Garmin Dezl 710 is misleading and unsafe for real truck driver
I’m a Class A CDL driver with over 20 years of OTR experience. I haul a 48ft Conestoga trailer at 13’6” height and up to 78,000 lbs. I’ve been using the Garmin Dezl 710 for 2 years, and after the recent routing database updates — this GPS has become dangerously unreliable. ⸻ 🚫 Fake restrictions, real consequences The most alarming example is U.S. 95 between Marsing, ID and Jordan Valley, OR. This is a legal, state-approved truck route, used by 80,000 lb rigs every day. Yet Garmin falsely labels this segment with a 23-ton (≈46,000 lbs) weight restriction — even though: • There are no posted restrictions • There are no DOT or FMCSA notices • Trucks run it daily without issue Garmin completely blocks routing through it with a standard profile. Unless I lie about my weight, height, or length (e.g. reduce to 13’4”, 76,000 lbs), it forces me into pointless detours 100+ miles long. ⸻ 🧨 Routing logic is broken And this issue goes beyond US-95. • If I stop at a Walmart or truck stop without setting a via point, 9 out of 10 times it recalculates a completely new route, often with insane detours. • Near Baltimore on I-95, Garmin misreads the post-tunnel signage, assumes an overheight issue (which doesn’t apply), and tries to route trucks into downtown Baltimore, which has strict truck restrictions. • On highways like I-70, I-80, and I-10, it routinely exits you off the interstate for no reason, then loops you back onto the same highway a few miles later — wasting time, fuel, and focus. ⸻ ⚠️ It’s not a GPS anymore — it’s a liability This device: • Ignores legal roads • Invents restrictions • Breaks your route if you stop for fuel • Fails to offer safe, legal options unless you manipulate it • Makes assumptions that can lead a less experienced driver into fines, stuck routes, or restricted zones ⸻ 🔧 I’ve done everything: • Used precise vehicle profiles (height, weight, length) • Disabled avoidances (no ferries, steep grades, tolls, etc.) • Forced via points, changed profiles, restarted trip planner Still — it behaves irrationally, unless I “trick” it with lighter dimensions. This is NOT what a professional truck GPS is supposed to do. ⸻ 🧠 Final thoughts: If you’re a new driver — this GPS could get you in trouble. If you’re experienced, like me, you’ll be wasting time fighting Garmin’s logic instead of focusing on the road. ⸻ 📢 To Garmin: Fix your Truck Routing Database. Remove fake restrictions. Let the GPS route based on real regulations, not flawed assumptions. You’ve taken a trusted professional tool and turned it into a gamble. ⸻ ★☆☆☆☆ – Until you fix this, I will not recommend this GPS to anyone in trucking.