Rand McNally TND GPS

[DieselBoss]

FYI, I got a demo of the Rand McNally unit yesterday. My overall feel of this unit is that RM took a lot of time and were "thinking like a truck driver" when developing it. The features are relevant (for the most part) and are extremely extensive. This unit has several key features that none of the others have and may be going to raise the bar on trucking GPS technology. One disclaimer that I always preach - you early implementers of ANY new technology device are always the "canary in the coal mine." However, as far as the condition of this unit at "launch time" (next week) I have not been more impressed at a first look than this one.

Here's a taste of the features that impressed me so far:

- Big buttons and icons (5" screen)

- Ability to send feedback on roads, truck routes, points of interest directly to RM via computer hookup. (including your reviews of any POI or business that gets pooled and shared with all other users when they connect.)

- Miles driven per state report.

- Hours of Service module. Ability to enter your state of duty (Driving, Off-duty, On-duty) with built in alerts if you go into violation.

- Very thorough truck stop descriptions and filtering. It shows you all info about what is IN each truck stop - not just where it is. You can filter your search by the amenities (i.e. those with a restaurant, Cat Scale, internet, etc.)

- Road construction info built in. It is updated every 2 weeks at RM and will update your unit when you plug in via the lap-link with any construction zone changes. (free)

- Program updates automatically when you plug in via their lap-link (free.) Map data updates will not be free (just like all the competing units.)

- Very professional address book that is storable alphabetically or by number. You can add you own notes to yourself about any address you put there and you can create "categories" in your address book (like a particular warehouse chain, store chain, whatever.)

The true test is truck routing accuracy no matter how fine the interface and features are. RM uses NavTeq maps with an overlay of additional Rand McNally proprietary additional map data and truck restriction data. Their marketing claim is that this system has more miles and more truck attributes than any other system. Our road tests begin next week.

More to come...

[mike3fan]

What's the price going to be on these units?

Can you force the routing? waypoints?

[DieselBoss]

What's the price going to be on these units?

Can you force the routing? waypoints?

$499 (and if it passes further tests this week to go up at my site we will have free shipping and no tax for some period of time)

Yes, you can plan multi-stop trips or force the routing by entering an address, adding a POI, by clicking on a spot on the map, or by (another major advantage feature) telling it to "avoid / favor" a particuler road or road segment.

[Malaki86]

Does the unit have the ability to import your own POI's into their own categories? I've already got hundreds of saved shippers/receivers saved into a CSV file with the gps coordinates.

[DieselBoss]

Does the unit have the ability to import your own POI's into their own categories? I've already got hundreds of saved shippers/receivers saved into a CSV file with the gps coordinates.

It does not have that ability right now. RM says it is on the roadmap as a possible future capability.

I created a page last night with a TON of screens and descriptions of this unit. That should answer many questions about the features and the "look" of the new TND units. My own road testing will begin soon, but I have been working closely with one of the Rand McNally beta testers. He is a truck driver and has been using and helping to develop this product for the last 10 months.

Here's the link for screens and features: Rand McNally TND truck GPS navigator features and screens - TND500 review

[mike3fan]

Looks interesting. Will be looking forward to your updates on actual usage. I would defintetly buy one if they would add live traffic like my Dash Express has.

[Malaki86]

The lack of ability to import your own POI's is a huge drawback, at least for me.

[DieselBoss]

Looks interesting. Will be looking forward to your updates on actual usage. I would defintetly buy one if they would add live traffic like my Dash Express has.

Ya, I talked to them about that and it is on their roadmap - but not on this initial release software. They do have a really helpful road construction feature though in this one. I think that will be pretty significant in terms of being a competitive advantage. However having real-time traffic is pretty huge, I agree.

[DieselBoss]

The lack of ability to import your own POI's is a huge drawback, at least for me.

Of course it has a ton of them built in (like all of them) but if you have your own custom database, it would be nice to be able to pull them into these different units.

[Malaki86]

Mainly it's the shippers & receivers I've already got saved. I have about 250 now, with about 50 of them being very regular locations. So, it'd save a lot of time when going to the same place again.

