Truck driving is one of the most important industries in any country throughout the world. Whether it is local, regional, or long-haul, truck drivers need good GPS systems to navigate effectively.
The best truck GPS will have a wide range of navigation benefits with routing, alerts, and mapping features to make it easier for truckers to plan their trips.
In this comprehensive round-up review, we are going to thoroughly assess some of the best truck GPS devices on the market today. We will highlight all of the best features of each unit in descending order from best to adequate. These are:
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
 | Garmin Dēzl 580
| View On Amazon → |
 | Garmin Dēzl OTR700
| View On Amazon → |
 | Garmin DriveSmart 66
| View On Amazon → |
 | Garmin DriveSmart 86
| View On Amazon → |
- Garmin dezl 580 LMT-S
- Garmin dezl OTR700 7″ GPS Truck Navigator
- Garmin Drivesmart 66
- Garmin Drivesmart 86
We will also answer some frequently asked questions to make your purchasing decision a bit easier based on what you need most out of a trucker GPS unit.
4 best Garmin trucker GPS units
Garmin are market leaders when it comes to GPS systems, which is why so many truckers choose a Garmin brand in order to navigate them efficiently from place to place.
Here are our top 4 Garmin GPS units for truckers:
Garmin dezl 580 LMT-S
When it comes to the best GPS for truckers, Garmin’s dezl 580 LMT-S truck navigator is designed for the professional trucker with customized truck routing and predictive route warnings.
This is achieved with convenient truck GPS systems like a truck and trailer services directory, plus easy break planning with timely notifications.
This truck GPS has detailed maps for North America that also include truck-related restrictions – like bridge heights, dangerous curves, weight limits and more, and related information for most major roads and highways. This 5.0 inches truck navigator comes with maps of North America, plus free lifetime map updates and free live traffic and weather forecasts via the complimentary Smartphone Link app.
Customized truck routing for the size and weight of your truck, plus alerts for upcoming bridge heights, weight limits, sharp curves, steep grades and more are also included.
There is an easy break planning feature with timely notifications for breaks, plus up ahead road signs to suggest nearby restaurants, rest areas, fuel and lodging, even truck-friendly parking and weigh stations.
You can control this Garmin dezl with your voice, and enjoy Bluetooth hands-free calling and built-in Wi-Fi for easy map and software updates without a computer.
This is why we believe the Garmin dezl 580 LMT-S is simply the best for long-haul truckers.
Pros:
- Customized routing
- Bluetooth compatible
- Easy break planning
- Command with the power of your voice
- Built-in directory of truck and trailer services
- Compatible with Garmin eLog complain ELD
- Pre-installed Wi-Fi keeps you up to date
- Pair with your smartphone for live traffic, weather and more
- Locate a place to par
- Service history log
- Navigate with ease
- Works with backup camera
Cons:
- Frequent truck GPS reviews cite glitches with custom routing occurring quite a lot
This Garmin dezl ORT700 model is great for truck navigation for long haul journeys. It offers truck routing for the size and weight of your rig, and an easy-to-read 7-inch navigator that gives professional truckers a clear view of the road ahead.
Truck drivers can get the best route for their rig with custom truck routing and helpful alerts for things like upcoming steep grades, and the ability to see truck parking along your route. You can use your truck and trailer services directory when you need to stop to refuel or utilize shower and food facilities.
This GPS unit allows you to find local loading zones or storage with industry-best load-to-dock guidance that is truly convenient. With its bright, crisp 7-inch touchscreen display, this Garmin dezl truck navigator is designed for easy in-cab viewing and intuitive operation. We also like that you have the option to enjoy the display of your navigation screen in landscape or portrait mode.
You can just enter your truck profile to find truck-preferred routes best suited for your rig and load. When approaching your destination, Garmin’s industry-best load-to-dock guidance shows potential loading zones or storage lots to help clarify where you need to go.
