Rand McNally announced the launch of two new truck-specific GPS units: the 5-inch IntelliRoute TND 510, and the large high-definition 7-inch IntelliRoute TND 710. The company says the new units, driven by upgraded technology and feedback from longhaul truck drivers, incorporate user-requested enhancements, the ability to incorporate real-time traffic and a newly designed thinner hardware unit.
“Rand McNally is committed to the commercial transportation industry and to the professional driver,” says Dave Muscatel, chief executive officer of Rand McNally. “Our industry-leading IntelliRoute TND line has been enhanced to provide further value to the over-the-road driver. The Trucker Business Tools continue to lead the market in innovation, providing ways to make the business side of driving easier, while reducing in cab distractions.”
New enhancements, according to Rand McNally, include:
Virtual Dashboard – At a glance, drivers can view sunrise or sunset, odometer, speed, altitude and other key metrics;
Traffic Predictor (Available only on the TND 710) – Integrates historic traffic patterns into routing;
Real-time traffic-compatible – Truckers can calculate driving time with congestion ahead, or seek alternate routes. An additional accessory is needed; that accessory will be available at www.randmcnally.com for the suggested retail price of $89.99 and includes a lifetime traffic feed;
View Current Location by Mile Marker – View location by mile marker along major interstates;
Enhanced Truck-specific Points of Interest – Now includes truck washes, towing and service and truck repair information from Truck Down;
Find a Location by Latitude and Longitude – Useful when delivering to oil fields, solar windmill fields, new construction, etc.;
Finding a Destination by ZIP Code – One of the most requested enhancements, the new feature includes three-character input for Canada;
Enhanced Quick Planner – Now includes user-defined average speed to further specify the time required from point to point;
Multi-Stop Entire Route Preview – Now choose from Detail View, Highway View (New), Trip Summary and Summary Map View (New) to better review a planned route;
Enhanced Voice Warnings – Drivers can prepare for sharp curves, upgrade/downgrade, time zone, upcoming construction, border crossing and speed limit changes with user-set warnings; and
Loaded vs. Empty Option – Allows the driver to select whether he/she is carrying content; required for IFTA reporting purposes.
Rand McNally says the IntelliRoute TND line – developed from the ground up for truckers and tested by professional drivers on the road – features louder speakers designed for truck use, truck-designed mounting features such as an oversized suction cup and extra-long power cable, and a suite of specialized Trucker Business Tools to assist drivers in managing the business aspects of trucking. Many of the new features in the IntelliRoute TND 510 and 710 units were developed as a direct result of tens of thousands of comments from drivers that came in via “Tell Rand,” a unique on-device feature that provides continuous feedback to Rand McNally from the driver community.
