keigm Report post Posted May 21, 2020 I’m just checking on what has been the best RV GPS App you have used so you can avoid getting into trouble with low over-passes and bad roads with your RV. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huffypuff Report post Posted May 21, 2020 I don't count on any gps keeping me out of trouble. Looks for posted signs as you travel and they will give warning of low overpass, trucks not advised at this exit and truck route. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted May 22, 2020 Most have that feature (if you set it up) but one big thing if you are on a secondary road and you don't see any trucks I would start checking, quick. Please put your RV in your signature. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wayne77590 Report post Posted May 22, 2020 All GPS's are dependent on the manufacturer's updates and those can be few. So roads change, overpasses change. What are dead ends are now open. What was open may now be a dead end. A friend followed his GPS and about 4 miles down a narrow road he came to a railroad track. it was elevated about 10 feet or so above the road with grass embankments down each side. On the other side of the RR was the continuation of the road he was on. There was no turn-around. He jackknifed the 5th wheel, unhooked, put the truck in 4 wheel drive, drove down through the ditch with a little water in it, backed up to the 5'er, hooked up and drove off. Can't do that in a motorhome, especially some of the bigger rigs we have. It may seem like a lot of trouble but before I travel I look at the route I want to take. I use Google Maps and Satelite view to get an idea of the road. If it looks like a 2 lane very narrow I re-plan. The GPS is nice and it will get you to where you are going. Garman has some nice new ones out that allow you to put in the specifications of you RV. It then routes you on RV Friendly roads. If you turn off the route they will notify you that you are traveling on a road that the GPS does not now is RV Friendly....or words to that affect. Up in Iowa corn country one year we followed the GPS and we were on a rough gravel road for about 10 miles. You never know. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted May 22, 2020 18 hours ago, huffypuff said: I don't count on any gps keeping me out of trouble. No but they can get you into trouble. I have found that a Map can help along with the GPS. I will relay on the GPS when in the truck more than in the MH. I can get out of trouble easier in the truck than in the MH. Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richard5933 Report post Posted May 22, 2020 All the comments about the problems with GPS units need to be taken with a grain of salt. I've been using the Garmin RV units for years and have generally found it to be good. But, you have to verify the route it gives you BEFORE you start driving. There is a way to view the map of the overall route it presents, as well as a step-by-step set of directions. You need to look at these and compare with a good road map or atlas to be sure that it's not putting you on a dirt road or someone's driveway by mistake. Same for putting you on a closed road. I prefer the Garmin GPS units. The maps seem generally accurate, and they update frequently. Traffic alerts are also included. One thing I've learned about using a GPS in the RV is to use it EVERY time I move the rig, even if I know the route. Never fails that the one time I don't do that I encounter a detour due to construction or other unknown obstacle. Also, when free-wheeling w/o the Garmin, I have no early alerts of upcoming low bridges or weight-limited roads. It will only be able to guess where I'm going if I don't tell it. There is no sure fire way to stay out of trouble, but there are ways to help. I'm completing training right now for driving a semi, and they recommend a combination of things, including an appropriate GPS, a trucker's road atlas, and Google Maps. The appropriate GPS would include one which calculates the route based on the height/weight/length of your vehicle. If it doesn't include that feature, it's useless in helping you avoid obstacles in your RV. With that feature, it's not fool proof but it is helpful. The trucker's road atlas shows the national/state truck routes, along with known low-height bridges along those routes. Quite helpful. Google Maps can help you pre-drive the route and check for access problems using Street View. You can also use states' DOT websites to check for road closures and construction schedules. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted May 22, 2020 Richard. You starting a new career as a OTR driver? Analog never got me in trouble, GPS has! Linda uses it to give me a heads up on RV Park, exit #, or upcoming rest area. Other than that I use a map & google (Even Google has a lot of miss info.), I can look at a map and picture the rout, with road numbers in my mind for that day in color. They still have Navigators on Ships...because you can't trust GPS. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richard5933 Report post Posted May 22, 2020 1 hour ago, manholt said: Richard. You starting a new career as a OTR driver? Analog never got me in trouble, GPS has! Linda uses it to give me a heads up on RV Park, exit #, or upcoming rest area. Other than that I use a map & google (Even Google has a lot of miss info.), I can look at a map and picture the rout, with road numbers in my mind for that day in color. They still have Navigators on Ships...because you can't trust GPS. Yup - the retirement thing was getting old after only a couple of years, and since my other half still has a few years left to work getting a job made sense. Having no real obligations left me with plenty of time to fill, and filling it was starting to get expensive. Better to have someone else pay me to be busy. I'll be driving regionally and home weekly. With the new sleeper cabs it's kind of like being in a small RV, just w/o the bathroom. Now I get to see the country on someone else's dime for a while. Won't do it forever - just until it's not fun any more. The problem with analog is that paper maps don't ever get updated unless you buy a new one. They also won't read instructions to you while you're driving, which is helpful in unfamiliar areas. Like I said though, it's important to verify the route in multiple ways (on a map, on GPS, w/ Google, etc.) Trip planning is important, and basically the same whether you're in an RV or in a commercial truck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted May 22, 2020 We have used CoPilot and had few problems. The good part is you can download the maps ahead of time so you are not reliant on being connected to internet. Another one the Navigator likes is RV Parky. You can plan routes and find places to stay along the rout. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keigm Report post Posted May 23, 2020 On 5/21/2020 at 6:38 PM, WILDEBILL308 said: Most have that feature (if you set it up) but one big thing if you are on a secondary road and you don't see any trucks I would start checking, quick. Please put your RV in your signature. Bill How do you put your RV in your signature? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted May 23, 2020 To add/change your signature: Click on your name in upper right of any page. Click on "Settings". On left had of that page, click on "Signature" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
