Disappointed with Garmin traffic reports on 1490LMT

I have the 3790LMT and find that the timeliness of traffic updates leaves much to be desired.

The reports are as good as the information that the traffic service receives and how often it is updated. I have the same Garmin - sometimes the traffic is right on, other times it shows red or yellow when the road is moving - as whatever the tie up was has been resolved. Just as easily it will show green when it becomes red before the report is made.

Our model Garmin is not getting "real time" traffic - that comes on much more expensive models. We have "fm" traffic that relies upon the traffic service reports.

What I don't like is that it will not always route around a red area - when it is aware of it. It took my telling it to route around the traffic and then having it report back that all other routes would take longer - but sometimes longer moving is better than sitting bumper to bumper and being aggravated.

For this you need a live traffic feed which comes on the Garmin Nulink 1695 or the just released TomTom Go 2535m and soon to be released TomTom Go 2505m,I don't know how often the Garmin updates but TomTom says their units update every two minutes.They all get their updates from and internet connection.These units are supposed to reroute you around traffic.

When I was shopping for a new GPSr last summer, I decided against any with the traffic feature for exactly that reason. I just didn't trust the information to be timely enough to be useful. Many features start out as good intentions, but after the initial enthusiam wears off, the long-term commitment to keep providing the service starts to wear a little thin.
Don't forget that buyers pay up front for what is supposed to be a "lifetime" service, but after a while, the ongoing service becomes a financial burden to the provider and they start cutting back on what they deliver.

I have a Garmin 780 with MSN Direct (which is about to end service next January). Here in the Washington DC area the signal quality of MSN Direct is really spotty, and I can drive for an hour in rush hour down I-66 (where there is strong signal) and the traffic never updates. Other times it updates fine.

I'm thinking about getting a new Garmin with NuLink. Does anyone know how good the NuLink service is in the DC area?

I've been using my new 3790LMT for a week now. I haven't notice any traffic notices. I thought that maybe I had to 'activate' the service, but in the settings menu, everything is turned on. I do occasionally see the traffic symbol show grey when I'm traveling a 'route'. When you press the grey symbol, it says that the last update was made xx minutes ago (usually 5 or 10). Guess I'm in a weak signal area for traffic alerts.

You also may want to check if there is any firmware updates or software updates,I had the same problem with my Garmin 1450 which I added the traffic plug to after the firmware update the traffic signal worked ok.

I don't know how good it is in DC,I know it is run though google internet,through ATT towers.You have to purchase maps,plus the nulink service is paid for after the first year.Check out garmins web site and the nulink 1695 model.The TomTom I mentioned 2535m is free lifetime maps but the traffic has to be renewed after the first year

I have had good luck with very current traffic updates when traveling around the Phoenix areas but in Tucson it is not very good.

My traffic receiver has clear channel service.

I have not found the traffic to be reliable.

In central FL is does a fairly good job most times but not all.

Again, I'm underwhelmed with the traffic service.

Maybe I haven't taken the time to figure it out yet but here is another beef:

If I'm heading to my destination and there is no traffic problem reported as I'm leaving but later traffic problem do pop up the GPS doesn't reroute my path. If I stop the GPS, as I approach the traffic problem, then go back and plug the destination address back in then, and only then, will it come up with a alternate path.

Looking at the traffic manual for my unit.If a severe traffic delay occurs on your route while you are navigating the nuvi automatically recalculates the route.Also if no better alternative route exists you will be routed through the traffic.I take severe as red.Make sure traffic checked as a avoidance on your settings.

You can manually change the route for a lesser delay.On map page touch traffi icon,touch traffic on route,touch arrows for other traffic delays on route and touch avoid to avoid the traffic delay.

Thanks for the info.

I have traffic avoidance checked. I thought it weird that even with a "yellow" situation the GPS will give you a different route if you ask it to re-calculate but it won't if you don't do anything.

