In Cab Mapping Solutions for Trips

[HollywoodGT]

So the wife and I have been using Exit and Waze for most of our traveling. I'm looking for suggestion on what people are using and why. I posted on FB and a lot suggested going with a GPS based system like Garmin RV. I mounted up a ram ball mount on the das and have a IPad there and we use Waze on that. however Waze has been acting weird lately with misleading directions

Thank you in advance

[creativepart]

For in cab driving I use a GPS built in to my motorhome's Xite infotainment system but would definitely use a Garmin if I didn't have that. I also run Google maps on an iphone that's mounted just to my left for occasional traffic and road info and to double check my GPS' route choice.

I don't use Waze because I find that service will reroute you down extremely unfriendly RV streets and roads to save you 12 mins.

For trip planning I use the RV Life Trip Planner on my desktop computer.

[l1v3fr33ord1]

HollywoodGT-

I used two Garmin GPSes, the same model and programmed the same, one each for driver and navigator.

If you read enough posts here and over at iRV2.com, you'll discover that any GPS will lose its way occasionally. With one GPS, you're in trouble. With two, you continue on, using the GPS that still routes as it should, and bring the wayward GPS back in line at the next convenient opportunity.

The above paragraph presupposes that you understand the route the GPS has chosen. You can select a destination and hit the "GO" button, without understanding the route, and most of the time you'll be OK (with an RV-oriented GPS, at least), but when you aren't OK, well, it's pull-over-and-figure-out-what's-gone-wrong time.

For planning I used Garmin's BaseCamp application (a powerful application, hard to learn and almost universally disliked) and the "Next Exit" book, which required no electrons to operate short of illumination after dark.

An anecdote: On a bus tour in Jerusalem the driver kept Waze running while underway; it provided him useful congestion information. He understood the app did not know or care he was driving a 40-foot bus in a 3000-year old city, so did not take its recommendations at face value.

[LewGuyn]

RV Trip Life allows you to plan the trip, including campsites and fuel of any brand. Then, on your phone, a companion app provides routing FOR YOUR RV, including planned stops. You load in your rig's specs, and routing follows. Perfect? No, but pretty close. The app also includes maintenance and estimated trip costs.

[Jakm]

Another option for you to use on your iPad is the CoPilot app. I used the early version for years with a Bad Elf satellite dongle plugin which allowed you to program your RV height. Bad Elf is no longer available and was not supported beyond a iPad mini 3. Nowadays I use the new version of Copilot ($30/yr.) which also includes active traffic. For satellite GPS I use the Garmin GLO2 Bluetooth receiver which allows for 2 Bluetooth connections for our 2 iPad Air 5th Generation devices. It also supports Waze and probably others including RVlife but I’m not subscribed to that.

[akeagle]

My navigator is an avid user of Next Exit. For those who may not know, it's a large-sized paperback book that contains most if not all stores and services are available at almost any exit in the entire Interstate System. Very handy!

[Blue Sky]

My choice is a Garmin navigator in the truck that has our preferred route uploaded from BaseCamp - Garmin's (free) computer software.

Although I still use it, it was better 10 years ago than it is now. Today's software (not only mapping and routing) is determined to "help" you. I don't want/need the kind of help I'm getting. I create a route in BaseCamp that includes turn-by-turn directions of where I want to go, upload it to the navigator, and it responds with options that are NEVER worthwhile. It used to just follow the route I created. No wonder people are complaining about "digital overload".

Edit: It's hard to communicate to the programmers that we were trying to avoid the "worst part of town", rather than go through it.

[Romer1]

Originally Posted by akeagle

My navigator is an avid user of Next Exit. For those who may not know, it's a large-sized paperback book that contains most if not all stores and services are available at almost any exit in the entire Interstate System. Very handy!

They have an app called IEXIT for android phones, basically Next Exit for phones.

I use Tom Tom Go mobile on my 10" tablet. Easier to read and constantly updated information. Also shows traffic construction.


Interesting side note, recently rented a Ram pickup from Enterprise. Navigation system they use is the TomTom system.