[Glad Hand]

Hmm...the first reviews are beginning to trickle in on the TND 500 from Rand McNally and all of them I have read so far read like horror stories. Anyway this was the best written one so far:

PAID 500 FOR THE TND500 ON VERY FIRST USAGE IT SENT ME ON A NON TRUCK ROUTE AND GOT ME IN A PRETTY STICKY MESS. I BARELY MANAGED TO GET THRU AND NO TICKET TO MY PICKUP. THEN THE ROUTE TO MY DELIVERY IT DID THE SAME ONLY WORST HEADING ME STRAIGHT INTO THE PATH OF A LOW PASS BRIDGE. HOWEVER BEFORE I LEFT I HAD GOTTEN DETAILED INFO ON THE LOCAL ROUTE. EVEN IF THE LOCAL ROUTE WAS CHANGED OR INACCURATE THE BRIDGE NO DOUBT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THERE. NOW I AM CONCERNED THAT IT MIGHT TAKE ME INTO OTHER BRIDGES. THE DOCKING SOFTWARE FOR UPDATING IS FAULTY. IT DOWNLOADED AN UPDATE FOR THE DOCKING SOFTWARE BUT COULD NOT SUBMIT INFORMATION TO SUBSCRIBE TO CONSTRUCTION UPDATES. POORLY PROGRAMMED POP UP WINDOWS THAT WERE LOCKING THE SOFTWARE UP UNABLE TO ESCAPE OR USE IT..HAD TO USE WINDOWS TASK MANAGER TO FORCE IT CLOSED. I AM HEADING TO NEW JERSEY AND IT WAS PLACES LIKE THIS AND PA TURNPIKES THAT I WAS HOPING FOR SOME ACCURACY. WHERE THERE IS SO LITTLE ROOM FOR MISTAKE AND SO HARD TO TURN AROUND. SO FAR I CANT SAY IF I WANT TO KEEP THIS DEVICE. I MAY RETURN IT FOR A REFUND.. I CALLED CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND TECH FOLKS WHERE TO BUSY TO TALK TO ME AND THERE WAS REALLY NO CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS PRODUCT. THERE IS NO SUPPORT LINK ONLINE. AND THE PERSON I SPOKE TOO AFTER SEVERAL COMMENTS I AM SURE HAD VERY LITTLE IDEA ABOUT THE ANYTHING AROUND THE PRODUCT. I WANTED TO REGISTER IT OVER THE PHONE AND I WAS TOLD THEY COULDNT DO IT. I SAID WELL THE SOFTWARE DOESNT WORK AND I JUST GOT A BLANK. SO FAR ID SAY RAND MCNALLY HAS DONE NOTHING MORE THAN COPY A SOFTWARE INTO A GPS BOX AND ADD A COUPLE GIMMICKS AND ARE SELLING IT ON THE CLAIM OF HAVING MORE DATA. I CHANGED THE TRUCK SETTINGS TO TRIPLES AND IT STILL TRIED TO ROUTE ME DOWN SEVERAL ROADS THAT NO TRUCK COULD POSSIBLY NAVIGATE ESPECIALLY DOUBLES OR TRIPLES. EVEN AFTER DETOURING THE ROUTE IT REFUSED TO ADHERE TO A SENSABLE ROUTE WHICH IN FACT WAS ONLY ABOUT 5 ROADS AND A FEW TURNS.

Rand McNally's IntelliRoute TND 500 Trucking Navigation Device Now Available at U.S. Retailers - Topix

[Fredog]

I see Cobra has a truck gps now, I wonder if it's any good

[Glad Hand]

Mainly it's the shippers & receivers I've already got saved. I have about 250 now, with about 50 of them being very regular locations. So, it'd save a lot of time when going to the same place again.

Before I updated to the Truck Stops Plus 2010 I sent them an email and asked them if I went ahead and updated to the 2010 version would I be able to keep all the shippers, consignees, company terminals, drop lots, etc. that I had added to my 2009 version and they sent me back step-by-step directions for doing so.

Basically all you have to do is open up both versions simultaneously. Open up the legend and overview pane in the 2009 version and then copy the data sets you created and then paste them into the 2010 version. It took me about 30 seconds to transfer all my additions into the new 2010 version.

[DieselBoss]

I see Cobra has a truck gps now, I wonder if it's any good

So far, it it's mixed. To put it in the most simplistic terms from our tests to date:

Features and interface: Good
Aesthetics (how the maps and screens "look" when you are planning or navigating) : sub-standard when compared to its peers.
Addresses (when I punch in an address, does it have it?) : Good / very good
Accuracy of truck routing: the verdict is still out. Need many more miles to comment on this.

[DieselBoss]

Hmm...the first reviews are beginning to trickle in on the TND 500 from Rand McNally and all of them I have read so far read like horror stories. Anyway this was the best written one so far:

Rand McNally's IntelliRoute TND 500 Trucking Navigation Device Now Available at U.S. Retailers - Topix

I didn't realize the easter bunny was an authority, but let me give it some perspective.

