Rand-McNally Intelliroute TND 500

[Wolfie62]

I recently purchased this unit and am quite impressed with this system. I wrote a little about it under the Nuvi 465t thread. I was wondering if any one else out there has one.

The multi-point route system is very nice, and works well. It has gobs and gobs of POI (point-of-interest) locations, such as Wal-Marts and SuperCenters, Targets and K-Marts, plus very accurate weight station warnings with adjustable warning distances. I like the way it details interstate and local road turn-offs and exits, even if you have it set zoomed out. The voice is loud and clear, with a jack available for external speakers and amp if you need it, plus a jack for an external GPS antenna, a usb jack, and even a jack "for future use". I found it very easy to navigate the user screen, and even easy to change screens while driving.

My big concern was the ability to use it for route planning. You know, to compare different alternate routes before you make the pick-up or delivery. But, that too is easy.

Lastly, the ability to connect to the computer and download updates or to even tell the manufacturer about errors, is also very easy. While the screen is not huge, it is more than adequate to both see details and to hit buttons to change screens or functions even while driving.

$500 is a lot to pay. I feel I made a good choice for my money.

 

[ebsprintin]

Amazon.com for $499.99.

eb

 

[Wolfie62]

Yea, that's the going rate.

Forgot to mention Lane-Assist. What it gives you is a full screen detail of the number of lanes ahead that you can use for your next turn. For instance, does the interstate branch off, or split, ahead using two, three, or just a single lane? It accurately tells you how many lanes go that way, whether the exit is right or left, what the posted speed limit is, etc. It tells you to keep bearing right or left, and whether to ignore other signs.

I found this very usefull when picking up 7 loads in the Queens, NY area, then directing me into Manhatten from the north end and delivering into the south end, and back up again, and into the Newark, NJ area. Not bad.

 

[Wolfie62]

A couple of other things....

It lets you input the type of hazmat you are carrying, and makes appropriate routes.

It lets you input your home terminal time zone and keeps it, automatically updating itself for accurate time.

For the input keyboard on the touchscreen, it lets you pick a Qwerty keyboard or just an alphabetical keyboard.

If you miss your turn, it automatically recalculates (quickly) a new route without making a big audible fuss. ( I purposely missed a turn just to see how it would respond, then did it 3 more times on that same trip, and it responded gracefully and accurately!)

You can select certain roads you want it to exclude, or include, during your driving. You can have it re-route on the fly.

It has a fly-out list you can select to look at all the future turns your trip will entail.

You can quickly change from truck to car routing.

It has an antenna jack for on-the-fly traffic updates, contruction re-routes also.

Hey, competition is getting stiff out there for these gadgets. I thing Rand-McNally is in it for the long haul. They have their reputation to protect.......

 

[ebsprintin]

So how does it handle the fake NYCDOT clearances around the city?

eb

 

[cannedmeat27]

i also own the rand mcnally and yes it has lots of great features
Wait until you are on a long run the total milage will be wrong
it will tell you to exit where there are no exits my has had fatal errors a couple of times and even froze

 

[Wolfie62]

Yea. Mine required 27 file updates from their internet web site after I got it home. Yes, you will have those problems right out of the box. The file updates fix those problems. At least, they did on mine.

As for the routing in NYC and boroughs, it is good. Clearance heights were good, and it does well at keeping you on the major truck route streets. But alas, you have to be on your guard, you still can't trust these devices 100% of the time. Just because I had no problems.....

 

[greywolf184]

I too would love to hear more feed back on this gps unit. I am interested in it but do not want to make the same mistake I made when I bought the pc miler. It is no good . My old Garmin was a lot better than the pc miler. I just want more reviews of this product before I purchase one.

 

[TruckersGPS]

Hi Guys,

I, too, like the Rand McNally! It is probably the best unit on the market, as far as I can tell! And, I do have some experience in the matter.

But, the important thing I wanted to tell you is, if anyone is thinking of buying one, today, please just wait a day, or two. You will be well rewarded!

I'll write back then, when I'm officially allowed to say anything!

Hope you are all having a great weekend!

 

[TeamCaffee]

We are also on the hunt for a new GPS for 2010 and will be reading with interest your opinions on the different units. We have all ready wasted our money on the one unit and do not want to this again.

Our Lawrence will keep us going until we find a truck specific GPS Unit.

 

[bobwg]

Does the Rand McNally have a dash mount? I looked at one at truck stop and it look like only has mount for windshield. I have an old Garmin and when i got it the Garmin web site shows that windshield mount is not legal in California and I think Minnesota too, so I got what they call a friction mount its sort of like a sand bag the top center area has a mount for the gps and the bottom side as a material that prevents it from sliding around and you can still move it from truck to truck and not damage the dash to mount it. Dont know if anyone has actually been given a ticket for the winshield mount but no reason to give cops/dot another way to write a ticket

 

[ebsprintin]

I'm still waiting for someone to join this thread to tell us they just so happen to have some for sale.

eb

 

[bobwg]

Another question who actually makes the Rand Mcnally gps?