I find the most useful feature to be the ability to see popular truck routes used by other truckers to increase your situational awareness. Plus, this GPS unit allows you to encourage safer driving and increase situational awareness by allowing driver alerts that warn you of upcoming sharp curves, speed changes, railroad crossings and more.
Pros:
- Extra-large 7-inch touchscreen
- Can be mounted in landscape or portrait mode
- Custom truck routing and helpful alerts
- Enjoy the convenience of a voice assistant and hands-free calling
Cons:
- Like many truck GPS devices, the GPS system of this device can frequently lose signal over rough terrain
Garmin Drivesmart 66
Labeled truck GPS units are not the only driving GPS devices you can utilize, because often GPS technology can be achieved in regular vehicle GPS units as well.
The Garmin Drivesmart 66 has some of the most advanced features of the GPS navigation system range with Bluetooth hands-free calls, voice-activated navigation, and onscreen smart notifications (calls, texts and other app alerts) to encourage safer driving. It’s available as 5inch, 6inch or a whopping 7inch pinch-to-zoom display.
A great thing about Drive Smart is that it alerts you to approaching traffic jams, dangerous curves, speed zone changes or railroad crossings. Plus, a fatigue warning even suggests you taking a break after hours of driving, identifying potential rest areas ahead.
These features offer so much more than a free navigation app for your smartphone. New driving alerts notify you of upcoming obstacles including sudden curves in the road, changes to speed limits, school crossings and more importantly, red lights and speed cameras.
With the Drivesmart 66, you can see places up ahead and milestones along your route, without leaving the map view with New Up Ahead Milestones.
Pros:
- Enjoy easy-to-see maps on a bright, crisp 6-inch high-resolution screen display
- Includes real time traffic updates and a convenient Garmin voice assist for directions and hands-free phoning
Cons:
- More of a standard GPS unit instead of a GPS navigation system
Garmin Drivesmart 86
Again, this device isn’t specifically labeled for trucking GPS, but you can simplify your drive with the Garmin Drive Smart 86 GPS navigation system.
This model allows you to use Garmin voice assist to easily find and navigate where you want to go. The crisp 8-inch dual-orientation display and map updates of North America show you the way, providing alerts for speed changes and potential hazards ahead.
Make the most of road trips with a directory of U.S. national parks directory and a really cool (my favorite feature) HISTORY database of notable sites.
You can even pair with the Garmin Drive app running on your compatible smartphone for on-screen, smartphone connectivity access to live traffic, fuel , parking, weather and traffic cams to help avoid delays and keep you on your way.
With Amazon Alexa-powered built-in Wi-Fi, you can ask to play music, listen to audiobooks, hear the news and more, all while you keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
Pros:
- Driver alerts for things such as school zones, sudden curves and speed changes to help encourage safer driving and increase situational awareness
- Access live traffic, fuel costs, weather, parking and smart notifications when you pair this navigator with your compatible smartphone running the Garmin app
Cons:
- Mounting this GPS navigation system as a car GPS can sometimes be challenging depending on your dashboard
Which Garmin is best for truckers?
In terms of overall efficiency and useful features, any of the Garmin dezl models mentioned above are always going to be a top-tier choice for accurate trucking GPS.
Truckers can get the best route for their rig with truck routing and helpful alerts for things like upcoming steep grades, and the ability to see truck parking along your route.
You can use your truck and trailer services directory when you need to stop to refuel or utilize shower and food facilities.
What is the most reliable truck GPS?
In terms of accurate and reliable signal efficiency, the 620 TomTom trucker GPS unit allows you to get the most out of your driving time through truck specific routing and world-class TomTom Traffic information. There are free truck map updates and the seamless Wi-Fi connectivity lets you update without a computer.
This device also has a superb GPS signal transmission. But honestly, any of the mentioned units in this guide are going to be highly reliable.
What GPS do truckers use?
