Best GPS Apps for Truckers

This article covers the most popular GPS apps among truck drivers, their main features and advantages with clues for choosing the best GPS app. 

Best GPS Apps For Truckers

The times of paper maps, fortunately for truck drivers, are long gone. They were replaced by convenient modern GPS apps – simple programs that require only a phone, Android or iOS. 

Truck drivers can choose any truck navigation app from the app store. Each of them has its own advantages and functional features. Before downloading an application, it is worth learning a little more about it.

First of all, please make sure it is especially designed for trucks, not for ordinary cars, because it will include the routes based on commercial truck restrictions, such as bridge heights, weight restrictions, road works, dangerous turns, and more. 

Then, it is important that an application has free updates, and can also be used without access to the Internet.

A more detailed description of each application is presented below.

1. Google Maps

Google Maps features the map and satellite images of the Earth. It is not an app especially designed for truck drivers, more likely it is for car drivers.

Thus, it should not be used as a basic GPS, but it can become a good supplement to your GPS app. 

Google Map is an excellent helper for route planning, finding parking or avoiding traffic jams. 

2. Smart Truck Route Version 2

Smart Truck Route Version 2 is quite popular among truck drivers because of its reasonable price and high accuracy. Most truck drivers name it among their favorite apps.

Smart Truck Route Version 2 is easy to install and convenient to use. You only have to pronounce the destination address to your app and within a few seconds you will get an accurately calculated route.

The app will inform you about speed restrictions, bridge height and permissible weight. 

All updates are free for both maps and the program. Besides, this application is not advertising supported (so no annoying ads on the display when you are driving a truck).

3. Maps.Me

Convenient free navigator for truck drivers. The main advantage of Maps.Me is that it works perfectly both online and offline. Therefore, it allows a fast downloading of offline maps of any country for further route planning without Internet connection.

Regular map updates ensure they are up to date. Detailing is provided by the users themselves, marking various objects, for example, parkings.

The application is absolutely free.

4. CoPilot GPS

Copilot is a useful GPS app that is intended specifically for trucking. It is not free of charge, but there is a 14 days free trial version.

The app plots various routes from point A to point B, calculates the distance and approximate travel time, taking into account traffic jams. Among its advantages are clear voice guided direction, legible 3D maps and possibility to use offline maps.

5. Sygic Truck GPS Navigation

Sygic Truck GPS Navigation is the most downloaded international GPS app for big vehicles. It can boast of all kinds of 2D and 3D maps for all continents, including North America. Thus, it can be used with different systems of measurements, including U.S. and metric units.

One of this app’s pros is that it allows you to use maps offline so you don’t need to waste internet traffic. Sygic Truck GPS Navigation shows traffic info, speed limit and speed camera warnings, fuel prices, Caravan-specific POIs and many more.

It is also easy to make the trip unchallenging, save time and decrease fuel costs with multiple waypoint optimization.

Some Clues For Choosing a GPS App

The introduction of GPS navigators made the lives of truck drivers much easier. One cannot even imagine now how to drive without GPS and its assistance.

There is no need to buy a navigator as a separate device now, just install an app on your tablet or mobile phone.

There are some clues for choosing the best GPS app:

• Choose an app containing 3D maps with vector layers and scalability features (choice between regular street map view and satellite view);
• Check if the app has free updates;
• Check if it si possible to talk on the phone without switching off the app;
• Pay attention if the program can be controlled by voice;
• It is important that the app is adapted to guide big vehicles along the route, because such trucks have their own routes and special features, for example, bridge, tunnels and arches height, toll road warnings, fuel costs, etc.;
• Choose an app with offline maps feature;
• Make sure that the app contains road maps of the regions you plan to visit.

To top it all off, check if the app has some useful features, including Active Lane Guidance, Weather, built-in DVR and other individual preferences. All these functions will make your trip more safe and comfortable.