There are special apps for truck navigation, which should be specifically adapted to the special features of the heavy vehicles. They help you avoid low bridges and to find routes on which the total weight of the truck is legal. At the same time, they are able to put together routes that require as few tolls as possible and help avoid traffic jams. At least in theory. In practice, professional drivers still have to cut back too often, for example not all truck navigation apps have the feature of displaying low clearance heights. We have therefore compiled a selection of helpful applications for you here.
Most truckers trust this truck navigation app: Sygic
Among the truck navigation apps, Sygic Truck Navigation is the most helpful. You can choose from three different truck profiles and receive detailed information on the best routes. What speed limits are there, how smoothly is traffic running and how high are fuel prices at the moment? Where can I stop and take a break? The maps can also be used offline. Thanks to the user-defined route guidance, you can easily reach your destination with your heavy goods vehicle.
PTV Navigator has proven itself
PTV Navigator has been specially designed for trucks and entire vehicle fleets. It not only reliably displays the fastest route the vehicle can take, but also provides you with the latest traffic information when you’re on the road. The truck navigation app helps truckers find the next truck stop and can also be used offline thanks to downloadable maps. It is easy to use and the app runs on a variety of devices.
CoPilot Truck is a good passenger
Truck navigation is also excellent with this app. It calculates advantageous routes bypassing sections on which you cannot drive with your truck. At the same time, it takes into account how long you will be on the road and at what intervals you will have to take a break. CoPilot Truck will then inform you of the appropriate options. With up-to-date traffic information, you are also always kept posted on where traffic jams could occur, allowing you to plan alternative routes at an early stage.
Impargo offers a free solution
Truck navigation is a complicated matter, and the apps mentioned so far always involve costs for the freight forwarder – costs that most of them accept because they quickly pay for themselves. The truck navigation apps from Impargo, on the other hand, are free of charge – all you have to do is register in order to use the applications.
The coverage is satisfactory: routes are calculated that are suitable for your truck. Special tolls are also taken into account, as are tunnels and bridges that are unsuitable for your vehicle. The apps also include a cost calculator for each trip. They are self-explanatory, so that no training as such is necessary.
Bans for Trucks shows where you are not allowed to drive
If you have a navigation device that is not explicitly approved for trucks, you can use the Bans for Trucks app to determine which sections of the route you are not allowed to drive. The application includes fixed bans in more than 40 countries, lists seasonal and time-based bans, provides an overview of bans by weight, and allows you to filter the settings that are important to you. You can thus find your way even without dedicated truck navigation apps, simply by using Google Maps, for example.
Find a safe place to pull up with Truck Parking Europe
Once the truck navigation has selected a suitable route for you, you must take a break at the prescribed times. However, the parking and rest areas where this is possible are often quite full. And they’re not always safe. With the Truck Parking Europe app, you can have the rest areas on the relevant sections of the route displayed to you in good time. It even allows you to book a parking space. The ratings of other drivers will help you with your selection.
Summary: Truck navigation must take certain things into account
There are a number of truck navigation apps that display the routes from A to B, but sometimes they do not take into account that not every truck is allowed to drive there. That’s not the case with the apps we’ve featured here. They will get you to your destination efficiently. It is up to you to decide which app is right for you. It is often a question of taste, because the design of an app must also feel right for you and be practicable in sometimes stressful everyday life in order to avoid unexpected delays.