PC Miler gps systems

[StickyWicket]

Hi fellas,

I'm looking to buy a GPS to take along on my runs as I'm going into unfamiliar areas a lot. I thought the PC Miler Navigator series sounded pretty good, but I'd like to know if anybody out there has one and what they think of it.

Also, if I do get one I'd like to get at a store where I can see it in person instead of ordering it over the 'net. Any suggestions appreciated...

[ralph]

I'm guessing that you can get them at the TA chain of truckstops. Can I make a suggestion that's substantially cheaper? Buy Microsoft Streets and Trips for under $50.00, under $100 if you buy the GPS version. It is user friendly and I have found it to be easier to use than a GPS when it comes to getting directions from a customer while looking @ the map/screen.

Just my suggestion.

[Mercenary]

That would only be cheaper if the guy already has a lap-top eh? Then he would need to have his lap-top on all the time if he wanted turn by turn directions....

Wasn't there a big stink a few years ago with the DOT about truckers driving with their lap-tops on?

[ralph]

If you are driving from Calgary to LA I can't imagine you would need the routing until you got off the interstate system therefore you wouldn't require the laptop to be on all the time.

And yes you would require a laptop BUT that PC Miler GPS is around $500...I think you can buy an inexpensive laptop and the Streets and trips program for the same or less.

[StickyWicket]

Yeah I would need to get myself a laptop. My boss was really surprised when I showed up for my first day and didn't have a GPS. It would be really handy if I could get something with live traffic/construction updates too. Spent 25 mins. on a street that was under construction in Toronto the other day, should have been on it for about 2 minutes.

[Manitoba Trucker]

I use a Garmin Nuvi 255W (wide screen) and love it. Works 99.9% of the time as long as you use common sense and back it up with a good atlas or computer programs (I also use Streets and Trips and an atlas). The only problem with the Garmin is that it is not a trucker GPS, but as I said, use common sense. I also ALWAYS call ahead to my delivery or pickup locations and ask for truck directions, just to make sure my GPS is routing me the right way.

Garmin is a lot cheaper, I got mine for about $100.00 (CAD), but only because Visions had a sale on another GPS unit, and when I went to get that one, they told me that they didn't sell it because they had lots of complaints. When I asked why it was advertised, the salesman didn't have an answer. So I told him I was going to file a complaint against them for false advertising, and the manager was called, he offered me the Garmin at the same price, which was about a $100 saving!!!!

[Riptide]

personally i use my laptop and Co-Pilot 9 (for trucks) I really should get the updated version soon.

[bikerboy]

if you have a laptop with internet anywhere, you can use google maps and google street view or satelite view.

i used that along with a basic gps and truckers atlas and calling to double check directions, worked fine for me

[Pipeman]

Yeah I would need to get myself a laptop. My boss was really surprised when I showed up for my first day and didn't have a GPS. It would be really handy if I could get something with live traffic/construction updates too. Spent 25 mins. on a street that was under construction in Toronto the other day, should have been on it for about 2 minutes.Tell your boss that your also "surprised" that he doesn't provide the GPS systems.

[StickyWicket]

Tell your boss that your also "surprised" that he doesn't provide the GPS systems.

Good point! Some of his rigs have GPS in them, but I don't think he has enough to go around right now. He's expanding the fleet. Maybe if I buy one I can get him to pay for it...

[RodeoJoe]

I've been using Microsoft's Streets and Trips for the last 5 or 6 years and really like it. I bought a GPS version a couple of years ago and am having trouble with it losing satellite contact. Seems it can't go for more than a couple of minutes without losing the satellite. It looks as though I'll have to get into a laptop GPS site and find out why it keeps cutting out on me and won't go and look for the sat by itself without me going through a bunch of keystrokes.

[Riptide]

try using a different usb port. and resetting your antannae

[Noname]

Hi fellas,

I'm looking to buy a GPS to take along on my runs as I'm going into unfamiliar areas a lot. I thought the PC Miler Navigator series sounded pretty good, but I'd like to know if anybody out there has one and what they think of it.

Also, if I do get one I'd like to get at a store where I can see it in person instead of ordering it over the 'net. Any suggestions appreciated...

If you're planning on getting a Truck Route Capable GPS go with the Rand McNally TND700 it's the top pick. If you want a unit that doubles as a backup Camera go with the WorldNav units. The bigger 7" Screens are best when you need to make a split decision on lane position for a turnoff.

Check with dispatch to see if they need you to integrate your GPS unit with their dispatch system. Some GPS units are two-way communication Capable.

NEVER buy a GPS unit made for cars. You will get yourself into places where the truck won't fit with height or weight or legal route.

[ralph]

NEVER buy a GPS unit made for cars. You will get yourself into places where the truck won't fit with height or weight or legal route.

I use my GPS for trip planning and log verification. My Garmin 255W has a resettable trip timer that I set every morning. It allows me to verify my times that I enter on my logs as it has boxes for stopped time, driving time, average speed, maximum speed etc. I also use it for making my deliveries as ALL my deliveries are in residential areas BUT, I only use it after making a call to the consignee. I see LOTS of NO TRUCK signs when I go in and out of my deliveries!

[Manitoba Trucker]

NEVER buy a GPS unit made for cars. You will get yourself into places where the truck won't fit with height or weight or legal route.


