I have recently had a few close calls with low bridges that could easily have resulted in a bad accident.

Does anyone know of a good GPS system or add on for my Garmin that would give a low bridge warning?

Something like a speed camera POI list could work, but I can't seem to find anything.

Many thanks.

Ok, I have come across this twice now, and since no one has said a thing, I have got to say it myself......open your eyes when driving, and pay attention to the signs that are before you get to most low underpasses, and posted right on those bridges. DO NOT just blindly follow the damn gadget. It will get you into trouble every time.

Now I know, that especially in Chicago, not all of them are marked, but use some common sense here. I don't get this dependency on the GPS. Sure, I guess it would be nice at times to have one, but this blind trust in the gadget that is only as good as the program it was programmed with is beyond me.

Buy a truck specific GPS at least.

The mapping software is good. But the vast majority is designed for 4-wheelers, not trucks. When the software picks a route, look at the front of the Rand McNally and make sure there are no low structures in the way, If there are, go in and add "stops" that change your route around them. (So what if it's just a stop sign or traffic light that you're stopping for.) Always check the route out with the LOW OVERPASS section of the Rand McNally. ALWAYS.

For Chicago, there are "low overpass maps" available. I have one that I've used for a number of years now, and you can also use a phone to get directions in from the shipper/receiver that will keep you on a truck route.

I have not seen one of these for the City of New York. But they may exist.

I just recently saw that Garmin in now offering a Nuvi 465T that is specifically designed for truck. I have not used this unit, so I can't tell you for sure how good it is. Just my 2 cents. Try this link,https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=31541&ra=true . Good luck

Something to keep in mind when using software that truck specific is the other restrictions by states. NY, for example restricts the length. 53' trailers are not allowed on all routes even though 48' are. For example, 53' is restricted from Wingdale on SR-22 to I-84, but 48' can run the whole length. VA restricts 102" wide from many of their truck routes. Your trucking specific software is not likely to tell you about these either. Unfortuantely, the Rand McNally won't tell you which routes are size restricted either. You have to contact the state in order to find out if you're legal or not.

Stop at the POE's and ask the officer for a print out of all the low bridges for that state. Then add them into your device. I was looking for them online also and couldn't find any.

Thanks everyone for your helpful advice.

I have decided to try a POI database that has been recommended to me on several forums.


Thanks again.

Although there are more and more products coming online every month specifically tailored for truckers like the new Garmin Nuvi 465T and now even Rand McNally is also about to get into the act with their own trucking specific GPS unit, so far none of them yet do truck routing reliably enough to depend on and trust. Thus, why fork out an arm and a leg for a product you can’t even depend on or trust entirely. It kind of defeats the purpose of spending all that much money in the first place, especially since it doesn’t do what it advertises it does.

In any event, I just use Streets & Trips on my laptop, plug in my company supplied truck routes into it, and I’m good to go. However, on top of always reading the signs, I always confirm my routes are free of low clearances and restricted routes as well, and since Christmas I’ve added the Truck Stops Plus 2009 add-on template for Streets & Trips to my setup. So besides all of the truck specific POIs it adds to Streets & Trips, it also makes it a snap and much faster to check for low clearances and restricted routes simply by clicking two buttons that causes two pages to pop up on my laptop screen for easy checking.

Nevertheless, GPS units are just another tool in your toolbox, you must always use them with discretion and precaution. If they ever do invent a GPS unit that you can trust to do truck routing flawlessly, then they will probably get robots and do away with us drivers.

Oh okay this was all about selling us downloadable POIs for low clearances.

And to think I was about to call him a moron for not learning how to use an atlas or learn to read roadsigns before taking to the road...