 

[LDB]

I think maybe your Lawrence is keeping you on the right track on the forums and your Lowrance is keeping you on the right track on the roads.

 

[Wolfie62]

Some great questions and comments coming on this thread!

Yes, out of the box one only gets the suction-cup windshield mount. That is one quibble I do have--that mount puts the GPS out of my reach and is blurry with my current non-bifocal glasses. So, yes, I did have to go to Wal-Mart for a mount that allows me to "hard-mount" the GPS holder near the steering wheel on my right side.

I will have to investigate who the actual manufacturer of this GPS is.

Like cell phones, smart phones, and the like, GPS units made for commercial transportation will be an ever-evolving thing. I think what will make a big difference is in HOW FAST the makers will be able to incorporate changes into the units--AFTER PURCHASE. So far, Rand McNally seems to be up to the task. I reported on their website that they needed to update their map for the Charlotte, NC area. I actually got an email reply saying that I would be notified by email as soon as it is ready, and others--in the next couple of weeks--and was given a link whereby I could DOWNLOAD new map data for free. (In addition to new construction updates.) I was afraid I would be ignored. Not so!

I guess I don't mind buying something new with a few bugs---AS LONG AS THE MANUFACTURERS LIVE UP TO THEIR PROMISE TO RAPIDLY IMPROVE THEIR PRODUCT!

So far, so good.

 

[layoutshooter]

I would like to see Rand-McNally put out the Truckers Atlas in software form. Then I could use it on my laptop. I did email them on the subject but they never got back to me.

 

[ConfusedMuse]

Well, we bit the dust,and purchased the Rand-McNally GPS unit. It is now listed at 399.99 at Pilot. The only thing we know for sure is that there is zip return policy, an exchange for a similar product but, no cash, no in-store credit. According to Rand-McNally's multi-layered web site, they are the manufacturers of the unit. You need to connect to a laptop, pc and download all 27 ( the number of updates as of 01/08/10), supposedly will fix all the glitches mentioned, but alas everything mechanical comes with risks. But, we are masters of being on time even when the odds are against us, so what's one more!

 

[SunnyJoe]

I could use a little advice on updating my routing method. I'm a tractor-trailer driver who travels the Southern Michigan, Northern Ohio and Northern Indiana region. I'm home everyday, but my pick-ups and deliveries can take me to various small towns, many of which are on a one-time basis. I make 4 to 5 stops per day, before returning home everyday. My current method for routing involves checking my Rand-McNally Truckers Atlas along with the paper "map only" print-out that my company dispatcher supplies me with and any directions that I may call and ask for from the consignee, and then writing out the route on a small legal pad sheet and attaching that to a suction cup silver clip on the dash. This method actually works pretty well, as my notes are concise, ie.,

S on 23
exit W on 50 - 1/2 mi
N on Commerce Dr
last bld on left.

However, I find myself in small towns, making multiple turns, and then needing to get to another big or small town, and sometimes "You can't get there from here", If you know what I mean. I carry HAZMAT material sometimes, and definitely want to stay on the roads that make the most sense for truckers in general.

Now, my company gives a generic Verizon cell phone everyday in order to stay in contact with me, and that phone is always with me.
What I'm wondering is this: Should I get a smartphone, such as the Droid by Verizon? Does the Droid have the Rand-McNally, Google Maps Navigation, or even just Yahoo Maps application? I'm looking to eliminate the paper and pen, not be so reliant on making phone calls for directions, and maybe have my Verizon phone serve a dual purpose. It would be great to have the Google Earth application available, so that I could actually "see" the business front from the street view, including entrances, etc. I could use the Droid as a phone, but it could also sit in a cradle on my dash with the line by line directions. Or, could it be set to give audio voice commands, where I wouldn't even have to read the directions?

Am I on the right track here? Would the Droid offer the opportunity to surf the web during downtime, or should I consider a netbook for even more options? I could figure out a way to attach the netbook to the dash, right; A sandbag, or OEM cradle? The wireless netbook would work the same as a smartphone, right? What about the overall costs of a Droid smartphone versus a netbook versus a Garmin?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Wolfie62]

Using your phone for GPS may help in certain short run cases. Do you want to be tying up your phone line for hours, though, and have to depend on the reliability of your cell phone link? I wouldn't want to rely on a shaky cell connection, ESPECIALLY in the small, remote towns. Trucks are hard on computer hard-drives, also. My wife and I have used a laptop GPS and bumps would cause the software to shutdown. I have heard of drivers going through 3 laptops in one year on the road.

We found it is better to have a dedicated device for navigation help. Don't have to rely on a cell tower being there, the satellite GPS signal is more forgiving of obstacles and is basically always there, and the GPS device has no hard drive to crash, or an operating system (Windows) to suddenly stop working. Also, no charge for internet use or data receipt. And, the GPS is always on and there to help.

 

[layoutshooter]

We use a laptop and the first one lasted almost 4 years, no problems. Bumps have never caused ours to crash. When I do decide to upgrade in a year or so, I might look at one with a solid state drive. The prices are just now starting to come down. The computer we have now is only a year old so with any luck we have a while before we have to do anything.