nuvi free traffic problem

You may be in a area with no traffic reporting.I see you live in SC.When driving down I-95 through SC I don't get any traffic signal at all for the area.You don't need to do any thing for the free traffic.Just connect to gps and good to go.See http://www.navteq.com/rdstraffic/ for coverage areas.The green traffic icon will not show on the screen until you are in a signal area.

Usually around big cities it is great, but get a little out of the way and it goes away.

I live about 45 minutes outside of L.A. and don't get the traffic icon until I am about 30 minutes away. And by then I am stuck in the very traffic it is supposed to route me around. lol

You aren't missing much. Traffic (at least the free version we both have) is nothing to write home about. I'd guess that half the time it is useless, a quarter of the time it is wrong, and a quarter of the time it is useful. Which one you get each time you're driving is anyone's guess. I still keep an ear on the radio traffic reports.

The traffic coverage is broadcast to the unit on FM radio, and basically only covers metropolitan areas. If you go to Garmin's website you'll find a link to traffic coverage maps. It leaves a lot to be desired.

Thanks for the quick replies. I did notice on the Garmin site that the coverage was pretty spotty and guess I could have told you were I was (Mid-Lands of SC) From what I can see on the coverage the Upstate and Low Country have coverage but it seems to fall short around the Columbia area, hmmmph! Well it is ONLY the state capital, nothing too important . I really don't have a lot of options on alternative routes if something pops up until I'm almost to work and by that point I can pretty much see far enough down the highway to know if I should take an early exit.

Just seems kind of odd that I got the info one day and that night it was gone. Maybe they are preparing to expand into the Capital City area.

Once again thanks for the help!

In the case of traffic data, Garmin only processes what it receives. The data comes from local area FM radio stations that use a low power subchannel to carry the information. The information to the station is provided by another party (NavTeq or Clear Channel) so the station has no control over when it is updated.

I know the local station usually signs a contract to provide the information and receives payment for doing so, but the receipt of the information is strictly a machine to machine operation. The station probably doesn't know the content of the information.

My Garmin model doesn't have the traffic updates. However, I have read there are people who TURN IT OFF. Why? Because they can't stand the advertisements.

The free traffic - it isn't free, it is paid by advertisements. When your car is stopped - advertisements will come onto your screen and there is no way to make the advertisement go away.

Thus I have read that some people disable traffic in the settings.

Howard

How do you turn off the traffic?

I have had the occasional device not supported show up, but it seems to fix itself after rebooting.

Usually done in the setup area.

Wasn't blaming Garmin, making a statement that it seemed odd that the state capital didn't receive the coverage. As I stated I really don't care, probably wouldn't pay it much attention, more concerned with watching traffic out my windshield then on a GPSr. Sorry if it seemed I was attacking Garmin...

It's had limited value to me but did save me a loooong sit in traffic in L.A. one evening. I thanked my lucky stars that I had it that night.

For those that sometimes have trouble receiving the traffic signal, try re-locating the power cable (with built in receiver). It could be that where you have it is not a great spot for reception.

On another note, I've heard that the free traffic is every bit as good (or bad) as the paid-for traffic, so free is free. And limited in value is better than not having it in my book.

To clarify... you probably won't even see the option in setup unless your GTM is connected when you look.

First make sure the power cable is plugged in. Go to Tools>settings>Traffic and remove the check mark from the little square indicating your traffic subscription.

I have been pleased with the Traffic Data that I receive on my nuvi 3790LMT. In my area (Greater Washington DC), and even in my travels to Florida and California, it works well.

Just this morning, it showed a red area on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. The radio was announcing a tree trimming crew was doing rolling work on the Parkway causing a moving one-lane area. Sure enough at the exact point where the red line on my nuvi stopped I found the truck and crew doing it's job and the traffic resumed to normal speed after that spot.

Gary Hayman

I don't know if it makes any difference, but lately I have been pressing the traffic icon even when it is green, and then selecting "Show Traffic Map". I am speculating that it forces the unit to query the traffic data (if there is any), faster than it might do on its own. Even if it makes no difference, there's no down side.

I've been having more of the same, some days I have traffic, some days I don't. Sometimes it makes it all the way to work, sometimes it only makes it half way.

Guess it really doesn't make a difference I hardly ever look at the screen, just the occasional glance if I think about it to see if I'm getting the traffic. usually the only time I look at it is when turning the unit on or off. No biggie, didn't buy the unit for the traffic, just figured that was a plus.

I have a courier company in your same area and can tell you that INRIX is clearly better, just like OPIS is for gas prices. Garmins traffic is stuck in the last decade. If you have a smartphone just download INRIX and you will take back what you just said. Bing is now using INRIX for it's traffic as well as the new Fords.Bad traffic reporting is a killer in my business.

Btw, Garmin's routing engine is still the best.