Garmin Trip Planner: Mediocre Planner, but Good Trip Organizer

 

I have been learning the various features of my new 2555LMT and I first thought Trip Planner was of little use, when you could load multiple Via Points, using Where To.

However, I have now figured out, that as a Planner, it is mediocre at best, and it’s limitations are essentially the same as those in Base Camp Trip Planner. It could use features that are found in Streets and Trips, such as the ability to put in Rest Stops after a predetermined time period. (eg Stop for 15 minutes every 2 hours)

It also needs the ability to set a default Daily Start and End Times for a trip, to do a better job of calculating where you will be by the end of each day during a long trip.

However, I have been playing with it and found, that as a Trip Organizer, it is far superior to adding multiple waypoints into a trip, by using “Where To”.

First, it shows each waypoint of the trip, in a very easy list, that also shows the estimated duration for each leg of the trip. If you goof and put a waypoint in the wrong position, in relation to your trip, you can simply touch the three horizontal bars and press “Edit Destinations” and drag the waypoint to another position, or to delete one or more waypoints completely. You cannot do that, using “Where To”.

If you are midway through your trip and simply want to skip a waypoint, then use “Edit Destination” and delete the particular stop(s).

It also has a neat feature, called “Optimize Order”. If you put a waypoint in the wrong spot, you might not even realize it, but if you press “Optimize Order”, it will automatically reposition the stops, to get the best route. In some cases that may not give you what you want, but on a long trip, I’m sure it will be a big help, to ensure that you don’t end up with the GPS trying to route you back to a previous location that was already passed.

You can add “Arrival Time” and “Duration” to each waypoint. I don’t feel that “Arrival Time” is a big benefit, but “Duration” can be used to compensate for the lack of the ability to automatically add a rest stop after a predetermined time. If you want, add one or more Rest Areas from Rest Areas Combined, etc. and put a duration of 15 minutes. Since the location of those POIs, is usually at the beginning of the Ramp, you shouldn’t have any problems, if you choose to skip a particular Rest Area. As long as you passed close to the ramp point, it should consider that you were actually there.

If you stay is longer or shorter, than the 15 minutes, it will use the actual duration, to keep a reasonably accurate prediction of your final destination.

Don’t choose an intermediate waypoint, such as a restaurant or a hotel, that’s off your route, if there’s a chance that you might choose to skip it. Otherwise, the GPS will recalculate forever, to try to get you back there. Instead, pick a point on the highway, before the off ramp for that restaurant and the GPS will consider that you have completed that leg. You can alway use "Where To" to get you to the Restaurant or Hotel, once you get off the ramp.

Good Luck.

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DriveSmart 65, NUVI2555LMT, (NUVI350 is Now Retired)

Good Explnation

Nice job GPSGeek!

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romanviking

You're Welcome romanviking

Just shows what haapens when a totally anal gpsgeek gets a new toy.

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DriveSmart 65, NUVI2555LMT, (NUVI350 is Now Retired)

By mistake

I do like trip planner but by mistake I put the directional flag on the wrong side of the street. I use flags to make the route go the way I want to go. I don't like to go on freeways that have too much traffic.
I put the flag on the wrong side of the street and it wanted to take me back and it was a trip we didn't know the way very well yet. I panicked and had my husband turn wrong.... (enough said about that).

After I found the way back, and while we were on a long stretch of road I look at what I should have done. I should have pressed the top right hand corner, brought up the trip directions and gone to the next leg and pressed go. I don't think fast and just did this correctly as I was about to tell my husband again to turn wrong on the way home. (didn't want to go through that again). It worked and took me the correct way.

Just wished the trip planner would show the entire trip while traveling. I know I can look at the map and see the route but this takes me out of live mode and several clicks of the buttons.

Live and learn smile

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Mary, Nuvi 2450, Garmin Viago, Honda Navigation, Nuvi 750 (gave to son)

Use Easy POI Editor to Fine Tune

mgarledge wrote:

I do like trip planner but by mistake I put the directional flag on the wrong side of the street. I use flags to make the route go the way I want to go. I don't like to go on freeways that have too much traffic.
I put the flag on the wrong side of the street and it wanted to take me back and it was a trip we didn't know the way very well yet. I panicked and had my husband turn wrong.... (enough said about that).

smile

I go one step (well maybe two steps) further. I use Basecamp to determine my routing. I export that as a GPX and then use Easy POI Editor to make sure all the locations are in the best place on the road.

I shift to Satellite view and zoom in as much as possible and drag the marker to the best spot. I make sure that I am far enough away from ramps etc. to ensure there's not confusion.

I also name the points with the name of the city and state and I include a number in front that is in order of the way I want to use the waypoints.

I then load these to my SD card and use those points.

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DriveSmart 65, NUVI2555LMT, (NUVI350 is Now Retired)

Good idea

GPSgeek wrote:
mgarledge wrote:

I do like trip planner but by mistake I put the directional flag on the wrong side of the street. I use flags to make the route go the way I want to go. I don't like to go on freeways that have too much traffic.
I put the flag on the wrong side of the street and it wanted to take me back and it was a trip we didn't know the way very well yet. I panicked and had my husband turn wrong.... (enough said about that).

smile

I go one step (well maybe two steps) further. I use Basecamp to determine my routing. I export that as a GPX and then use Easy POI Editor to make sure all the locations are in the best place on the road.

I shift to Satellite view and zoom in as much as possible and drag the marker to the best spot. I make sure that I am far enough away from ramps etc. to ensure there's not confusion.

I also name the points with the name of the city and state and I include a number in front that is in order of the way I want to use the waypoints.

I then load these to my SD card and use those points.

I just got through naming them with the next turn. I Don,t know what order they are so numbering them is a great idea.Looking at them is also a good idea. Thanks

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Mary, Nuvi 2450, Garmin Viago, Honda Navigation, Nuvi 750 (gave to son)

Leaving & Returning Files

One last little point. I do one file for North and another for South or East/West etc to avoid any other confusion on waypoints.

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DriveSmart 65, NUVI2555LMT, (NUVI350 is Now Retired)

Another great idea

GPSgeek wrote:

One last little point. I do one file for North and another for South or East/West etc to avoid any other confusion on waypoints.

Thanks I can see how that would help.

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Mary, Nuvi 2450, Garmin Viago, Honda Navigation, Nuvi 750 (gave to son)