RV friendly routing makes weird detours

[Jerry Burks]

I am using the GPS app on the iPhone and like it so far. Normally I plan a route with the trip wizard on the PC and then use it in the app.

However, when routing a trip directly in the app, it shows a reasonable car route but sometimes a weird "RV friendly" route. E.g. routing from Fort Collins, CO to Syracuse, NY results in a 1707 mile car route along I80 which IMO could also well be used for an RV. The "RV friendly" route is 1981 miles and goes mostly along I70 but makes a huge detour from Topeka around Kansas City, almost up to Omaha then back south while it could just as well go through Kansas City.

Is there a specific reason for that? I turned off all the routing restrictions.

[pbucha]

What is your height and weight set at in the app? Apple or Android? Also, if you try to refresh the route again, does it suggest the same trip?

[Jerry Burks]

Originally Posted by pbucha

What is your height and weight set at in the app? Apple or Android? Also, if you try to refresh the route again, does it suggest the same trip?

Height 13'4"
Weight 15000 lbs
Propane on board

Routing this again gives same results. This was on an iPhone.

[Jerry Burks]

So far I have been using the app on my iPhone which works but the screen is rather small. Now I installed the app on an older Android tablet with only 16G storage and I am running out of space when loading all maps for a longer trip (total 4.5 G).
Question is if I can somehow download the maps onto a 32G micro-SD card that I have plugged in the tablet instead of the main SD (and how).

Thanks!

Edited to say: oops that was supposed to be a separate thread but maybe it can be answered here as well...

[pbucha]

Jerry,

I was able to replicate that route exactly on my iPhone by choosing to Avoid Tolls. I suspect you have the same on your end.

As for using the SD card in Android, I don't think that functionality is there yet.

[Camp CA]

We are careful about relying on a gps to take me from point A to B. When we lived in Wales recently my Garmin gps would often take to down secondary one lane hedge rows (that you cannot see over). Fortunately, we were driving a compact suv and not an rv. We got to a point that when the Garmin directed us off a primary onto a secondary road we would pull over and review the route prior to proceeding. When we tow our 41 ft fifth wheel trailer so are very cautious of the roads we take.

[Jerry Burks]

Originally Posted by pbucha

....I was able to replicate that route exactly on my iPhone by choosing to Avoid Tolls. I suspect you have the same on your end....

No, I de-selected all restrictions like toll, ferries etc.

It is not a big deal since I check the routing anyway and the web-based Trip Wizard does not do this (actually that one uses the route along I80).

But I thought somebody at RV Life might want to look at it and find out why.

[computerguy]

I have been 5 years + full time on the road. I am solo with a class A towing 4 down. I can't be put in a position where I might have to back up and U turns can be difficult.
Here is how I do it and have never had a problem going down a wrong road.
1) Plan the route on the platform (With RM I use Tripmaker on a PC - Windows with RVTW I use Chrome on a PC).
2) Check the route provided to a paper truckers atlas. This has truck roads with low bridge information.
3) On a white board I write the routes instructions.
4) When traveling I note in my head from the written instructions where and how far the next turn is. If the stupid GPS decided in it's stupid "ultimate" wisdom to change that route I ignore it. These GPSs have a mind of their own and do things they shouldn't. I am smarter than them and won't let them put me in a bad situation.
Closing in on 6 years and with this process I have NEVER been in a bad situation. I HAVE ignored multiple changed routes on travel day.
Works well for me. Takes a little bit of time. Well worth the effort IMO. Hope this helps others.

[ManTiger]

Has anyone traveled route 21 in Idaho west out of the sun valley? Trying to find out if it is good for big rigs?

[SillyAnn]

I posted a new thread without realizing there was already a thread on the weird behavior when my trip is set to RV Routing.

With the price of diesel, I can't afford the odd detours the routing engine takes when my trip is set to RV Routing. With this setting, if the route is taking me out of my way, I change my trip setting to standard routing. I just make sure I am using a truck route and there are no hazards.

It would be nice if the tool would allow an additional setting of Truck Routes.

[weird]

I've tried a number of apps and a RV friendly GPS unit. The truck-oriented phone app, "Hammer" has worked best for me. Not perfect but definitely fewer WTF routing issues compared to anything else I've used.

[Mike8253]

Originally Posted by SillyAnn

I posted a new thread without realizing there was already a thread on the weird behavior when my trip is set to RV Routing.



With the price of diesel, I can't afford the odd detours the routing engine takes when my trip is set to RV Routing. With this setting, if the route is taking me out of my way, I change my trip setting to standard routing. I just make sure I am using a truck route and there are no hazards.



It would be nice if the tool would allow an additional setting of Truck Routes.

Basically, RV routing is truck routes. To my knowledge, there is no national RV routing database. RV GPS and other programs take advantage of the databases in place for commercial trucking, with some adaptation. At least that's how I understand it.

[Alan_Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Mike8253

Basically, RV routing is truck routes.

That is correct - with a small addition: if there is a road where trucks are prohibited, but buses are allowed then Trip Wizard will route on that road.

[NatPutt]

I am having same issue on the same route. We are just west of Cheyenne WY and it is trying to send me down around Denver and back up to I-80. - 37’ Phaeton, Propane