Rand McNally unveils its next-gen Wi-Fi-enabled 5” truck GPS device

March 22, 2013
Also announces retail availability of its TND 760 EOBR/fleet-management solution

LOUISVILLE, KY. Here at the Mid-America Trucking Show, Rand McNally introduced the newest version of its new IntelliRoute TND 520 Wi-Fi-enabled 5-in. truck GPS device.  The TND 520, which includes a new ruggedized case and Lifetime Maps, will be available for sale starting in May.

The company said the device’s Wi-Fi connectivity enables a number of new real-time data services, most of which will be standard on the device without any subscription fee.

According to Rand McNally, premium and standard connected services enabled for the TND 520 include:

  • Traffic Everywhere.  “Traffic Everywhere helps professional drivers avoid costly delays with real-time and predictive analytics for the road ahead and will show what to expect before key junctions. Powered by INRIX, Traffic Everywhere offers complete coverage beyond major metro areas across highways, Interstates and local roads as well as major truck routes in rural areas. Traffic Everywhere is a premium service that will be available for purchase from the Rand McNally Dock.”
  • Weather updates. “Current and forecasted weather information, including storms and wind speeds, are displayed along the route. This service is on device, no subscription cost.”
  • Fuel prices. “Powered by the market leader in fuel pricing, gasbuddy.com, this feature provides up-to-date fuel prices in real-time along a route and nearby. Includes diesel and gas. In addition, fuel prices and fuel stop icons can be shown on a map and in list format, viewable by brand, price, or distance to location. This service is on device, no subscription cost.”
  • Local search. “This feature expands the ability to find points of interest on the device, using a free-form keyword search, such as “burgers” to find locations. The user also may search by a category or a business name, and the TND 520 will display a description, address, and phone number for locations. This service is on device, no subscription cost.”

“Our direction has always been to provide additional services and benefits to drivers who use our products,” said Dave Muscatel, CEO of Rand McNally. “Our first TND device wasn’t just a GPS built for trucks– it also contained tools and applications to help drivers manage their businesses. These latest connected services are an extension of that direction.”


Rand McNally said the TND 520 is built with software featuring:

·        Updated maps and routing. Includes an updated road network with truck navigation incorporating legal and physical restrictions including axle-count support, plus page-and-grid references to Rand McNally’s 2014 Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas.

·        Compare Routes. Provides a primary route and a reasonable alternate, allowing the driver to choose. Both routes are presented on a map for a quick review.

·        Team Driver Timers. Allows for a second set of driver timers to be maintained on the device.

·        Address Book transfer. Enables the download of an address book from another device or PC; the user may select to “merge” or “overwrite” existing addresses on the device.

·        Fuel economy tracking. Enhanced fuel logs provide current and average miles per gallon calculation for a route, and can be viewed by month and by quarter.

The company said that the suggested retail price of the TND 520 is $299.99. The device will be available at trucking travel centers and via online retailers.

Rand McNally noted that the updated software available on the TND 520 will be available to current owners of the TND 720 devices via the Rand McNally Dock as early as May.

Rand McNally also announced it has begun selling its TND 760 EOBR/fleet management solution at retail locations. Travel Centers of America (TA)/Petro will be the first retailer to carry the devices. Additionally, TA will offer professional installation services for the devices at select locations.

Launched one year ago, the TND760 is described by Rand McNally as a “compliant EOBR and mobile fleet-management device that seamlessly integrates with a truck’s on-board computer. The device is full-featured yet cost-effective and includes the same award-winning Rand McNally navigation found on the company’s IntelliRoute TND truck GPS devices.”

Those who purchase the TND 760 at TA can then sign up for a service plan, which start at less than $20/month, at randmcnally.com/activation. Installation of the device can be done in less than 30 minutes by plugging it in with a single cable and using the suction mount included in the package. Or those who prefer to, may opt to have their device installed at 20 select TA locations beginning April 1st. Installation services will be available at most TA locations in the near future.

Later in the year, TA also will sell Rand McNally’s recently announced HD 100 device, which turns the company’s Wi-Fi enabled IntelliRoute TND truck GPS devices into compliant EOBR systems. The HD 100 provides electronic Hours of Service (HOS) recording, text- and dispatch-integrated messaging plus driver performance monitoring capabilities.

Rand McNally noted it will also be rolling out the TND 760 to select online retailers.

The company also announced that it has entered into a partnership with Getloaded, a web-based freight matching service, to provide an exclusive load board for owners of Rand McNally’s IntelliRoute TND truck GPS devices. The new service, available at a discount for TND users, will enable users to view freight available in their area for pickup, and post their truck availability.

In May, the new customized load board for Rand McNally will allow the more than 100,000 Rand McNally registered users to access the service via a link on the Rand McNally Dock,which is the software used by TND owners to update their devices and secure additional services.

All current and new TND owners will be able to take advantage of a 10-day free trial, and thereafter subscribe to unlimited service on getloaded.com for a discounted monthly fee. Once a user activates the account, the service will enable searching for freight available in a particular area,or at a particular destination. Searches are returned with information such as “full load” (Full) or “less than truckload” (LTL) mileages, type of trailer required, and pay scale. Users will be able to post their availability for a load by trailer type, or by origin/destination.

Later this year, the custom site will be enabled directly from Rand McNally’s Wi-Fi-connected TND devices* via the Truck Tools menu. Rand McNally said that means users will be able to quickly view loads in their area. When connected to the internet, users will be able to set up a profile from within their device, and loads will be displayed for that profile on the device.

As a result, the company pointed out, users will be able to view loads available within a selected radius around a vehicle, or at the destination, choose a load, and then allow the device to route to the pickup and drop-off location. In addition, users can post their vehicle as available.

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