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Modern cities are constantly changing: new residential areas are built, old buildings are demolished, and streets are renamed. Navigating one's home city with ease is a challenging task, yet it is essential for a taxi driver to perform their job effectively. A GPS navigator can significantly simplify a taxi driver's life.
An ordinary motorist does not need to know the intricate network of every street and alley. To choose a suitable route through the city, a simple GPS device with reasonably up-to-date maps suffices. However, a taxi driver requires a more advanced navigator with highly detailed city maps to do their job properly.
Based on this criterion, Garmin products can be excluded from the list of the best gadgets for taxi drivers. These devices run on the Linux operating system, which is compatible only with NAVLUX or AEROSCAN maps. While these maps are updated a few times a year, the house numbering data is often flawed, making it difficult for a taxi driver to plan the optimal route.
Fortunately, there are more convenient alternatives, such as GPS navigators from brands like Pioneer, Prestigio, GoClever, or MediaTek. Devices from the latter manufacturer are becoming increasingly popular, as they allow for the use of various routing applications to find the best path.
Among the models that have already established a reputation as top-tier GPS navigators, the P-568 and P-7029—featuring 5-inch and 7-inch screens, respectively—are particularly noteworthy. Equipped with a dual-core processor (clocked at 800 MHz) and 128 MB of RAM, they ensure rapid updates on turn distances and traffic conditions. This represents a significant advantage over previous generations of devices, which suffered from sluggish processing and slow GPS module response times.
The high-performance display, boasting an 800x480 resolution, delivers a vivid image and supports HD video playback—perfect for passing the time while waiting for a fare by watching movies, viewing photos, or reading books.
Running on the WinCE Net 6.0 operating system, these units are compatible with the latest maps from services like CityGuide and Navitel, allowing drivers to select or modify routes in mere moments.
In a big city, a GPS device serves as a taxi driver's eyes, so several requirements apply:
Beyond hardware power and up-to-date software, the external accessories matter. A vacuum-cup mount is needed for convenient placement, and a car charger is essential to ensure you don't lose sight of your precise route at a critical moment.
Many applications have been developed to help with city navigation, but not all maps offer the same level of detail or the same range of features—such as traffic displays, distance and time calculations (to the final destination or the next turn), and the display of traffic lights, gas stations, ATMs, and other useful points of interest along the route.
Yandex.Navigator, Google Maps, 2GIS, CityGuide, and Navitel are the most popular services among taxi drivers.
Until recently, Yandex.Navigator was considered the best choice for GPS navigation. However, the use of Yandex services is now banned in Ukraine, and the app itself has become a paid service, which has significantly impacted its popularity.
Google Maps offers impressive detail but does not always provide up-to-date traffic information, making it less than ideal for taxi work in a large city.
2GIS is a user-friendly app that provides information on traffic jams, accidents, and road closures; it also allows drivers to plot routes to specific building entrances—a feature that is highly useful for taxi work.
CityGuide and Navitel rival the functionality of the aforementioned app. These services allow for precise address searches (including building letters, blocks, and sub-numbers), route planning using both new and old street names, traffic alerts, and much more.
Purchasing a high-quality GPS navigator and installing the right app can significantly simplify taxi work, making it more efficient and improving the overall quality of service.