I experienced the "update" issue that he describes on the first couple of days having this unit. It had some kind of server issue. Since then (all this week for instance) it updated perfectly.

Because this product is brand new (less than two weeks since it hit shelves) I noticed that they are posting updates very rapidly. This is very important to note during this early launch phase. This fact makes any review on the unit obsolete as soon as they post an update so be careful.

"Early implementers" are just that - those who choose to buy a "first of its kind" product right away. Anybody remember the first revision of the iPhone?

I have been in constant contact with Rand over the last 3 weeks on this TND unit, and I can say so far that they are very serious about making it successful.

My full report should have enough "miles" on it to offer an initial assessment from a thorough test by end of next week.

[Glad Hand]

Because this product is brand new (less than two weeks since it hit shelves) I noticed that they are posting updates very rapidly. This is very important to note during this early launch phase.

Uhm…if Rand McNally is going to charge $500, then why doesn’t it do what it advertises it does out of the box? Are we suppose to plunk down our hard earned $500 and then cross our fingers and pray (hope and change) that one of these many updates will somehow miraculously fix the myriads of problems? Not to mention that in the other trucker reviews that I read, there were many other serious issues besides just the ones mentioned above.

In essence by purchasing one of these units you are in effect paying to be a beta tester, while other companies, on the other hand, let you become a beta tester for free. Not bad marketing!

In addition, who is going to pay our fines while we have our fingers crossed hoping and wishing? If I hit a low overhead can I tell my boss to blame it on Rand McNally? Do you think he will let me off the hook? And when I get stopped for going down a restricted route, can I send my ticket to Rand McNally? Will they take care of it for me?

And who has all this free time to constantly download updates? I use Streets & Trips and never have had to download updates for their product to work! Having to constantly download updates kind of defeats the entire purpose of using GPS software in the first place, because it cost time and loss time translates into less money in my pocket. Thus, not only does it cost you $500 just to play, you also pay for it in loss time and possible fines or worse.

Finally, why should anyone buy this unit under the assumption that eventually it will work? All the other so-called trucking specific GPS devices have also been issuing updates for months now, yet all of them still don’t work?

Look DieselBoss, I know you are just trying to help and I don’t mean to come off like a hard ass, but I have to call them as I see them, and so for the TND 500 is a great big fail exactly like all the other ones before it! In fact, I hope they lose their ass so other companies will take notice and next time think twice before they try to rip off truckers again!

[Malaki86]

omg - would you be so STUPID and IGNORANT to follow the directions the device gave if it told you to go down a road with a 9' bridge? would you follow it if the road had a 10 ton limit? If so, that's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard. Almost as bad as some of the stories you hear about 4-wheelers wrecking because the gps told them to turn.

A GPS is a reference tool - it's not a damn autopilot - you DO still have to use your brain just a tad...

As for devices that don't work 100% each and every time they're sold, let's see what else there is:
Trucks - I've had trucks with 100 miles on them that had to go directly to the garage because the factory forgot to install the heater
Cars - I've seen a Cadillac with 3 miles on it that the transmission fell out of because the factory put 2 bolts in the transmission bell housing
Computers - I've pulled brand new computers out of the box that failed to even power on
Software - Vista, XP, Windows 98, You name it - they have problems

I want to throw another piece of software out there - CoPilot Truck Laptop v11 - You want garbage? You want software that ALK KNOWS is screwed up but REFUSES to update? Cheap? Ya - $250 - real cheap. At least Rand-McNally is actually DOING the updates. Would you prefer something like CoPilot that they refuse to update? Myself, with all the updates RM is doing makes me consider buying it even more.

[geeshock]

I'll pass for now but it looks like something I might consider soon. The features are good and as you mentioned, they are working the major bugs out. Also, since right now I use a gps for a car I don't think it can get me in any more truble than the one I have now.

Also as you mentioned, GPS is more a tool than an auto pilot. It's saved my but on rainy nights in Chicago when you can't read the signs in the glare but if you think I'll follow it's routing 100% your smoking some good stuff, might need to proceed to the closest clinic for testing.

If nothing else, the road database is probably more updated than mine.

[DieselBoss]

Uhm…if Rand McNally is going to charge $500, then why doesn’t it do what it advertises it does out of the box? Are we suppose to plunk down our hard earned $500 and then cross our fingers and pray (hope and change) that one of these many updates will somehow miraculously fix the myriads of problems? Not to mention that in the other trucker reviews that I read, there were many other serious issues besides just the ones mentioned above.

