cynic, We have factory installed built-in GPS in both of our cars. Both units allow the user to choose the type of route they desire. Ours allow for 'Maximize Freeway'; 'Minimize Freeway'; 'Direct Route'; or 'Easy Route'. The four different routes will all take you to the same place. Since you mention "exit", is it possible your friend had a route programed that did not maximize freeways? Mary, We love our GPS units & would never voluntarily purchase another vehicle without them. We've been using marine GPS since the government released it (2001, I think?) with WAAS. IMO, there's no better company than Garmin for GPS. We've got their marine flagship model on our boat & it's wonderful. It's got radar, GPS, weather imaging, 3-D, sonar, & ties into our auto-pilot & VHF radio. We still chart our course the old-fashioned way as a precaution but truthfully it's more just an exercise to keep our navagation skills sharp. The GPS pilots our boat much more accurately than we could ever accomplish with charts. Garmin, IMO, makes the best GPS navigational equipment available & they've been at it for a long time. Best Buy is having a sale on Garmin today. The sale was just for yesterday (Friday) & today (Saturday). /tricia

let me preface this by saying i am an expert in semi logistics, i route & ship more than $10 million worth of landscape plant materials ea yr, from south VA to the TX border, for the last 9 yrs. he CAN NOT use one that is a regular GPS, it MUST be only a model for semi trucks. he needs to check out the truck stops(or their websites), they sell the best ones and for the best prices. be prepared to spend lot more than any regular models, atleast $300-400. truck models have settings that come up w/ routes based on what roads, bridges and overpasses semi's can drive. using a car model GPS will soon get you a tix that will cost more than a weeks pay and add points to your license and make it difficult for the employer to get insurance coverage for you plus you will not be able to easily get jobs w/ points on your record. we do not hire drivers that have points on their record or have ever had any tix other than DOT trailer issues. i once had a lost driver get himself stuck on a steep declining residential road in Birmingham AL because he used a Garmin for cars. that tow cost $850, he was gone the next week. congrats to your son, i hope he really loves driving LOL! i used to have several drivers who had been w/ us for many many yrs but they all left over the last yr to drive for the same cross country hauler making $2000 a week and home on weekends too. there is $$ to make in that industry and it's only growing, gas prices will not affect it alot as people need their goods no matter what the cost. i would like to also suggest he get a very good bluetooth headset, not the cheapie kind everday people use, it needs to be one that wraps around the top of the head and has earphones w/ a boom speaker. my veteran drivers all have that one (all got at pilot truck stops i think) and it makes a tremendous difference in my ability to hear them w/ their windows open (they won't change that LOL) and in them being able to hear my loud mouth LOL. again congrats! if he's ever looking for something based in central fl or wants names of cross country hauling jobs send me an email! ~ liz

I use the One from Fitbit. I like it because it is less obtrusive. I do use a Polar heart rate monitor for my workouts like Spin class and weights. I seriously thought about the Surge, but I don't want to wear the watch all the time. As far as accuracy, they are all pretty good but none are perfect. They tend to pick up walking and jogging type of activities better. The wrist ones are a little better for weight training but overall. I do a lab with the students with different types of trackers. I compare the ones I've had for a few years for research purposes with a simple pedometer, but many of them have their own. One student has the Apple watch which also tracks steps. I've taken my One cross country--remember to remove it for airport security screening, but a few weeks back I finally lost it for good when we went to the theatre. Yes, I called twice and emailed but no luck. I've "lost" it several times but have always found it by calling the place or by trying to sync it with my phone. I contacted Fitbit and they gave me 25% off a new one. Often times they will replace it for free if it's within a short period. BTW, all the Fitbits are onsale about 25% off through Monday the 30th. Like new year's resolutions, most people stop wearing their tracker after about 3 months.

I have always worn a watch and feel naked without one. Years ago I bought a Garmin Forerunner to track my running but only wore it for running, and wore a “nice” watch the rest of the time. After replacing my Forerunner with a newer version that had more features, I stopped wearing my nice watch (unless I am dressing up) and wear my Garmin 100% of time - I use it for tracking all kinds of things, steps, runs, sleep. I can read text messages from my iphone and see when someone is calling me. I have no desire for an Apple watch but like that my Garmin syncs with my phone. But all that said, it does not sound like it is something that you would want to wear (it’s bulkier than a fitbit).