Waze Experience on a long trip

I run Android Auto and Google Maps, and Waze in the past. We recently took a trip with many segments on toll roads. I don't know about Apple Carplay, but you could have both Waze and Google Maps on the iphone. Android Auto works with Google Maps. You could be running Apple Carplay with Google Maps. Specific settings have to be made to run Waze on Carplay:

https://9to5mac.com/2018/09/24/how-to-use-waze-on-carplay/

The Avoid Tolls setting may have to be done on both Google Maps and Waze, in Settings / Navigation / Route Options, uncheck Avoid Tolls. This is the default.

dobs108

Generally speaking I've been misled in routing by both Waze and Garmin GPS. Not often, but enough to cause problems. Traffic detours are a throw of the dice, sometimes dead accurate, sometimes a serious waste of time. I'm not sure I could make a call on which was more reliable between the two.

Whether to have toll avoidance on or off can be a tough call on a long trip in unfamiliar territory. In our parts GPS will merrily lead you down a road that has at peak times an $8 toll for cars and saves you, no exaggeration, only three or four minutes. The toll booth is there to soak the unwary. Locals know to avoid it and do so in droves, but tourists relying on "the fastest route" get hit.

On the other hand, particularly where toll bridges or tunnels have no good alternative, having toll avoidance set can really lead you astray with say a 12-hour detour!! For example if you're coming up I-95 in New Jersey and need to get to Long Island... whew boy it's best to pay up and get on with it.

are usually fine in the areas you're familiar with. When you start road trips and are driving in areas you don't know as well you're almost always gonna have problems if you're used to avoiding toll roads and the like. In the areas you know you usually have all or at least more of the information to make a decision. When traveling you likely don't. Short of investigating the entire route and there's still things you probably won't know (like traffic) I would turn off the toll roads and most avoidences on long trips and go for the fastest route. If it cost be fees on a few roads so be it. On a road trip I would use my Garmin Dezl or 2558LMT rather than Waze or Google Drive.

You should check what route was traced by device before you will drive it. Trying to argue with device when you are in unfamiliar area is risky. GPS maps and routing algorithms have some quirks you have to known before you start using them in unfamiliar areas.

One of our access roads up the mountain is closed for 2 weeks. Been closed for a week now. Google maps shows the access closed. Today Waze tries to tell me to take the access. I was surprised that it did not know it was closed. Google does. I'm finding Google more reliable.

I use two navigators on long trips: Garmin on my iPhone or a Garmin GPSMAP 64s, and Waze. I use the Garmin with a detailed route and then Waze with just the destination. This way, Waze is always recalculating its route to stay in sync with the Garmin, and I then get the benefit of the Waze realtime alerts.

Lately I've had what seems to be more issues with my Garmin than usual in regards to it sending me on a roundabout route rather than a more direct route. I'm tempted to give Waze a try to see if it does any better.

Roundabout routes are usually a result of Avoidances. Take a look at those in settings. Also, if you have MYTRENDS turned on, that can create some problems, sometimes. Try turning that off and Clear your Travel history.

Last, but not least, hold the Power Button until the Power Off prompt comes up. Choose yes, then restart. You won't lose any data doing this.

Thank you for the helpful tips phranc, I appreciate it!

Thanks for the tips, Phranc. I just learned something.

- Tom -

The highway you told it's 25.
Google has most update for POI and traffic
Waze has less capacity of maps but traffic is OK
Both of Google and Waze have difficulties for long trip if you
go some area nearby mountains, there's no data at all
Garmin gives weird route, but it can take you where there's no
signal of data, except the traffic is non consistent. But if you
select option Fastest in Garmin, it always gives you the detour
very far away instead of turning left or right.
Avoid Toll is good sometime, but if it takes you another several
hours, it's not worth it. For example in New York, cross the island or not, you need to pay. Sometime for long trip, Toll can cost you more than 70 USD. Is it expensive or not, it's up to each person. Good trip and have fun