In addition to the Garmin GPS units mentioned above, the GPS trackers of choice for most truckers are:
Rand McNally TND 740
The Rand McNally TND 540LM GPS unit comes with an expanded range of Wi-Fi connected services, such as weather and fuel costs. The device has a 5-inch wide screen and comes with lifetime maps updates. The GPS unit features fuel and mileage logs, driving timers and provides customizable warnings and alerts.
The Intelli-Route TND 540LM offers 35% more truck routing information than other GPS units. The device additionally offers millions of POI listings, junction view and Roadwork construction updates, which is always helpful.
Here are some of the TND540LM’s most standout features:
- GPS vehicle navigation system
- 5-inch widescreen display
- Lifetime map updates
- Truck-specific routing
- Virtual dashboard
- Traffic everywhere
- Junction view
- Preloaded maps of US & Canada
- Multi-stop entire route preview
- Find destinations by: Latitude & Longitude
- Customizable warnings
- Enhanced help, tips and FAQs
- Cross-reference to printed atlas feature
- Roadwork construction updates
- Export state-by-state and province mileage
- Enhanced quick planner
- Expanded address book functionality
- Millions of POI listings
- Exits quick view
- Mile markers
- Bread-crumb trails
- Service and maintenance alerts
Pros:
- Show current conditions and forecast, or choose from 10 different map overlays, including precipitation and wind speed
- View fuel prices on the map, or search by price, fuel type, or brand
- Find local businesses, restaurants, and more by name or keyword
- Get traffic information, even in rural areas
Cons:
- No built-in dash cam feature
TomTom Trucker 620
The 620 TomTom trucker GPS unit allows you to get the most out of your driving time through truck specific routing and world-class TomTom Traffic information.
There are free truck map updates and the seamless Wi-Fi connectivity lets you update without a computer. Voice controlled hands-free calling and smartphone messages offers connectivity with safety.
This truck GPS also allows you to get intelligent routes that avoid traffic in real-time and always drive with the latest truck maps for the USA and Canada at no cost.
Get customized routes for your vehicle type, size, weight, cargo and speed, making your journeys more time efficient. Traffic alerts and truck routing takes the guesswork our of driving, giving you a realistic arrival time and a safer journey.
What is really convenient is that you can activate and talk to Siri or Google now by tapping a button and using the microphone on your TomTom Trucker. The TomTom Trucker can read messages aloud from your phone with your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road.
Pros:
- Regular updated USA and Canada maps for large vehicles
- Drive on the right roads for your truck with specialized routing for hazardous cargo, vehicle size, weight, and max. speed
- Avoid getting stuck in traffic and know your precise arrival times
- Drive safer by knowing when to break thanks to jam tail warnings
- Regular USA and Canada map updates and service refreshes are quick and easy with the convenience of your magnetic mount GPS units built-in Wi-Fi.
- Secured by a specialized click-and-drive mount view instructions clearly on the high brightness and sunlight-readable screen
Cons:
- TomTom trucker GPS units are very durable but this model lacks some of the Garmin GPS systems’ abilities with routing
FAQs
Why you should buy a truck GPS system?
If you are a trucker of any variety, it is highly beneficial to purchase a GPS system. Many of the features you may find that you do not essentially need, however, such features as turn by turn directions, and traffic alerts can truly come in handy to make navigation just a little bit easier.
Different types of GPS for truck drivers
The most common units will be labeled specifically for truckers, but you will likely find that many regular vehicle devices can perform many (but not all) of a trucking GPS units purview. It may be wise to choose a trucking unit if you have never used such GPS systems before, but some of the above-mentioned Garmin Drivesmart units can give you all you need.
What to look for in truck GPS units
Some essential features include accurate GPS, mapping, alerts, traffic routing, and Wi-Fi that comes with the unit, which can really reduce the need for tracking down an effective Wi-Fi signal constantly when you are on the road. Advanced lane guidance can also come in handy for busy areas while driving.
Conclusion
As a trucker, you can’t go wrong (literally) with any of these GPS units, but the Garmin dezl 580 LMT-S gets our vote as being the best of the best when it comes to truck GPS.
