I just want GOOD navigation!

CatFuzz

I drive a charter bus for a living. I currently own an LG LN735 and it sucks. It tells me to turn where turns aren't allowed, Doesn't show one-way streets, has me making hairpin turns that the bus can't make. It makes funky routes and when you try to go a different way it insists on getting back on it's original course even though you've gone far enough for the original course to be way longer. One time it chose a route that was over 100 miles when I knew the way was only about 30 miles. This was when I knew better. What's it going to do to me in a situation where I DON'T know better?

What I want is to know which GPS brands have the most up-to-date maps off the shelf and that also has a VERY good routing engine. One litmus test I've been using is putting in my home address on the display models. My street is only 4 years old. It doesn't show up on Mio, Garmin or LG. It DOES show up on Magellan and Navigon. Can I assume that Magellan and Navigon have newer maps? I'm not crazy about Navigon only because it pauses as you are entering in each letter of a street or city name. I might be able to live with it if it has superior maps and routing.

I would like the wider screen. I don't need traffic updates, bluetooth, mp3 player. I would like it to show my speed since the buses speedos are rarely accurate. I would also like to have a vehicle type setting for when I'm driving the bus. I assume this function would make it less likely to take me places that would be difficult to take a larger vehicle.

Any help would be appreciated. This is very confusing and frustrating for me. I really want an accurate GPS for getting me and my passengers to their destinations efficiently.

Thanks.

Oh, and a bazillion POI's and text to speech.

Max

Oh thats it First off, welcome CatFuzz

For a bus, I would think of two more things that would be imperative:

- a unit with a bigger screen
- a unit that allows you to put in vehicle type as an option.

For that, I'd recommend:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=6389

Which is conveniently on sale right now for a sick price @ Costco.com:
Costco - $499.99 After $200 OFF Garmin Street Pilot 7200 GPS 7" Touch Screen Display


If you don't require such a large unit, I'd consider getting one of the Nuvi widescreens (650/60/80).

I'd link separately but it's easier to see those here:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=134


Im not pointing you at the Garmins (only) because Im a die hard fan of theirs, I am suggesting them because their maps work well in alternate vehicle mode. Meaning that I say "hey Im an 18 wheeler" and it then guides me on roads it knows are of that class (clearances and weights, etc). I am not sure, but I thought Bus was one of the selections?
I know Ambulance/Emergency vehicle was (which will tell you to turnaround in the middle of the highway occasionally so don't use that one .)


Anyways, other manufacturers might be rolling with this feature now, but I have only used it on my Garmin's and can speak positively of it

Of course, you might also want to check for any RV'er forums for more feedback from folks that drive every day with them. I've only used this mode a few times when I was hauling some seriously tall stuff on my truck and didn't want to encounter any low bridges/etc.

Max

p.s. Just googling around, here are a few RV forums I found that seem fairly active:

RV.Net Open Roads Forum
Escapees Discussion Forum - Powered by eve community
Heartland Owners Forum

and bythe by, I am definitely not telling you to go away just providing some more points of research for ya.

dav

Max, nüvis do not have "vehicle type" selection (what I would refer to as "RV Mode").

Or if they do, I sure have not found it on my 750!

I would actually not recommend a nüvi to a large vehicle operator.

CatFuzz

Well, you can't really trust a GPS for warning you about low clearances. Just a few weeks ago some bus driver, from another company, stuffed his bus, full of people, under a 9 foot overpass. His bus was almost 12 feet tall. He claimed it was the fault of the GPS for not warning him but nobody is buying that since there were flashing lights and warning signs telling of the low clearance.

The 4.3" screen will be plenty large enough. My LG has the smaller screen and that was good too. The only problem is that I can't trust it because of the goofy stuff that it does.

The vehicle type option might not be so imperative if I can get excellent routing. If the Nuvi will give me good maps and routing, I could live without the vehicle type options.

Max

Your other points are valid and interesting, with flashing lights, you really have to wonder if anything would have stopped it from occuring?

The Nuvi will give you good maps and routing (and TTS) but keep in mind that most 'current' maps are at least a year old. The newest Garmin map update that just came out two weeks ago, has things in it that were updated last year. With current technology there is no way to map an entire continent and produce and release that updated information inside of 12 months....yet.

