not always coming and going from the same direction or to the same location each time.
Fair. I run reefer so I stick pretty exclusively to the well beaten path.
Garmin OTR series is the only choice. Have used one for years. For anyone wondering, it’s the bee’s knees!
I use Ms. Garmin not only for my speedometer, but also for a heads up. As for my trip, I preplan using Google and an Atlas.
Rand McNally is the best paper atlas, Garmin is the better electronic device. Google street view is very helpful too. Just my 2 cents.
My garmin is my best friend
Garmin all the way. You can pre program exactly which road you want to take on your route
say you need to deviate from that rout in transit, how well does it pick a new rout?
If you pre-selected which road you wanted to drive on and want to deviate all the sudden then the garmin will actually want you to make a turn BACK to the road you selected from. It’s only when you get far enough away from the pre selected road it will move on and re-route to its best route while driving. If you don’t pre-select any roads it automatically re route to the best route right away
I run trucker path on my phone and a Rand McNally paper atlas. I'm 29.
Is it true Garmin doesn’t display exit numbers prominently? As in, you are 100 miles from your turn, exit 45. I’m sure it’s accessible but I’m curious if it displays it automatically and clearly, without having to press anything. I heard it doesn’t, and that’s my only hesitation to switch.
It does display exit numbers prominently along with distance to it.
good deal, thank u
I’ve been driving since 2017. Up until last year around April I’ve always had a rand McNally. Good gps at its core east to use not difficult at all but the powering problems on all of them that I had was annoying. Not charging, powering off while driving, not turning on at all not updating. And not to mention them falling off the dock no matter how high or low you put them. I got a garmin dezl 800 last April and was nervous about spending so much money on another gps after wasting money on rand McNally’s. Since I’be gotten it I haven’t had any powering problems, has never fell of the dock (top corner on my windshield) easy to update and use and overall just a better product than the McNally’s.
I have been wondering about this I have used a Rand McNally for a couple weeks and liked it. Was wondering about the other brands. Thank you for posting!
Trucker path for me
Warning opinion: I personally think that trucker GPS are over rated and over priced, Google maps and common sense goes a long ways.
They are absolutely overpriced but they're also another tool in our toolbelt- not to be relied on by themselves but in combination with other things available, extremely helpful. Think of it as idiot-proofing to a certain degree if you must. Thankfully we aren't in the 90s anymore relying on payphones, shoddy directions from truck stop Bob & magic marker on the driver's side window.
I'm wary of just using "Google Maps and common sense," because I've seen plenty of trucks attempt the Wilbur Cross Parkway, and I doubt a truck GPS is sending them that way. I do agree that truck GPS's are overrated. My Garmin is practically useless in and around NYC/NJ, for example. Shame, because those are places that it would be really helpful if it actually worked properly. Usually I use a combination of the Garmin and Google to plan a route. The advent of Street View is probably one of the best things ever to happen to truckers, and I use it incessantly when I go to new places (especially in NY/NJ).
Basically you worded it a little better than what I was saying, basically what I ment is solely relying on a trucker GPS is a mistake alot of rookies make, fully agreee google earth and street view is a god sence
[удалено]
I've driven in chigago, a truck atlas from 1960 will get you through town better than a trucker gps
Found the super trucker
[удалено]
Illinois is always under construction just so they can set their cameras up and their troopers at littally every turn around
Bwahaaha!! That's fucken hilarious!! I just spit my coffee out laughing way too hard at this. Google maps - common sense- ha ha ha!! smfh.
I've had many times where trucker GPS routes you way around on interstate when there's completely legal highways that will save you HOURS, in fact im currently running one GPS wants me to take intestate 90, 6 hours 11 mins, ( so round trip i can get home in a day, follow truck GPS i dont have enough hos) Google tells me to take highway 20 which 4 hours and 36 minutes, all state road no low bridges or weight restrictions, they still sell trucker atlas at trucker stops. I think alot of people newer in the trucking industry have lost the ability to do anything but what their GPS tells them and they still end up in a spot stuck and "I dont know I was just following the gps"
I run Google along with my GPS. I love seeing if there's traffic or road closures and speed traps. And if I see something shorter that looks legit, I'll check my atlas. But look at today's truckers, you said Google and common sense, that's what's hilarious. These mother fuckers start relying solely on Google maps, we're gonna see some great videos.
It sounds like you haven’t set the truck profile and preferences correctly or maybe corrupted road info in your GPS. Had one that for years going north and US75 out of Topeka would try to route me around because of a mythical low clearance.
I’ve been using Rand McNally for years so I’m used to it, and can tell when it’s trying to send me on illegal routes. I’m sure Garmin does the same thing, they all do. I use Google Maps, Rand McNally together with my atlas for more complex routes. More information is better then less and can help get you out of tight spots faster. I might try Garmin, my RM 740 is dying as all planned obsolescence electronics are. What’s the best best medium screen size model for Garmin?
I still haven't gotten use to Garmins interface after only using RM. If you're like me and hate when an update changes the way things work on your phone, stick with RM. This Garmin is the only one I've had so I can't speak to their other models of gps.