What Trucking GPS's Do You Reccomend???

Hey Guys and Gals:

It seems like most trucking companies do outfit their trucks these days with their own GPS's. But just in case I get with a company that doesn't, what specific Motor Carrier GPS's have you found to be the best???

And if you know of some really bad ones please warn me away from those also.

Thanks in advance. Trucking Truth is INVALUABLE!!!

Bad Bob

I have Rand McNally, and have been happy with it. It has definitely saved my butt more than once. HOWEVER, I always cross-check with the company's routing, then look at Google maps, and details on Google Earth. Gotta be prepared to say "no way" to the GPS, 'cause sometimes it gives me a REALLY bad suggestion!

Hey Guys and Gals:

It seems like most trucking companies do outfit their trucks these days with their own GPS's. But just in case I get with a company that doesn't, what specific Motor Carrier GPS's have you found to be the best???

And if you know of some really bad ones please warn me away from those also.

Thanks in advance. Trucking Truth is INVALUABLE!!!

Bad Bob

Not a bad idea to purchase the Rand McNally unit as a back-up regardless of what your future company installs or ues. My Qualcomm has gone dark numerous times (usually in the middle of the night) for maintenance, upgrades, or unexplained connection loss.

Both these answers mentioned Randy's GPS. Garmin also makes a motor carrier model they call "dezil".

Both these answers mentioned Randy's GPS. Garmin also makes a motor carrier model they call "dezil".

Rand McNally sells an excellent product, but I have a personal preference for Garmin's tools. The Dezl 570LMT has a five inch screen and lifetime maps. There is also a 770LMTHD with a seven inch screen, lifetime maps, and a built in dashcam.

What I wonder about is why drivers don't use the mapping feature built into the Quallcomm??? But, that's probably a question I should ask as a separate topic at another time.

Any opinions about "Trucker Path Pro"? It's an iOS app, 5 star rating with 200+ reviews.

Steve B wonders:

What I wonder about is why drivers don't use the mapping feature built into the Quallcomm??? But, that's probably a question I should ask as a separate topic at another time.

That's the one people here say do not trust. But I use it exclusively - my R-McN map book is mostly a lump under my mattress. The QC GPS barks, sits and rolls over just like the Randys and the Dezls. Permanently connected to the truck, it does not like to play dead.

What I wonder about is why drivers don't use the mapping feature built into the Quallcomm??? But, that's probably a question I should ask as a separate topic at another time.

I use both the navigation in my Qualcomm and my rand McNally gps and cross check everything in my atlas. They both tend to pick different routes and it helps to give me options . Plus the rand McNally gps has a few features the Qualcomm does not.

There have been some occasions where the Qualcomm was wrong and the McNally was right. There have been other occasions where that was reversed. And there have other occasions in which they were both wrong.

Hey Guys and Gals:

Thanks for the information.

I will probably get a Rand McNally. I have a Garmin for my car and while it is OK I guess I'd just want to try something different. And Definitely if we have Qualcomm I'll learn to use their mapping. And I am definitely going to have the old trusty Motor Carriers Road Atlas ready. You never know when the Zombie Apocalypse might happen, (or a natural disaster) that could put out the satellites.

I was doing this stuff back in the stone age, before there even were GPS's for anybody except the military and airlines.

So I definitely want the old fashioned back-up plan if everything else fails.

Thanks again.

Bad Bob

Hey Guys and Gals:

Thanks for the information.

I will probably get a Rand McNally. I have a Garmin for my car and while it is OK I guess I'd just want to try something different. And Definitely if we have Qualcomm I'll learn to use their mapping. And I am definitely going to have the old trusty Motor Carriers Road Atlas ready. You never know when the Zombie Apocalypse might happen, (or a natural disaster) that could put out the satellites.

I was doing this stuff back in the stone age, before there even were GPS's for anybody except the military and airlines.

So I definitely want the old fashioned back-up plan if everything else fails.

Thanks again.

Bad Bob

Same here BB,...I learned how to orient a map the old fashioned way, with a compass (I can hear the laughter now).

Anyway, I want to clarify my comments about the QC; my only issue with it is when trucking "off-the-beaten-path". Since I run dedicated Walmart, many times the store stops are clustered along a 10-20 miles path in rural or urban areas. For instance when going from store stop1 to store stop 2, if I am unfamiliar with that particular route, I will cross check the QC and the RM with the Atlas. Especially necessary for inter-city stops, back country roads, and North Jersey. The QC has tried to route me through residential areas and under low bridges on several occasions. 99% of the time, doesn't lead me astray.