Some folks offer free map updates as well, but uh...nothing good is free, nothing free is good

CatFuzz

Ok, one thing I've been wondering: With the Nuvi series, is it all the same maps and guidance engine with all of them with only the extra features being the difference?

Does the Nuvi show vehicle speed while on the map screen whether or not you have a destination programed in?

ninja279

NAVnGO IGO8 has a setting for buses, IGO2006SE, Garmin XT, Navigon 6.5 all have settings for both Trucks and Buses.

I do not know how good each one is as I drive a car. All of the above are available as SD card packages and will run on all WM2003 to WM6 devices. I use 3.5" GPS PDA's as I like the added features like navigate to contacts (two of my units have WiFi and Blue tooth) as well as all Windows mobile applications.

dav

CatFuzz, the nüvi units only show speed on the map screen if no destination is entered.

When routing to a destination you have to press the ETA button in the bottom left corner of the screen to get your "trip" info, which includes your current speed.

I very much wish I could reverse those, but have found no way to do so.

The maps are the same City Nav NT (various years). I would suspect the routing engine is the same. The chip doing the processing, and thus the speed of calculations is probably not the same.

Otherwise, you are right, the models vary by the options they deliver: bluetooth, media player, voice recognition, screen quality, etc.

CatFuzz

Well, I tried a Mio C520 and promptly returned it. It was cluttery, complex and difficult to use and adjust. The street names were too small to read. I replaced it with a Nuvi 350. I only fiddled with it for a few minutes and I already like it better. I was surprised to find vehicle settings for trucks and buses. Cool. The map screen is a bit cartoonish but I can live with that since I can read street names easier. Also, the MP3 player has the best sound of the ones I've tried so far. The calculator is handy because I have to frequently calculate mileage for recording on the buses mileage card.

You'd think the Mio's larger screen would make things easier but it doesn't. The Mio's Mp3 player doesn't sound good at all and it has a 2.5mm headphone jack instead of the standard 3.5mm. The screen is cluttered with small buttons that are difficult to press with fingers. The menus are complex and not layed out well and it's difficult to make common adjustments like back light and volume settings.

So far I already like the Nuvi 350 a lot better. I'll be going on a cross-state trip to Seattle and beyond for a charter leaving Friday. I'll come back and let you all know how it did and if I still like it.

Max

Nice glad to hear of the positive experience. I'll be interested in seeing what you think of it after the trip

hgebbia

Every GPS I have owned has given the option to show actual speed on screen. My Navigon also gives posted speed limits and allow you to set it to give speed "audio" , warning when going over . ..... Hank G.

CatFuzz

Ok. The reason why I was wondering is because every screen shot of the Garmins I had seen appeared to be on a navigation screen but no speed was being shown. I don't use the speed warnings. They tend to have inaccurate information sometimes. One GPS I used had the speed limit at 50mph through a section of freeway through town that was marked as 60mph.

dav

I can't find that on my 750. How do you get to that option?

Thanks.

Max

Searching around, it looks like the 7xx nuvi's didn't get this feature

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Nothing free is good, nothing good is free.

CatFuzz

Ok, while it's still fresh in my mind, here's what I LIKE about my new Nuvi: I really like that it shows a difference between arterials and residential streets. Handy for a bus driver. The mp3 player is great, although it could have a few more little features. Good sound through headphones or patched into a car or home system. The built in speakers are also adequate for being so small. It had POI's for specific places on WSU's campus instead of just getting me to WSU. I also really like how it mounts on the suction cup bracket. The unit seems very secure while also being very easy to remove and replace with one hand.

I don't like that it doesn't show me my speed and miles to go on the screen while navigating. I know one touch will get me there but I really like having that info on the map screen. I also don't like that it doesn't have a 'sleep' mode or a switch that locks out the power button to keep it from accidentally being turned on while being carried around.

I still like it better than my LG and the Mio I returned.

Max

Thanks for the update

Interesting what you noted about the POI stuff as well, I've never noticed that while at a few campuses. I'll have to check it out in town and see how it does.

Your gripe about the navigation screen is a good one - I would recommend griping to Garmin about it as this is the #1 issue I hear from Nuvi users of all walks...

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Nothing free is good, nothing good is free.

hgebbia

I agree what what you said here, have also found this to be true. In regards to the shown / actual speed though, every Garmin I have, or have had ( three presently ) show speed of travel if selected.