I live in Chicago and the traffic here is pretty good. I have both a 1490 and a 3790 and they do a pretty good job. A lot has to do with the signal in your area and the timeliness of the broadcast.

I had MSN service for a while and found it to be so variable that it bordered on useless. Listening to traffic reports on the radio was always better combined with local understanding of the usual daily messes than anything the MSN service provided.

I think any of these various services are really a coin toss as to their usefulness...

Are there any meaningful differences between the two other than coverage?

can look to see where the slow-up is under details and determine if you can be affected. I see it as a free traffic notice.

I was in San Jose, CA last week headed to SFO for my flight and my 765T prompted me to get off Hwy 101 and take El Camino Real to get to the airport. While exiting I saw that traffic was at a standstill on Hwy 101 just couple of yards away from my exit .. so in my case the traffic worked really well.

Do you have Clear Channel traffic service or Navteq's?

The standard free one included on some nuvi models is Navteq and that is not as timely or comprehensive as Clear Channel's service. You can add the Clear Channel service to your traffic receiver by purchasing a lifetime subscription from Garmin's website.

I have found, especially when driving in Birmingham, Alabama, that often my Nuvi will report traffic issues, but traffic on the Interstate will be moving fine. I some cases, I have gotten off the Interstate to try to avoid traffic only to find that the traffic problem was on a parallel road, just off the Interstate. In other words, the report was correct, just not for the road I was traveling on. Often, the traffic map will indicate an area surrounding my immediate route. I usually find that it's best to stay where I am.

Not all areas or roads get traffic data - you may be driving on roads with no traffic information for them. When the signal is there the traffic symbol goes green to show no traffic, yellow for light traffic, and red for moderate traffic.

The colours are indicative of delay times, not necessarily volume.

Good to know... thanks. Explains why the symbol was always gray. I'm taking a trip on the interstate tomorrow, so we'll see whatinfo it gives.

On my 265WT according to manual Green=Traffic flowing normal.Yellow=Traffic is slightly congested.Red=Traffic is heavily congested or stopped.

And, associated delay times are popped on the screen as well.

Never saw a gray symbol.If no traffic signal being received then no symbol at all appears.

It's there if you move to an area where there is no FM traffic. Had this happen outside of Vancouver, BC. It 'greyed' out.

There is a screen, I think you get there by holding your finger on the speed indication and then on the speedometer, that shows what FM signals the nuvi is seeing. That screen tells you what traffic service it is but there is a little translation involved. It's been awhile since I checked mine. I use Clear Channel because I get signal in my area and Navteq does not broadcast here. Before you purchase anything, it would be good to check on what is available in your area. There is a service map to look at on the Garmin website or you can check what your GPS is seeing.

There is certainly a time lag on the traffic reports. If you come upon the wreck soon after it happens, you get no warning. If you drive to a scene soon after it is cleared, you get warned unnecessarily. It isn't useless but isn't great either. I found MSN Direct a little better in my area.

Jim

Let's face it, not the best service in the world. I just look at it as another helping hand that may be correct or not. I just go with the flow..

[/quote]I have not found the traffic to be reliable.[/quote]

Do you have Clear Channel traffic service or Navteq's?

The standard free one included on some nuvi models is Navteq and that is not as timely or comprehensive as Clear Channel's service. You can add the Clear Channel service to your traffic receiver by purchasing a lifetime subscription from Garmin's website.[/quote]

I have Navteq. I will stay with the free traffic. I don't rely on it too much.

When convenient, I check Google maps before leaving or in route. The information is sometimes different than Garmin traffic. Also, if the Garmin reports an accident some distance away, I'll factor in the time it will take me to reach the point of congestion. As already mentioned, the traffic may clear by the time you get there.

These services are only as good as the reporting service. If they are not up to date or on board with the reporting service then you will not see up to date or proper traffic reporting.

Did you get the avoidance problem fixed and how did you do it?

