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The TomTom Trucker 500 was provided to me free of charge for the duration of this test. The following article reflects exclusively my personal opinion.
NoteHistorical Post
This review was originally published in July 2016 and has been technically and linguistically revised for ChristiansBlog. All statements refer to the state of technology at that time.
TomTom Again Under Test
After I had the opportunity to test the TomTom Trucker 6000 last year, TomTom provided me with the new Trucker 500 this time around.
At first glance, the two devices differ mainly in their display size. However, further differences become apparent in everyday use – particularly regarding the connection to live services.
While the Trucker 6000 relied entirely on an integrated SIM card, the Trucker 500 takes a different approach. For current traffic information, a Bluetooth connection to a smartphone is required. Additionally, the device accesses the smartphone’s internet connection via this link. For classic traffic messages, TMC remains available via the charging cable.
In the following practical test, I describe my personal impressions from professional daily life. As always: praise and criticism are based exclusively on my own experiences during the test period.
Differences from the Trucker 6000
The biggest difference between the two devices lies in how traffic information is received.
The Trucker 500 does not have an integrated SIM card. Instead, the connection to the internet is established via a paired smartphone. According to TomTom, the monthly data consumption is a maximum of seven megabytes.
Software and map updates are still installed via MyDrive Connect on your home computer.
In everyday use, the Bluetooth connection worked reliably. However, I would have additionally liked a WLAN function. This way, for example, the company mobile phone could be used as a hotspot without relying permanently on Bluetooth.
On the positive side, TomTom has returned to TMC with the Trucker 500. The TMC module is located directly in the charging cable and delivers classic traffic messages even without an internet connection.
Features
The features include, among others:
- Lifetime truck maps
- Navigation specifically for trucks
- Special destinations from the community
- Click-&-Go magnetic mount
- TomTom Traffic (3 months free)
- Radar camera service (3 months free)
After the expiration of the free trial period, the live services could be extended for a fee.
Price
At the time of my test, the recommended retail price was around 299 euros.
Depending on the retailer, the sales price ranged between approximately 290 and 317 euros.
Thus, the Trucker 500 positioned itself below the larger Trucker 6000 and appealed primarily to drivers who could do without some comfort functions.
Practical Test
I tested the TomTom Trucker 500 exclusively in distribution traffic.
Therefore, I cannot assess how the device performs on longer long-haul tours.
As with previous tests, I initially installed the POI data of our fuel card provider. This worked without any problems.
With its 5-inch display, the device is noticeably more compact than the Trucker 6000. For use in a passenger car, this size is certainly sufficient. However, in the large cab of a Mercedes Actros, the display seemed somewhat small to me.
Before every navigation session, the device asks for important vehicle data such as height, width, length, permissible speed, and if applicable, hazardous materials.
Those who travel daily with the same vehicle will probably consider this query superfluous. In distribution traffic or when frequently changing vehicles, it is quite sensible.
Map Material
Already during my first test with the TomTom Trucker 6000, I had criticized the map material. Unfortunately, I found that very little had changed with the Trucker 500 either.
On the first day of testing, I stood in front of a bridge twice under which I could not drive through with the truck.
The reason was quickly found: The relevant railway bridge was not included in the TomTom map material. Fortunately, I still had my Becker navigation device in the vehicle, although I originally intended to conduct the test without a reference device. This allowed me to re-plan the route at short notice and reach my destination anyway.
Another small but noticeable error concerned place names. The navigation device simply changed Fröndenberg to “Frödenberg” – not only on the display, but even in the voice output.
Such errors can of course occur. However, with a navigation device in this price class, I would have expected more up-to-date and carefully maintained map material.
Voice Output
Compared to the Trucker 6000, TomTom has significantly improved the voice output.
Street names are now announced, and the information about which side the destination is on is no longer missing.
However, there are also points of criticism here.
Even at maximum volume, the voice was often too quiet in the driver’s cab. With the window open, the radio on, or a radio device running, the announcements quickly got lost.
In addition, TomTom sometimes reads out significantly more information than necessary. Especially when changing highways, not only the actual direction of travel is announced, but also all highway and European route numbers.
For me, less would have been more here. In professional daily life, the direction is primarily of interest, not every single European route number.
In contrast, the announcements sounded noticeably smoother than with the Trucker 6000, although they still occasionally left a slightly computerized impression in certain places.
Route Planning
For trip planning, the TomTom Trucker 500 offers several options.
A route can be created directly on the device, planned via the smartphone app, or prepared on your home computer using a web browser.
Especially convenient is the synchronization. As soon as the navigation device is connected to the smartphone again, planned destinations are automatically transferred.
However, there is a limitation:
Multiple intermediate stops can only be comfortably planned via the web browser. Neither the device itself nor the smartphone app offered the possibility of creating complete multi-stop tours at that time.
This function would have been extremely helpful, especially in distribution traffic.
TomTom Traffic
I also thoroughly tested the traffic service TomTom Traffic in everyday use.
On motorways, the service worked reliably. Construction sites and traffic jams were detected early and taken into account during route planning.
However, the situation was different on federal and state roads.
Information about long-term construction sites or complete road closures was frequently missing. During my test, for example, the B7 between Meschede and Brilon as well as the L686 were closed due to construction work. Both closures were unknown to the navigation device. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Especially in freight transport, where diversions on country roads are often poorly signed, I consider up-to-date traffic information to be particularly important.
My Conclusion
Compared to the Trucker 6000, I liked the TomTom Trucker 500 overall better.
Many criticism points of the predecessor had already been improved. The operation feels more mature, the voice output is clearer, and the ability to synchronize trips between smartphone, browser, and navigation device is quite practical in everyday life.
Nevertheless, this device was not free from weaknesses either.
The map material could have been more up-to-date in some places. The missing height restrictions led to unnecessary detours multiple times during my test.
Also, the volume of the voice announcements should probably be a bit higher, especially in trucks.
I also see room for improvement in route planning for distribution traffic. Multi-leg routes should be creatable directly on the device or at least via the smartphone app.
In contrast, I would like to highlight the overall smooth operation as well as the well-thought-out interaction between smartphone, web browser, and navigation device.
Those who travel mainly in long-haul transport will probably get along well with the TomTom Trucker 500 overall.
Since I tested the device exclusively in distribution traffic, my criticism points mainly refer to this area of use.
Final Word
Overall, the TomTom Trucker 500 left a positive overall impression on me.
Not every detail could convince, but many of the points criticized in the predecessor model had already been improved.
I hope that this experience report provides helpful orientation for other professional drivers when making their purchase decision.
Note on Republishing
This article originally appeared in July 2016 on ChristiansBlog and has been technically and linguistically revised for today’s Hugo version. For this reason, some images are also unfortunately missing and cannot be restored.
The described functions, prices, and services correspond to the state of technology at that time and serve as a historical experience report from professional daily life.
