trucking

[pete d]

Hi all, does anyone know how to change my 920 from car mode to truck mode????? i've found the icon to change car mode but it is dull,and won't let me select it??????

 

[dhn]

Hi all, does anyone know how to change my 920 from car mode to truck mode????? i've found the icon to change car mode but it is dull,and won't let me select it??????

There is no 'truck mode' as such in the x20 series; that icon you see was originally supposed to be able to allow the unit to be integrated with the car's electronics as the story goes but TomTom has never enabled that functionality.

 

[Michael Quinlan]

Hi all, does anyone know how to change my 920 from car mode to truck mode????? i've found the icon to change car mode but it is dull,and won't let me select it??????

I'm not sure what in the TomTom menus you're referring to, but if you're looking for a feature that will avoid restricted roads when routing, there is no such feature.

The Garmin StreetPilot 500 series, and Nuvi 600 series offer the ability to specify a vehicle type of "Truck", car/motorcycle, etc. Contrary to the description on Garmin's web site, their "Truck" mode avoids certain roads that prohibit certain vehicle types. In NJ it avoids roads that prohibit "trucks", and in NY it avoids roads that prohibit "commercial vehicles".

The problem is that each jurisdiction can and does have its own definition of "truck", "commercial vehicle", etc. In NJ, a "truck" is typically any vehicle registered with a GVWR of 3.5 tons or more (the weight limit varies), but since passenger vehicles aren't registered with a GVWR, the restriction doesn't apply to them. In NYC, a "commercial vehicle" is any vehicle with a commercial registration in NY, or an equivalent registration in another state. However, in NYC, and "truck" is any vehicle that has two axles and six tires, or 3 or more axles. And these definitions differ from those of NY State.

Unless and until the map data includes vehicle type definitions for every jurisdiction, and sufficiently detailed roadway restrictions, and GPS devices provide a way to accurately describe the vehicles they are being used in, it won't be possible to calculate routes that avoid the roads that you're not permitted on.

That said, the NJ restrictions don't typically apply to me (my van is registered at 6,999 lbs, or 3.4995 tons, but there are some bridges that I can't use), the NYC restrictions that apply to me are well documented on the NYC DOT web site, and if I'm going to that area I just check my route for prohibited roads and then tell TomTom to avoid that part of the route.

Teletype offers a variation of their WorldNav device that comes with truck specific maps, but I think it has gotten pretty poor reviews. And ALK offers CoPilot Truck for PDAs and SmartPhones, which includes some ability to define your vehicle (trailer length, hazmat, etc).