well i heard the gamin is the better one. but i just retired from driving, but i did not go over the road. i think it would be better if he had a laptop or something similar. the other problem he will have is that it will give tyou the directions but in a truck your not allowed to travel on certain roads plus you have to watch out for low bridges. and in certain states if he is hauling hazardous materials he has to follow certain roads. but i think the garmin would be the best or if they have one suted for truck drivers, like here in illinois they have a book with all the bridge heights in chicago. hope this helps you
My father has been a truck driver for the past 5 years or so. He heads out on Sunday and returns home on Fridays. At the beginning of the week he knows only his where his first drop will be, from there its anyone's guess. It's been hard for him to get accurate directions quickly. Usually he has to call someone and have them get directions of off Mapquest or truckmiles.com. He travels all across the nation so he will need to have streetlevel maps of the U.S. available on SD cards or preprogrammed on a hard drive. Here are the other requirements that he needs in a gps unit:
1. Large, easy to read, touch color screen, preferably w/ auto dimmer
2. The basics: At least 12 channel WAAS, customizable waypoints, extensive POI database that is also customizable
3. Text and voice guided directions
4. ACCURATE map software that is easy to understand
5. Ability to search by name or address
6. Road preferences (As many choices as possible, Toll road, interstate, paved, dirt, Weight limits or speed limits) Not even sure what all is available
7. Auto rerouting-VERY important. Must be a reroute, not a indication to just make a U-turn and get back on track. A U-turn is not possible.
8. Remote would be preferred since dash is far away on his KW
I've zoned in on the Lowrance 500c and 350c, as well as the Garmin StreetPilot 2620. I have read many reviews on many different models, from many different websites, and these stuck out as having the features he needs, reliable, and in his price range of up to $800. If you know anything about these units or another unit that fits me specs I would greatly appreciate a response. I know what I want, I just need some help making the final decision. Thanks