Truck GPS?

[gunda60]

Hi,
I’m planning to install Truck GPS system in my truck, after giving lots of thoughts and convincing myself with its features! The most interesting feature, which surely convinced me, is its capability to propose a best shortest route to my destination, considering my truck’s specifications, and taking the starting and ending places of my journey. The capability, if so works as described, will make me free from the cumbersome route research; which I have to perform for my journey to be shortest, economical, and safe from possible hurdles (we face at eleventh’s hour); like, re-routing, road-blocking, traffic stuck-up, low-bridge, sharp-turn, road-restrictions, time-restrictions, load-restrictions, and so! Wouldn’t a great feature?

There are many Truck GPS systems, I searched on the Internet! Each offers different specs and prices? But what my wisdom suggests, rather going directly to the company, I should first, conduct a small sort of opinion survey, before finally putting finger on to best one.

Could you please share your experiences with Truck GPS system? A few which I could research were made by: Teletype (http://www.teletype.com/), Garmin, Magellan, and TomTom (http://www.tomtom.com/). Each one filled with useful specs, but the Teletype’s Route Planning Capability according to my truck’s specifications, is more attention catching?

I’d appreciate all the professional truck drivers who would share the experience they had, and post their reply to this threat.

Looking forward to your knowledge-based suggestions and sincere recommendations!

Thanks.

[darin]

I came on here and asked the same question. Most suggested the Garmin and a few said Tom Tom. I have 3 friends who have the Tom Tom and all three have had some trouble with theirs losing maps. The Garmin is really nice. I got the 205W and could not be happier. I was going to get the 255W because it had the "text to speech" function. It was a lot more, but I thought I would like that feature. As it turns out, I usually have it muted, so I'm glad I didn't get it. I'm not sure if it's on Garmin's site or not, but I did follow a "which gps is right for you" sort of flow chart. Basically it listed several optional features. If you said a particular feature was important, you went one direction, and if it was not important, you went another direction. It basically leads you to the gps that has all the functions you say you'd like, without the one's you don't want. Good luck. The 205W is on sale at Staples for $149.00. I would also recommend the wider screens.

[Phil T]

I have an old small Garmin that can be programed to a "truck" mode. A guy who towed a small 5th wheel camper and 17' boat from St. Louis to Devils Lake, ND told me that mode was intended for semi tractor trailers. He liked that mode because it gave him plenty of warning if he needed to change lanes to get gas or food.
I have been so pleased, I bought each of our two daughters a bigger Garmin for Christmas last year. Their GPS units may even have the Serius radio traffic reports.
I'd suggest you do most of your routing on your computer. The larger screen makes route waypoints much easier to set. Even my older little GPS can store a lot of routes and waypoints.