I believe that it's because even if you have 50 or 100 actual trucker beta testers (which Rand has done for the past 11 months on this thing,) there is NO way you can have all of the trucking roads in this country correctly databased. When it comes to the interface and "how you poke around" this thing, it is very well done. Much better than the first rev of the PC Miler, the Garmin, the Goodyear, the Teletype, and the Cobra (all of which are sitting about 2 feet to my left at this moment.

In addition, who is going to pay our fines while we have our fingers crossed hoping and wishing? If I hit a low overhead can I tell my boss to blame it on Rand McNally? Do you think he will let me off the hook? And when I get stopped for going down a restricted route, can I send my ticket to Rand McNally? Will they take care of it for me?

Nobody - no matter what product - is going to assume "liability" for a driver (or any other consumer's) personal decisions out there. Every single one of these brand's GPS has an opening screen that says something to the effect of "Always obey all posted road signs, blah, blah)" because ultimately it is our responsibility in the profession that we chose to use common sense. I haven't found a "perfect" device yet - of ANY kind. They are what they are - tools. And I stand by my opinion that these different GPS "wars" that are going on now are not going away. These units only will get better at helping truckers do their jobs and those that don't will fade away leaving only the last companies standing.

And who has all this free time to constantly download updates? I use Streets & Trips and never have had to download updates for their product to work! Having to constantly download updates kind of defeats the entire purpose of using GPS software in the first place, because it cost time and loss time translates into less money in my pocket. Thus, not only does it cost you $500 just to play, you also pay for it in loss time and possible fines or worse.

I have S&T on this system right now. It would be reckless of me to NOT have it because it is an excellent program and helpful to truckers. The addresses are very accurate, the features are rich and easy, and the price is right. As a matter of fact, it's probably the most reasonably-priced product that Microsoft has ever come out with. $75 for the entire program AND a USB receiver is rather incredible coming from a company that I'm going to have to pay $700 for in the next month to get Windows 7 and the most current version of "Office." You will never hear me disparage S&T... unless they put out a crap version of it. BUT, lets be honest. If I followed the route on S&T it's gonna run be into a low bridge a WHOLE lot faster than a PCM Navigator, for instance. Is Microsoft going to reimburse me for that? And the author of your S&T has put out over 2000 file updates to my Windows XP since it came "out of the box." If they didn't, everyone would own a Mac, but they don't because software evolves and those that evolve with it survive.

Look DieselBoss, I know you are just trying to help and I don’t mean to come off like a hard ass, but I have to call them as I see them, and so for the TND 500 is a great big fail exactly like all the other ones before it! In fact, I hope they lose their ass so other companies will take notice and next time think twice before they try to rip off truckers again!

You may come off as a hard-ass, but you are presenting legitimate arguments and well-spoken points. There is no way that an be ignored and I appreciate what you say. My motivation is to continue to provide accurate and fact-based analysis of lots of products that help drivers every day in that cab. This "gps thing" isn't going anywhere and I will continue to spend time and money separating fact from fiction on them, because I get dozens of calls every day about them. It's a hot topic, and controversial indeed, in the 2009 trucking world and if I can help bring clarity then I will.

Best regards out there man.

- Don

[DieselBoss]

omg - would you be so STUPID and IGNORANT to follow the directions the device gave if it told you to go down a road with a 9' bridge? would you follow it if the road had a 10 ton limit? If so, that's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard. Almost as bad as some of the stories you hear about 4-wheelers wrecking because the gps told them to turn.

A GPS is a reference tool - it's not a damn autopilot - you DO still have to use your brain just a tad...

As for devices that don't work 100% each and every time they're sold, let's see what else there is:
Trucks - I've had trucks with 100 miles on them that had to go directly to the garage because the factory forgot to install the heater
Cars - I've seen a Cadillac with 3 miles on it that the transmission fell out of because the factory put 2 bolts in the transmission bell housing
Computers - I've pulled brand new computers out of the box that failed to even power on
Software - Vista, XP, Windows 98, You name it - they have problems

I want to throw another piece of software out there - CoPilot Truck Laptop v11 - You want garbage? You want software that ALK KNOWS is screwed up but REFUSES to update? Cheap? Ya - $250 - real cheap. At least Rand-McNally is actually DOING the updates. Would you prefer something like CoPilot that they refuse to update? Myself, with all the updates RM is doing makes me consider buying it even more.

Good stuff. Well said man.