The WorldNav Portable GPS system based on Teletype’s navigation product line is new in the Canadian market, from Winsted Group Inc. This touch-screen GPS offers truck-routing navigation for professional truck drivers, plus bus drivers and RV’ers as well, for that matter. The product ensures that routes are suitable for truck travel, and the routing takes into account truck restrictions such as bridge heights and clearances, load limits, one-way road designations, left-hand and dangerous turn restrictions, and allowances. The restrictions are based on standard semi-trailer measurements – 13 ft 6 in. height, 80,000-lb weight, 48- and 53-ft’ length, plus 102- and 96-in. width. The product is available in two screen sizes, 3.5 and 7 in., the former priced at $399, the latter at $599.

The units come loaded with U.S. and Canadian maps on an SD card (Europe, Central and South America available), with what is claimed to be the industry’s most extensive point-of-interest database (12 million-plus) on board. You can program an unlimited number of waypoints, and truck-restriction routing ensures you travel on permitted roads only. The unit speaks to you, pronouncing specific street names and announcing exits. You can find businesses by phone number or address, and the display shows landforms (rivers, lakes, shorelines, and parks) graphically. The units are also MP3 and video players, with picture viewing capability as well.

The smaller of the two uses a rechargeable li-ion battery so it can be removed from the truck and used for pedestrian purposes. The larger unit needs constant 12-volt power but you can hook on-board cameras to it and use the display screen to show the view at the rear of your truck. You can also route sound through your stereo speakers.