Is Waze suitable for Commercial Routes? FAQ - 2023

The Waze app is popular with drivers. In this review we will answer the questions: can Waze be used for driving commercial vehicles, are commercial routes shown on the map and what are the alternatives for truckers.

Is Waze suitable for Commercial Routes?

The quick answer is no. However, there are some nuances. Waze has many features that are useful for drivers of regular vehicles on a private basis.

What are the best Waze features?

1. Finding the best route to your destination

2. Improvements to maps are made by the community of Waze users

3. Reliable information, updates are available in real time.

At the same time, this app is not suitable for all users. If you are a trucking company, you know that commercial vehicles have many features which are not taken into account by mobile apps.

First of all, there are no commercial routes. Although drivers of commercial vehicles can benefit from some of the Waze features (traffic jams, accidents, standard routes), it is not a full-fledged use of a navigation app.

Can I modify Waze for Commercial Vehicles?

Unfortunately there are no such add-ons for Waze. Firstly, Waze does not take into account the vehicle's dimensions and other physical parameters.

A driver cannot set a route and drive only on it, while navigating a car, it suggests a detour route assuming there is a car driver.

Commercial Vehicles will drive strictly on their route, while Waze will constantly offer to reduce the distance and time by driving on the road not intended for Commercial Vehicles.

Alternative Apps for Commercial Routes

Sygic GPS Truck & Caravan

Sygic GPS Truck & Caravan is an app used by more than 3 million drivers worldwide. The list of countries where you can use a Sygic GPS Truck includes the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and other regions.

Main features:

• Detailed maps, updated automatically and regularly
• Support offline mode in the presence of a GPS signal
• Many features for truckers
• Take into account the physical parameters of the vehicle in calculating travel time
• A variety of Commercial Routes to choose
• Avoiding toll roads

Download: Android | iOS

ROADLORDS Truck GPS Navigation

Android app for navigating around Europe for trucks and vans. The driver can specify the type of vehicle, technical specifications, choose a specific route of several days length.

In addition to navigation, ROADLORDS Truck GPS

• displays events on the road in real time,
• prompts where to meet speed cameras,
• gives information about the nearest gas stations, hotels, campsites.

Other useful features of the app:

• Avoiding toll roads
• Search for parking lots and shows the number of free spaces
• Route forecasting with traffic jams

In the paid version of the app offline maps and search for objects on them are available. In the free version all functions are available online only.

Download: Android

OsmAnd Navigator (Android OS / iOS)

Free app for truck owners looking for a detailed offline road or commercial routes.

OsmAnd key features are as follows:

• There are offline maps of every country but you have to download it in advance.
• Three modes (for commercial vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians) with voice guidance.
• Quick search for locations via the built-in OsmAnd book of reference: gas stations, cafes, hotels and the supported input of GPS coordinates.
• Mapping a route for short distances, searching for objects and needed addresses on a map via the Internet.
• The software warns against pedestrian crossings, traffic jams, turns your attention to speed limits and it can also be used by the passengers of public transport.

You can download the OsmAnd navigation app from Google Play via the following link.

FAQs

Can I use Waze for trucking?

Yes. But we would not recommend doing it regularly and on a professional basis. The specialized GPS navigation apps mentioned above are suitable for this purpose. Waze has no settings for commercial vehicles, and no appropriate roads and routes.

What features can truckers use with Waze?

Traffic alerts, traffic jams, speed camera warnings, nearby gas stations and hotel information.