I like my Garmin 465T.

 

I see. What is it that you need the touch screen for? Do you need to do more than zoom and pan? Did you download the "keys" template for streets and trips?

I modify the route to suit myself so it doesn't get me into problems. I have nobody to blame but me.

 

As I'm driving along, CoPilot will notify me of upcoming POI's that I select. I use Rest Areas, Weigh Stations and Truckstops. It tells me about them 30 miles before I get to them. Then, if I want to go to one, I simply hit the 'Add to Route' button and it puts that as my next stop. I can also change the way the map is displayed, such as 3D, 2D Next Turn, 2D Destination, etc.

As for the 'keys' template - what is that? Do you mean the Truckstops Plus? If so, yes, I purchased that and use it on Streets. I've also updated all of the major truckstop chain's info as well.

Edit: I know what you mean by the Keys template. No, I don't use that as I don't have safe access to a keyboard while I'm driving. I have a very small wireless keyboard in the front of the truck, but the buttons are hard enough to use when I'm sitting still, let alone while moving.

Streets is a GREAT planning software, but has a long way to go before I'd consider it for navigation. And, yes, I've tried.

 

The first DeLorme software I got, they didn't have a GPS receiver. Just the mapping software. I already had enough savvy avoid restricted streets. When they came out with the GPS receiver to plug into the USB port, I did get that. It did improve things, but again, I had to look at the part of town that it tried to send me through. I'd let it pick my route going cross country but modify the route in town.

When I got Streets n Trips, it wasn't much different. It helped a lot that the receiver was more sensitive and could be located anywhere in the cab. I always ran into trouble when it was new construction that was not written into the software yet. Having the antenna stop working half way through Denver was not a serious problem, but having the laptop go dark in Sacramento sucked. Then, that version of S n T never did work right in the new laptop. I have not kept up with all the advances in GPS since I retired, but I can still envision getting sent under a low overpass with the GPS. Tow trucks, taxis, and local box trucks are all using them to get around, and I don't think a lot of the drivers could get across the highway without them. The advantage they have is that they don't have to worry about low branches or wires. And, most are not restricted from residential areas. I was kind of surprised to find one on a school bus. They run the same route every day.

 

I use the Garmin DEZL560LMT. I like almost everything about it except it calculates SLOW!!! I left Brampton, Ontario, set it for Winnipeg, drove via Orangeville, ON. It finished calculating which way to go when I turned onto the 400 (about 45 minutes of driving). I would hate to make a wrong turn or get detoured in an unfamiliar area.

 

There may be easier mapping software to plan a route with, but I haven't found it yet. Click and drag is what I like about S&T. I will agree that until I installed "keys", I could not use it for navigation at all....just couldn't pan and zoom easy enough. Keys turns the +/- keys on the laptop into zoom in/zoom out and it used the arrow keys to pan up, down, left and right. I applied little foam stickers to each of these 6 keys so they are "braiiled". Now pan and zoom without looking.

 

Do any of the units have truck routes for Canada? I know Rand Mcnally does not.

 

CoPilot Truck v8 does - it's a laptop program, but they also have it for the iPhone & Android (and, no, it doesn't have to have a constant data connection - the maps are stored on the device).

 

Good idea with the foam - I thought about buying a small programmable keyboard with maybe 12-16 keys on it to create a custom setup. Just never got around to it.

 

I'm surprised Rand McNally doesn't! I figured all would. Garmin does, it goes nuts when I bobtail home off truck route. If you leave the major Canadian routes though, it seems to lack a lot of the extra info like weight/height restrictions.