Rand McNally Introduces its Next Generation 5" Truck GPS Device

LOUISVILLE, Ky., March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at the 2013 Mid-America Trucking Show, Rand McNally unveiled its new IntelliRoute® TND™ 520 connected GPS device for professional drivers. The TND™ 520, which includes a new ruggedized case, Lifetime Maps, and a host of new features, will be available for sale starting in May.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130321/CG78138)

The new 5-inch device includes Wi-Fi® connectivity* that enables a number of new real-time data services, most of which will be standard on the device without any subscription fee.

The ability to connect to the internet via Wi-Fi leverages Rand McNally's truck GPS platform to provide information and services important to professional drivers.

Premium and standard connected services enabled for the TND™ 520 include:

• Traffic Everywhere:  With drivers wasting 38 hours annually in traffic, gridlock on the nation's roads costs professional drivers $27 billion in wasted time and diesel fuel each year.¹  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 professional drivers 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."

In addition to connected capabilities, 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 transfers – 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 suggested retail price of the TND™ 520 is $299.99. The device will be available at trucking travel centers and online retail locations. 

Rand McNally also announced 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.

*User is responsible for any third party Wi-Fi charges.

 ¹Source:  Texas Transportation Institute 2012 Urban Mobility Report, http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/report/

About Rand McNally – Rand McNally is the most trusted source for maps, directions, and travel content. Products and services include: Road travel review site  bestoftheroad.com; Interactive travel referral service, tripology.com; America's #1 Road Atlas;  RVND™ GPS for RVers; IntelliRoute® truck routing software and navigation devices; TPC 7600 and TND™ 760 mobile fleet management solutions for the transportation industry; and leading geography-based educational resources for the classroom. randmcnally.com

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SOURCE Rand McNally