GPS Apps or Systems

[chemist308]

So, I'm a huge fan of Google Maps and Apple Maps, BUT, I'm less of fan when towing and they try to take me down glorified township turkey paths. Turns out my iphone makes unhelpful comments when I shout "Hey Siri what the #@** is wrong with you!"... I'd imagine semi drivers don't use these apps for that reason.

Anyway, does anyone know of any good GPS apps or systems that work better for towing?

[livinthelife]

So, I'm a huge fan of Google Maps and Apple Maps, BUT, I'm less of fan when towing and they try to take me down glorified township turkey paths. Turns out my iphone makes unhelpful comments when I shout "Hey Siri what the #@** is wrong with you!"... I'd imagine semi drivers don't use these apps for that reason.

Anyway, does anyone know of any good GPS apps or systems that work better for towing?

Here's some reading for you:
https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...V-GPS?p=185575
https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...2-Gps?p=170803
https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...-into?p=193401
https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...c-GPS?p=102919
https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...ations?p=80818
https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...lease?p=117615

[redspeed3`]

I use RV Trip Wizard and download the trip into Google maps for on the road usage. I hear ya on the side road detours, though.

I'm curious if truck GPS would be foolproof. Even RV trip Wizard took us through downtown Taos, NM with a left turn that was impossible with the traffic at the time. Perhaps that's not a good test since RVTW uses Google maps as the underlying system. Google maps re-routed us down a residential road, but it got us there.

BTW - hwy 64 from Taos to Anglefire sky resort is a real white knuckler road.

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[Guzinta]

I'm curious if truck GPS would be foolproof.

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No such thing as a foolproof GPS. They all have their flaws. In my job driving a semi, I have used copilot, rand McNally, and garmin. Always cross reference your gps route with a McNally truck atlas for low bridges and other restrictions. Asking others who have done the same route is always a good idea. My 303 with the second ac unit measures 12’6 just 1 ft shy of a semi. Ymmv

Cheers and happy camping! Neil

[DougW9876]

I have a garmin RV770, so far it has worked well but if I am going to be on side roads which might be sketchy I will verify with other sources such as Park Advisor.

[Guzinta]

Meant to comment one the OPs question as well. Of the truck gps units/apps I’ve used, I find the Garmin to be the best, flaws and all. Best interface and features. .. Cheers

[sande005]

Used to have the older Garmin DEZL series, that while slightly modified for RV's, was really their full on "Trucker" GPS. After it was stolen, got the RV770, which edits out all the trucker logs, etc. that I will never use.
I much prefer the Garmin to the alternatives for most driving situations - it anticipates upcoming turns, and advises on what lanes to be in, much further out. VERY handy when negotiating say, freeways through downtown Chicago.
With the lifetime maps and traffic, for urban areas, it does as well as Google for rerouting around delays, where it can.
Far, far better in challenging signal areas - think multi-layer overpasses and tunnels, where Google gets very confused as to which roadway you are on. And it is far, far better in the hinterlands where there is no cell/wifi to assist.
Generally seems to "know" specific current location better. Never has it shown me on a frontage road, when I am on a highway, like my phone apps sometimes do.

The bad:
1. Downloaded trips primarily seem to be set up as start and end points. So the device will decide on the routing, which may be very different that what you thought it was going to be. Adding various waypoints helps, but it sometimes can be a challenge beating it into submission.
2. If a route has a barrier, like low bridge, it will dutifully re-route you. But hard to impossible to look far ahead to see what is causing the reroute. In one instance, it wanted to take me several 100 miles out of the way, using designated truck routes. All due to a tunnel entrance that was too low at the far edge, but several feet higher over the roadway. I'd like to know why it is balking, so I can evaluate using other sources.
3. Propane restrictions seem to be generally lacking in route planning. Gone through some tunnels I shouldn't have due to that.
4. It tries hard to keep you on truck friendly routes, but can send you through some "interesting" places as it works to get you to those routes. Luckily I was not towing, but had it in RV mode while sightseeing in Portland, ME. It took me through some small street neighborhoods that I never would have gotten through if I had had the 5th hitched up.

As is so often noted - none are even near perfect. You always have to use multiple sources to plan your route. And be aware that the base data for all the gadgets comes from essentially the same mapping source. So your alternatives should include reference paper maps, atlases, and the like.
But, in the end, the Garmin has been a much more useful tool, so I'm sticking with it.