The unit will generally re-route you if the delay is at least (7?) minutes. A "red" situation. Traffic is handled differently when you ask the unito calculate (or re-calculate) a route then when the unit automatically changes your route to avoid traffic. The unit won't normally change your route for a potential time savings of a few minutes.

The value of NAVTEQ traffic can be iffy.

The unit might route you off a road with heavy traffic to a road without any traffic information available. You could be going from bad to worse.

JMO but the value (accuracy/timeliness) of the traffic information doesn't justify changing a route over a minor potential time savings. Possible red lights going from a highway to local roads might more then wipe out potential savings.

Really, I can't tell you how many times I'll hear "Traffic ahead" when I've already been in the traffic for a few minutes.

...the 1490t is usually about 15 minutes later than the local radio traffic report (1010 WINS).

There are two ways to look at the traffic reported using the traffic receiver. First of all, I agree that the information is often delayed and may be incorrect according to the latest information from the local stations. But put yourself into a situation where you are a visitor. You don't know what station to listen to nor do you have any idea how the streets are referred to by the reporters.

Here's some examples: Dan Ryan Expressway, John Hanson Highway, Antelope Valley Freeway, Purple Heart bridge, The Wilson or Woodrow Wilson bridge, the GW Parkway and then there's the GW bridge. Now, if you are from Chicago, DC, LA or New York, the names are familiar, but if you're not then "There's a tie-up on the inbound Dan Ryan" means absolutely nothing. At least the GPS paints the roadway colors so you don't have to worry about is I-90 the the same as the Dan Ryan or I'm going north on I-95 around DC. Is a traffic problem on the Purple Heart bridge or John Hansen Highway going to affect me? A local would know, but the itinerant traveler wouldn't have a clue. So, some warning is better than none.

..BC, but unfortunately my world revolves around a big filthly, overcrowded city and to navigate through or around it is quite a task. I feel for the traveler who wanders into this pit. Be well...

Traffic info does not look helpful in route selection.

I think that's the case for all Nuvi models.

The free traffic subscriptions leave much to be desired. I have found the traffic information to, usually, be poor. Most of the time, when heavy traffic is indicated, it is actually moving freely and vice versa. I would discount that feature if I were to upgrade my unit.

We had a major accident here in Daytona that totally closed the northbound lanes of I-95 for about 20 hours. No indication of any traffic slow down or stoppage on my 2460LMT. TTN shows us in their coverage area. I guess I'll leave the traffic feature enabled but, in the year I've had it, I've yet to find it a traffic avoidance advantage, either here at home or in other metro areas.

I have a Nuvi 1690 and the traffic avoidance just does not cut it. It is amazing. I also own an Audi 2012 A6 and it has a GPS with traffic avoidance. It works better than the Garmin. Don't know how they update the Audi stuff but it is better at fuel prices, traffic and other online stuff.

Do I have to have power hooked up to turn off the traffic?

Don't know which GPS you have, but if it's a Garmin the traffic receiver is in the power cable. You can switch to a standard cable to eliminate traffic, or just ignore any traffic warnings.

Larry

On the GPSs I've dealt with the Traffic setup option is only visible when the traffic power cable is connected. So yes, once connected you can go into Traffic setup and uncheck your subscription.

I already had several GPS units, from different makers, with traffic, and I have yet to find one that would give relevant information even in 50% cases. One of them by the way was nothing else but Tomtom 2535 with HD Traffic, which I since returned.

I have a 1450LMT and wish I had saved a few bucks and just got the LM model. I have had it warn me of traffic ahead and never saw a thing and I have encountered heavy traffic when the icon was green. I tend to ignore it.

One question I have is what is the radius for the traffic icon? Is it referring to traffic within 5 miles of your current location, 10 miles or just anywhere on your route that it has info for?

I have not found the traffic feature to be useful. Also, I use the unit without the cable half the time anyway, so the traffic isn't available anyway. I haven't actually paid attention to the traffic warnings enough to opine on their accuracy.