How can I get TomTom to stay on main roads?

[PhillT]

If I choose "Shortest Route", T/T wants to turn off highways and take me down minor roads and back onto the same highway further on, thus making the journey far slower,...so a useless option really.

If I choose "Fastest Route" it takes a totally different route which I do not necessarily want to travel,...so also a useless option.

What I need to do is be able to pick the "Shortest Route" option, with a "Stay on Main Roads" sub option, just like the "Avoid un-paved roads" option, or the "Avoid Toll roads" option.

I cannot for the life of me understand why what seems to be a pretty basic necessity is missing from T/T.

I am wondering if a different device running navteq maps might be the answer.

 

[Andy_P]

'Shortest route' on any Sat-nav will, by definition take the closest route to a straight line, on ANY roads. You can't blame it for taking you on minor roads, as that's exactly what you've asked it to do!

But I don't understand why you think "Fastest" is a useless option, as it usually works out to be the most fuel efficient as well as being fastest. I would guess that the vast majority of users use "fastest" all the time.

There's also the specific "Eco" route option that you could try, I find it is USUALLY the same as the "fastest", but sometimes it will be slightly more direct.

 

[PhillT]

'Shortest route' on any Sat-nav will, by definition take the closest route to a straight line, on ANY roads. You can't blame it for taking you on minor roads, as that's exactly what you've asked it to do!

But I don't understand why you think "Fastest" is a useless option, as it usually works out to be the most fuel efficient as well as being fastest. I would guess that the vast majority of users use "fastest" all the time.

There's also the specific "Eco" route option that you could try, I find it is USUALLY the same as the "fastest", but sometimes it will be slightly more direct.

Sorry, I should have said "Useless for my requirements"
I need to go the shortest distance, but not to stray off major roads onto back streets, as I am towing a caravan (like tens of thousands of other people). **
The "Fastest" route is not always the route I want to take, so I guess I need to be able to either alter the route, or be able to input a route from another source where I can plot it correctly.
I thought that importing an Itinerary from Optimaps might be the answer, but I discovered that all it does is export the co-ordinates to T/T, and T/T decides the route, so no use at all.
How hard would it be for T/T to ad a choice of staying on main roads, if it is able to stay off tolls, unpaved and car-pool roads?

** Reading the caravan forums, it seems that the vast majority of travellers have all but given up on GPS because of this problem.

Thanks Andy.
PhillT

 

[Andy_P]

Exporting an itinerary might do just what you need. As you say, the sat-nav will always choose it's own route between each waypoint, but you might find that if you add enough extra waypoints you can force it to go more the way you want.

In Europe, TomTom now do a caravan specific model (but that's expensive) AND they now do a caravan-specific map and software combination for ordinary models. It allows you to set width, height and weight restrictions, so should create better-specified routes for trucks and trailers.

It's had some good reviews, but unfortunately there's no sign of something similar for Australia yet,

 

[PhillT]

We are currently planning a trip of over 3 thousand kilometers, so that solution is a little impractical.
Back to the old paper maps I think
GPS has some way to go yet to be a viable option.

 

[Alex.F]

I just wonder PhillT, have you checked into mobile solutions?

 

[PhillT]

I just wonder PhillT, have you checked into mobile solutions?

No, please, enlighten me.....

 

[Alex.F]

There are numerous smartphone applications for navigation, laptop with external GPS receiver where you may be able to use the route created manually on Google maps.

 

[Alex.F]

This may be of interest:
http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=144814

 

[Alex.F]

Some more:
http://forums.techguy.org/phones-handheld-devices/1038696-utilizing-gps-data.html

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.maps.mytracks&hl=en

http://forums.gpsreview.net/viewtopic.php?t=25253

 

[PhillT]

Thanks Alex.F you have given me a lot to research. Hopefully a solution is in there somewhere.
Cheers.
PhillT

 

[booch221]

I'm having the same problem. I'm testing my TomTom in my own neighborhood. It is set for the fastest route but it is taking me on to side streets with many stops and turns (which is also the shortest route) instead of taking me the most simple direct route. When I tell it to find an alternative it gives me an even worse routing.

