Live gas prices and safety cameras

[peterkronenberg]

I just got the Live 740 (although I've had other TomTom devices for several years, starting with the original GO).

When I connect to Home, I notice that it offers to download Fuel Prices (for a 1 year subscription at no cost). But I thought that the fuel prices are downloaded Live. Do I have to keep connecting to Home to get up-to-date prices?
Home also offers me the ability to download information on Safety Cameras for US and Canada. But I cannot figure out how to view this information on the TomTom . I don't see it listed as a POI or under Services.

thanks
Peter

 

[dhn]

If superMod gatorguy does not reply to you in this thread, send him a pm. He has a 740 and will be able to assist.

 

[cperk]

Gas Prices and Safety Cameras

I have the Go740 and the fuel prices update does take place when connected to Tom Tom Home. But I can also update them directly on the 740. As far as the safety cameras go, I spoke to Tom Tom support on this issues and was told that they are not yet operational in the US. The database is there, and is updated regularly, they just don't work as of yet. Tom Tom said they should be operational in the near future.

 

[peterkronenberg]

I have the Go740 and the fuel prices update does take place when connected to Tom Tom Home. But I can also update them directly on the 740. As far as the safety cameras go, I spoke to Tom Tom support on this issues and was told that they are not yet operational in the US. The database is there, and is updated regularly, they just don't work as of yet. Tom Tom said they should be operational in the near future.

How do you update the Fuel prices directly on the 740? Does it just happen automatically?
That's too bad about the safety cameras. I hope they fix that soon.

 

[gatorguy]

I've found the 740 fuel prices out-of-date a few times, in fact about 3 days old after the Memorial Day Weekend. Figured the best way to update them is to change fuel type, which requests an update from the servers. Then change it back. The prices stayed current up until a couple of weeks ago, but on at least two occasions in the last two weeks, the prices were at least a day old or more. I meant to ask TomTom about the gas price subscription offer. I too did the download from Home over the weekend. Thanks for reminding me, and I'll post their answer when I get it.

 

[sageuvagony]

I surprised at how frequent new prices are available per day. I've had up to 4 fuel price updates in one day. The information does change because I see where some gas stations stay the same prices, but others do show a price change with each update. What's funny though is that I get a large message that says "PRICES MAY BE UP TO 5 DAYS OLD"

If that's true, then this service is pretty useless isn't it? I only have it because it was given to me for free for 15 months.

 

[peterkronenberg]

How do you know when it is updating?

 

[gatorguy]

You get a "connecting to server" notice if you're asking about your 740.

Unfortunately, there's no indication of how current your displayed pricing is. Both MSNDirect and TomTom get the bulk of their pricing reports from the same source, but MSN will indicate if the price shown if from today, yesterday, two days ago, etc. Not so on my 740.

 

[cperk]

I have to agree with gatorguy. The prices are not all that accurate, but neither are the ones on MSN. They do update and change everytime your 740 connects to the server. I think the purpose for the update on Tomtom home are for units that don't have the live connection like the Go 730. Until last week I had a station showing the price was $1.92 when it was actually $2.39 a gallon. I guess it don't hurt if your in the area of a gas station with a low price to drive by and check it, but I wouldn't trust it to the point that I would go out of my way relying on the price listed on the Tomtom.

 

[gatorguy]

I know they are supposed to update every time it connects, but so far today I can't even force one by changing fuel grades. Only 2 of 22 local area stations are showing associated prices. Those two prices appear to be from yesterday.

As for both being incorrect at times, that would be expected since they're both relying on the same original data and from the same source for the most part. When it's pushed out to the devices varies, as well as the mix of stations included. The 740 usually has a larger number of stations shown, but not always the larger number of prices with them. A lot are blank, at least in my area. Accuracy of the prices (probably how current) usually tilts to MSNDirect, but again not always.

 

[sageuvagony]

I do get quite a few blanks around my area too.

And just to note, I only have the ability to update my fuel prices using Home, since I don't have a supported phone for data connection

 

[gatorguy]

I did mange a fuel price update by the time I left work. As a comparison, The 740 showed 48 local stations (within 4 miles), but pricing for only 29 of them. MSN showed prices for 24 within the same distance, but never shows stations without reported prices. Overall, I'd consider the 740's more thorough, but not necessarily more accurate or up-to-date.

 

[canderson]

You get a "connecting to server" notice if you're asking about your 740.

Unfortunately, there's no indication of how current your displayed pricing is. Both MSNDirect and TomTom get the bulk of their pricing reports from the same source, but MSN will indicate if the price shown if from today, yesterday, two days ago, etc. Not so on my 740.

Aren't they both getting their pricing information from gasbuddy.com? I find that in my area, this service often runs about 24 hours behind reality, but not much more than that. The service depends upon users to provide data, and I would imagine that demographics of a given area (income and driver count) has a lot to do with how often and accurately the information flows in. Unlike the traffic data that is provided by all of those 740 users, it isn't automatic

They DO show the last time a user has updated the price at each station on their own site, though. We have 75,000+ people right in town proper, and few if any of the prices have been updated since about 9:15 this morning, and quite a few not updated since yesterday.

 

[mvl]

My understanding (chime in if I'm wrong gator) is that they're sourced via vendors, who ultimately source from credit card receipts.

The delay makes sense as credit cards take a few days to process.

 

[dhn]

See? One 'benefit' of living in Ontario is the government allows price fixing by the gasoline companies. (though the companies deny they price fix and the government denies it allows collusion).

Anyway, all gas stations, regardless of brand, effectively sell the gas for the same price per litre, down to the 10th of a penny. (What? Price fix?? )

Bottom line: We don't need the gas pricing in TomTom.

 

[gatorguy]

Aren't they both getting their pricing information from gasbuddy.com?

Most of the data comes from OPIS, via credit card transactions and individual reports from chain operations like 7-11. Some TT data also comes thru Inrix. MSN also uses another service who's name I can't remember in addidtion to OPIS, who again supplies most of their fuel-price data.

 

[mvl]

I've been using the gas prices service for a few weeks now - here's my take:

1) The data seems a bit stale. Maybe 2-3 days old, which reflects typical credit card processing time. For the most part this is close enough data that I still get to the cheapest station in the area, but in times of a major price spike the stale data can be misleading.

2) We put mid-range in one car and premium in the other. Because OPIS is fleet-based, there is noticeably less mid-range and premium coverage - a lot of the stations are blank. I end up just using regular, as the cheap regular station is usually the cheap station on other grades as well

3) THE BIGGEST BENEFIT - the gas prices replace the built in gas-station POI list with a separate list from the server. And the live list is MUCH more accurate. In my neighborhood, I identified about 10 gas station POI issues, new/moved/closed stations. The gas price service got them all perfect. I believe that's because a station will show as a blank if it has no fill-ups within the last 5 days.