I have a Garmin Nuvi 255W and yes it tries to send me where I shouldn't go...but common sense prevails and I make the final decision whether to go there or not, regardless of what GPS tells me. GPS is only a tool and I have heard that even the trucker friendly GPS units sometimes make mistakes.

[Mikerosoft666]

I'm wanting to get into one too. Have read reviews on PC Miler and they are positive but Rand McNally Truckers GPS 710 is also getting rave reviews and you can describe your load when asking for a route. Allegedly it will only take you on truck routes, will avoid weight rated bridges you cannot cross based on your weight, will highlight contruction zones etc. (within 2 week startup windows), and narrow bridges for oversize loads. Not sure about overhead hazards for over height but why wouldn't they. It's not like there are 2 million that they would have to enter.

I will post about it again when I finally know for sure what I think. Or look it up on the web and checkout reviews from truckers - you tube has a couple of good ones and a few that are negative on it. Make your own mind up - I haven't yet but continue to search.

[Drifter]

If you are running over size you don`t need gps as it will never agree with your routing on the "permits"

[ralph]

If you are running over size you don`t need gps as it will never agree with your routing on the "permits"

Unless you have annual permits.

[lostNfound]

+1 on MS Streets & Trips; it is what I have been using for the last four years. I always left my laptop on, but just lowered the lid until I needed it. I have never been asked about it, although I tend to lower the lid going through scales, etc.

[kwantz]

Hey guys. thought I would give my input on these truck tools. I have been doing a whole ton of research on which unit to get etc... I am currently Testing the Pcmiler 750 and the Rand Mcnally tnd 710....

When it comes to straight up truck routing and routing options. PCmiler wins hands down, Pcmiler has been making truck routing software for 20 years, rand only a few. Dont get me wrong the rand is not to far behind. But the just the routing options the pcmiler gives you, is way more extensive than the rand mcnally. Rand only gives you 2-3 different options or road preference. Where the PCmiler you can fully configure your truck, materials hauled, and roads to prefer and avoid.

The TND 710 has been getting a ton of bad reviews, if you go over to the truckers report trucking forum and to their electronic section. You will read 100's of posts from disatsfied customers. All complaining about 2 major hardware issues. Speakers blowing and sound just not working. The biggest complaint is the INput for the power supply breaks and becomes unable to take a charge. So its durability is not very good, I feel they rushed out their new unit.

The pcmiler is extreamly helpfull, its navigation screen is leaps and bounds better than the rand, map clarity is out of this world even better than Garmin, tom tom etc even when zoomed in. Also On screen it will display icons for Low Bridges, weight restricted , no hazmat etc..... no other Truck gps displays this very important information. Before I had this GPS and in a small town you have no idea how many times I have been on a non truck route because of a low bridge etc.. because the town is to cheap to replace the damn street signs. But with the PCM it clearly shows you with icons and warnings about certain roads. I find this the best tool on the unit.

POI's and the ability to search for them. The Rand wins hands down, you can search near your truck, end of day (rand has built in HOS program), on route etc.... Also when you click a certain truck stop, it will tell you which amenities are at that location (Wifi, diesel, what fuel cards are accepted etc...) I personally like how it shows what fuel cards are accepted, very usefull.

I think this is a very very very important feature, but some people prolly wont care to much about it.... Calculating and recalulating when missing a turn. The Rand is soooooo bloody painfull to watch, it feels like its takes a good 60 seconds before it will recalculate you half the time, by that time you have missed your turn by a mile sometimes more.
The Pcmiler on the other hand if I miss a turn it will recalculate in a matter of 3-5 seconds.... So when I miss a turn, it will tell me to turn down the very next street usually. Where teh rand It wont recalculate me until im 5-6 streets up the road already... Very very frustrating.


OK an last but not least... the very important Map Updates....

Pcmiler has a 90 day commitment to FREE of Charge map updates and 30 day commitment to software updates (updates construction, closed roads, etc)

Rand only does yearly updates and persoanlly I know roads are changing daily and new roads are being built. So the yearly updates didnt really appeal to me. Also the rand maps are not free either, they are 80 bucks. Right now I think some truck stops are doing a promo, for free life map updates if you purchase now until the end of the year.


So In the end after owning the pcmiler 750 for a few months, and testing the Rand Mcnally out for the past couple of weeks... The Pcmiler Wins hands down....

Truck Routing is way better, the ability to create up to 50 truck profiles. Rand you can only create one single type of truck routing profile. I personally have 5 at the moment. so depending on what im doing that day, i can quickly switch to that profile, and it will route me as such.
-a profile for OTR
-profile for local
-profile for avoiding tolls
-profile for caustic
-profile for flammable.

The rand you only get one option, and the options are very limited as well...

Dont get me wrong, rand usually updates their units every 12 months, and that time is almost here. I believe with their next map update and a new unit version, they will catch up to thepcmiler.

in the end, it comes down to what you want and what is important to you...

If you want POI's and fancy gagets... Rand is your machines.
if you want the most relieable up to date truck routing and the ability to fully customize the type of truck routing that suits your driving style... PCM hands down.

Hope I was some sort of help.

[bc_]

Great review kwantz :)