Garmin Issues

Well, I've been solo for about 3 months and love it so far. One of the main purchases I made was when I bought a Garmin 770 last week. My Qualcomm navigation is okay, but it has a bad habit of saying I'm out of route when I know I'm not, and it takes forever to reroute.

One issue I've had with the Garmin really bit me in the butt today. I'm in Maryland, which as most of you know can be a bugger when it comes to finding places to park. I searched for truck stops and picked one about 6 miles away. After following the directions which routed me through streets I had NO business being on (jumped 3 curbs and almost took out a telephone pole), my destination turned out to be a convenience store, not a truck stop! Luckily I found one but it's kinda dangerous if the GPS routes you to places not meant to accommodate semis. Has anyone else had issues like this with a Garmin? I double-checked, and it still says that place is a truck stop.

P.S. I also use trucker path, but that's hard to do when you're on the road.

I HATE the Garmin. I have a company issued one and I can't tell you how many mistakes that thing makes.

It sent me into Paris TX when there was a very obvious truck route around the town. Luckily, a cop stopped me and helped me get back to the correct route. It wants me to go east and turn around in order to go west (did that several times today).

I've noticed that a lot of times, as soon as you leave the highway it gives the "truck accessibility unknown" ding. Always wants me to go into the car lot at truck stops too. It will give you gas stations as well as truck stops, which is what you had happen. I always plan out my stops BEFORE leaving with Trucker Path. Also, I've noticed that the Garmin doesn't have a lot of the stops listed on TP, even some of the major chain stops. I've stopped at several Pilots and Flying Js that the Garmin had no idea even existed.

My opinion? Take it back and get the Rand McNally. I'm buying one ASAP...

I agree with chickie that garmin doesn't seem to list all the truck stops, but, I've noticed that depending on how you search on the garmin determines what it finds.

If I use voice commands, find category, along route, and search for truck stops, it mostly gives me the major truck stops.

Now, if I hit the menu button on three lower right side of the screen, and choose the "up ahea" option, then select truck stops that way, it shows a lot more.

I had a rand gps, and I didn't give it enough chance. Once in Dallas it tried to run me in circles, but there was major construction there so not the fault of the rand.

One time in tollusen,az going to a warehouse there, the rand routed me to some odd street and tried to get me there a back way when the most clear road to get there was like a block away. I know that when you get to near your destination, you need to use more visual that gps, and use Google maps for a layout of the area.

Garmin, however, does seem to be able to route better to the truck entrance of wherever I'm going. Not all the time, but a often it does.

Also, running through phoenix, of I recall, the rand didn't try to route me onto the truck route bypass where the Garmin did.

However, I do like the rand because it has a better interface, and I think it has more features. It's also based on the motor carrier atlas so it cross references.

Also both garmin and rand have a feature where you can plan your route on your computer, then download it to your gps, but, the rand tablets have the ability to do trip planning right on the tablet.

You're gonna find issues with all GPS units, whether they're specifically designated for trucks or not. I was never 'brave' enough to fully trust a GPS. I have a dedicated run now, but when I was over the road running linehaul throughout the entire northeast, I only used my Rand as a compliment to the company route guide or my own route that I planned using my Rand Atlas and Google Maps. I'd also use sat view on Google Maps to take a peek at my final destination. I used the maps on my Rand, but as far as the GPS directions, I only ever used them as basically a "heads up" for an upcoming exit or intersection. I never used the GPS blindly for directions - I think that's asking for trouble. Honestly I'm surprised some drivers fully trust a GPS without at least comparing it to a planned route.

The Rand is nice, but I hope you guys are not solely relying on any GPS device. As with all GPS units, the Rand has its issues too, e.g. instructing to take the lower level on the GW bridge in NYC, etc. Seems like the places where you'd like to use your GPS the most (inner cities, areas with lots of streets), that's when they crap out and can't make sense of all the roads looking like spaghetti.

For me, the GPS really shines when you already have your route planned out, and you're looking for that street sign that otherwise would be hidden by a branch or poor placement.

Yes, I trust my gps way too much, but I am trying to cross reference my gps with my atlas.

My company sends us route suggestions, which really aren't suggestions at all, they generally want you to follow their route. What I'll do is look at their route and compare to the Atlas, then I'll program my gps to follow that route.

Always a good idea to write your route down though, that way if your gps goes out on you, you still have the route.

You guys are gonna laugh at me, but I don't see the need for getting an extra gps. My Qualcomm navigation works great the vast majority of the time. If I want to take a different route I use the atlas and write down my directions. The Qualcomm almost never takes me down non-truck routes. I have often used it to route me to specific truck stops, my house, doctor's appointments, anywhere and everywhere I go...almost never had a problem.

And with the Qualcomm you can actually move the marker if it is going to send you to the wrong place.

Yep, garmin has route shaping features as well. You can see the overhead of the route and simple tap where you want to go, then it will recalculate.

You guys are gonna laugh at me, but I don't see the need for getting an extra gps. My Qualcomm navigation works great the vast majority of the time. If I want to take a different route I use the atlas and write down my directions. The Qualcomm almost never takes me down non-truck routes. I have often used it to route me to specific truck stops, my house, doctor's appointments, anywhere and everywhere I go...almost never had a problem.

I agree with Paul on the Swift QC. I'm sure all Companies program them differently. My Swift QC generally routes me to the ENTRANCE of shippers/ receivers. I am sure they are programmed that way. Where as my personal R M will not. I always go thru the turn by turn on the QC and write down the final turns to my destination. Always use Google Satellite view prior to arriving at my final destination, to get the lay of the land so to speak.

You guys are gonna laugh at me, but I don't see the need for getting an extra gps. My Qualcomm navigation works great the vast majority of the time. If I want to take a different route I use the atlas and write down my directions. The Qualcomm almost never takes me down non-truck routes. I have often used it to route me to specific truck stops, my house, doctor's appointments, anywhere and everywhere I go...almost never had a problem.

I agree with Paul on the Swift QC. I'm sure all Companies program them differently. My Swift QC generally routes me to the ENTRANCE of shippers/ receivers. I am sure they are programmed that way. Where as my personal R M will not. I always go thru the turn by turn on the QC and write down the final turns to my destination. Always use Google Satellite view prior to arriving at my final destination, to get the lay of the land so to speak.

Actually, WE can program them that way. Which is really cool. Try this:

Go into your Navigation app. Click the Home button on the bottom left hand corner. Go to Dispatch. Then click on one of the destinations. Instead of clicking "Get Route," click on "Map" instead. If the market is in the wrong place, you can click "Move Marker" and follow the instructions on the screen to move the marker to the correct spot.

Usually the QC takes me to the truck entrance, but if it doesn't I use this trick to have it route me straight to it.