Garmin POI for Schools

Yes it would, but there is something you can do from The Factory--and it'll be a new training experience for you.

First, there's the somewhat odd US Schools POI file:

http://www.poi-factory.com/poifiles/us/schools

I call it "odd" in that it's a zip file, it's from an outside source and not correctable here at The Factory, and as much as it's stated that it's updated 1-2 times a year, I think the updates may be much less often (since the unzipped file size hasn't changed since I've been watching it--and the page lists no "last updated" date.) It also won't appear on list when you click "My Favorite Files" here.

But once unzipped, it's a normal POI file with a stated 170,258 locations!

Here's where your new training experience begins: The locations are the actual building locations and they're often set back far enough from the roadway that even with an alert set, it will not alert as you drive by. What you do to remedy this is rename the csv file to something with TourGuide in it; i.e., Schools_TourGuide.csv. Then identically name an icon and audio alert
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/13136
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/4462
(correcting to wav for non mp3 GPS units)
and manually load it with an alert distance.

What the word TourGuide does is change the alert from an on-the-route alert to a radius alert. You will need to set the alert distance large enough to give adequate warning (and any warning at all!) yet not so large that schools on adjacent parallel streets give false positive alerts. As much as I'd like a larger value, I find that 550 feet works best for me.

A search in the faqs for Garmin TourGuides will offer more help and explanation.

But it works for me. Using this schools csv file as a TourGuide with a 550' alert distance, it serves fairly well as a School Zone Ahead POI with audible and visual alerts.

Good luck.

I wonder if there is another way...

I really don't want every school zone in the US.

And, my current custom POI's do not create a on-the-route alert, just a radius alert. When I use the keyword TourGuide in the file name, it seems to make no difference.

There are some smaller school POI files available here at The Factory that may work for you if you find one that offers the areas of interest to you. Or you can go to the effort of using the whole US school file, then delete the areas of no interest to you (this sounds like a lot of work). On the other hand, when compared to Interstate Hwy Rest Areas, you'll find folks here always recommend the entire USA Rest Areas Combined rather than specific states' or regions' Rest Area files, even for folks who don't stray far from home.

Unless your series of nuvi works differently that the ones I'm familiar with, I believe you're mistaken in your on-the-route vs. radius alerts statement.

[Update] Silly me, your other option for school zones is to make your own--as you've done. Well done:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/36355

Does your TN file put your POI locations where the school building is--or have you located the zones to be on the street outside the school where the POI alert is desired? If along the street in your custom-made POI file, then TourGuides are not needed. TourGuides for Schools are needed to get alerts when the school location and file location lat/long is set back from the street while you want an alert to occur on the street as you pass by.

Assuming that you are a new nuvi owner, our first suggestions are that you do several exercises so that we here will know that certain things on your PC are correct.

To make it easy, when you click on the first link below, hold down the "Cntl" key as you left-click. That will open a new "Tab" in your browser in the "Tab" bar. Click on that 'Tab" to do the first exercise - leaving the "Tab" you are now reading open and available to click on and return here.

The first link makes sure settings on your computer are such that you can do more advanced POI loading.
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30393

This next link helps you get a backup by attaching your GPS to your computer. (NEVER do anything to your GPS until you have a backup)
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30394

I see that you have uploaded a school file for your hometown that contains 4 points - two that point to the building and 3 that purport to be school zones. I used EPE to look at the points and only the School Speed Zone AJ made sense to me (but realize that I am only looking at satelite pictures). That school zone seemed to be on Hwy 11W next to the school.

Now that I know what you are looking at, tell me how you loaded this file to your 40. I assume that you used POI Loader and pointed ot to a folder that contained Kingsport Schools Safety.csv. I also assume that you changed the name of the file to include the character string "TourGuide" (with a capital "T" and a capital "G"). You then ran POI Loader in "Manual" mode and set either a proximity distance or a speed (because you can only do one). You then went to Settings > Proximity Points > Alerts and turned alerts on.

Let us know what you did and what is happening when you say "my current custom POI's do not create a on-the-route alert, just a radius alert."

The GW zone is an actual school crossing on a well-used road.

I already have the folders configured the way you suggested and have a backup. My software version says 2.40. The GPS version is 3.00.

I did everything you suggested above.

I also have the factory Rest Stops loaded without the TourGuide keyword, and it alerts no matter which way I am driving.

Just to be clear, did you put a proximity alert on the rest areas in manual POI Loader mode? MrKenFL has built this file so that it will produce an "along the road" alert (that is: if you have proximity distances set) as you approach them.

What I have done, purely to reduce the number of files I load in manual mode, is to convert his csv file to a gpx file using EPE (Extra POI Editor - which I highly recommend) in which gpx file there is a proximity distance.

Yes, I used Manual Mode and put in a proximity alert.

Then, I think it is working as it should.

You might try some simulations where you start on a road close to, but perpendicular to, the road on which the rest area is located. You should not get an alert until you turn onto the highway.

Some of the rest areas will alert in either direction if the one on the other side of the highway is with the alert area. I believe its about 90 feet. Someone will correct me if I am wrong.

I did some extensive testing and found that the distance is 30 meters from the center of the road on which one is traveling (this is 98.4 feet). Took me the better part of a day just changing decimal places on the coordinates and doing another simulation run.

If I am not mistaken, the software works in meters (even though we in the USA think it should be feet), so 30 meters makes sense as a nice round number.

It would be interesting if members would take note of the rest areas that alert which turn out to be in the other direction on the interstates. Then, we could see if a slight movement of the coordinates by MrKenFL would make that problem go away.

I am not overly concerned about being alerted from the other direction. MRKenFL has it noted as NB, SB, EB, WB. which should give everyone a clue as to what side of the road they are on.