My old Garmin calculated the correct route the first time. I'm thinking of using it and returning the TomTom.

 

[PhillT]

I'm having the same problem.
My old Garmin calculated the correct route the first time. I'm thinking of using it and returning the TomTom.

Funny you should mention Garmin, I have done a bit of research already, and one thing I would like to know is if you can plot a route manually on Garmin Basecamp, then import it into a Garmin (Nuvi?) and it keeps the route you made, rather than re-calculate one of its own?

Cheers.
PhillT

 

[booch221]

In the Garmin Basecamp overview it says:

Select raster maps, and transfer the data to your device (subscriptions required).
http://www.garmin.com/en-US/shop/downloads/basecamp

 

[PhillT]

In the Garmin Basecamp overview it says:

Select raster maps, and transfer the data to your device (subscriptions required).
http://www.garmin.com/en-US/shop/downloads/basecamp

I read on another forum that this only makes a series of waypoints, then the device calculates a route based on your selection of Fastest, Shortest,etc.

I am wondering if maybe it depends on the device to which you export,....maybe later models will not recalculate a pre plotted route?

The more research I do, the more it looks like none of them import a route and keep it exactly as you wanted it :-(

 

[canderson]

...one thing I would like to know is if you can plot a route manually on Garmin Basecamp, then import it into a Garmin (Nuvi?) and it keeps the route you made, rather than re-calculate one of its own?

Cheers.
PhillT

Negative. Would be interesting if possible, but a Garmin Nuvi doesn't want to know about an 'imported' track as a route, and won't be any more amenable to being forced to a route than a TomTom. Basecamp is handy for sending a track to a handheld and following that track manually in the woods, though! Add some Birdseye, and a person might be able to avoid getting lost That said, it sure would be nice to be able to pull an exported *.gpx tracklog off a TomTom for later review.

See signature line.

 

[booch221]

Garmin lets you send a route from Google Maps or Mapquest to your GPS, but it only sets the starting and ending point and the Garmin calculates its own route anyway. So it's pretty useless.

I found this article on something called Tyre To Travel:

TyreToTravel is the platform for searching, making and sharing routes.
And Tyre is the program that integrates Google Earth / Maps with Tom Tom or Garmin.
http://www.tyretotravel.com/

That's all I know. I haven't dug any deeper.

 

[canderson]

At best, the common spread of nav devices will allow a person to set up an itinerary of some number of points that must be navigated to from point to point. However, these units DO determine the routing between those points, and if they're far enough apart, the device may take roads you did not intend in order to move between those points. If one were to keep the points tight enough on the older TomToms, you could force it along a route, but the process could be tedious on longer trips, and you had to set the itineraries up in batches of no more than 48 points each, using multiple itineraries if necessary to keep them 'tight'.

The newer TomTom units (apart from Start 4X and 5X models) doesn't even allow for that (no proper 'itinerary planning' feature).

Again, I know of NO consumer GPS that can be forced to follow a specific predefined route defined by a simple *.gpx file. It's not that a few folks haven't suggested it to them, though.

 

[PhillT]

From what I have learned over the last couple of days, the closest you can get to it is with some older Garmin models, 1490 being one of them. If you use basecamp with the exact same map as the unit uses, it is possible to get the same route as you plotted in basecamp ALMOST every time. You still need to put in a few waypoints though.
For this reason alone, a lot of owners of these models refuse to upgrade because they loose this feature.
You really have to wonder what goes on in the think-tanks of these companies.
There is a huge market out there just waiting to be tapped, and being totally ignored, despite the issue being well known.
I am now looking for and OLD Garmin, so another sale lost to them.

 

[canderson]

Reminds me of why a few of us refuse to give up our old Nav2 units (the ones that work with Home) like my trusty GO 740 Live! The itinerary feature is too important for some of our uses and the new models don't support it.