15/05/2023
For professional drivers across the UK, especially taxi and private hire operators, reliable navigation isn't just a convenience – it's the backbone of their livelihood. Google Maps has long been a go-to tool, but many encounter a peculiar quirk: the 'Preview' button appearing where the 'Start' button should be. This can be a source of frustration, leaving drivers wondering why they can't simply begin their journey. Thankfully, this isn't a glitch in your system but rather a feature of how Google Maps operates. Understanding this mechanism, and exploring the array of alternative navigation apps available, can significantly enhance your driving experience across Britain.
Imagine you've just picked up a fare, entered their destination into Google Maps, and are ready to go, only to find a 'Preview' button staring back at you instead of the expected 'Start'. This common scenario often leads to a moment of confusion. The simple truth is, Google Maps only displays the 'Start' button when your current location is either at the designated starting point (Point A) of your route or somewhere actively along the planned path. If your device's GPS indicates you're not yet 'on-route', the 'Start' button is replaced by 'Preview', allowing you to review the directions without actively navigating.
Your Current Location: The Missing Piece
The core reason for seeing 'Preview' is that Google Maps doesn't detect you at Point A. It's a matter of semantics – you can't truly 'start' a journey if you're not physically at the beginning of it. This isn't an error; it's the app's way of accurately reflecting your status. For instance, if you've planned a route from a specific address but are still a few streets away, or if you've mistakenly set Point A to somewhere other than 'Your location', the app will offer a preview until it senses you're at the correct starting point or actively moving along the route. Once it registers your movement along the intended path, the 'Start' button will automatically appear, and turn-by-turn navigation will commence.
How to Ensure Google Maps Shows 'Start'
There's no 'fix' for the 'Preview' button because it's working as intended. Instead, the solution lies in ensuring your settings and starting point are correctly configured. Here’s a breakdown of how to resolve this minor navigational hiccup:
1. Verify Your Starting Point
The first step is to double-check the text field at the top of the Google Maps directions screen, where you input your starting point (Point A). Ensure it clearly displays 'Your location'. It's surprisingly easy to accidentally type in a precise address for Point A instead of letting the app use your live geo-location. If you find a specific address listed there, simply delete it or tap on it to ensure 'Your location' is selected. Once this is corrected, and you are indeed at the starting point, the 'Start' button should become available.
2. Check Your Phone's Location Settings
If you're certain you're at the starting point or on the route, but still seeing 'Preview', the issue might be with your phone's location permissions. Software updates, particularly on Android devices, can sometimes reset these critical settings. Here’s how to check and adjust them:
- Navigate to your phone's 'Settings' menu. This is usually represented by a small 'cog' icon.
- Scroll down until you find 'Location'. It often has a green pin icon next to it.
- Ensure the main 'Location' toggle is switched 'On'. If it's greyed out, tap it to activate your phone's location services.
3. Review Google Maps App Permissions
Even if your general location settings are on, the Google Maps app itself might not have the necessary permissions. From within your 'Location' settings:
- Tap 'App permissions' or 'Location access for apps'.
- You'll see a list of all installed applications. Find 'Maps' (or 'Google Maps').
- Ensure Maps is listed under 'Allowed All The Time' or 'Allowed Only While In Use'. If it's under 'Denied', tap on 'Maps' and change its permission to one of the 'Allowed' options.
Once these checks are complete, Google Maps should accurately detect your position, and the 'Start' button will appear when you're ready to begin your journey.
Google Maps: A UK Taxi Driver's Trusted Companion or a Fair-Weather Friend?
For many years, Google Maps has been an indispensable tool for drivers across the UK, offering a user-friendly interface and robust features. Its ability to provide easy direction-finding, coupled with live traffic updates, makes it incredibly valuable for navigating busy city centres and motorways. Multilingual support and an incognito mode are additional benefits that cater to a diverse user base.
However, despite its popularity, Google Maps isn't without its limitations, particularly for professional drivers who rely on precise, uninterrupted navigation. One significant drawback is its minimal offline functionality. While you can download specific areas, offline use is often limited to basic driving routes, lacking real-time updates or detailed category selection that some alternatives offer. This can be problematic when driving through rural areas of the UK with patchy mobile data signal.
Furthermore, Google Maps can sometimes suffer from incomplete or inaccurate data, leading to incorrect routes or missing information about unusual road conditions like temporary closures due to local events or unexpected road damage. While it flags traffic, it may not re-route as proactively as some community-driven apps in response to sudden incidents. There are also ongoing discussions around data collection and privacy, which, while beneficial for improving the service, can be a concern for some users.
Given the occasional shortcomings of Google Maps, many UK taxi drivers and commuters are exploring alternative navigation apps. These alternatives often offer specialised features that cater to specific needs, from robust offline capabilities to enhanced public transport information or superior privacy controls. Here's a look at some of the best options available:
| App Name | Offline Maps | Real-time Traffic | UK Specifics | Cost | Key Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAPS.ME | Yes (Downloadable) | Limited | Good for rural areas | Free (with ads) | Extensive offline maps & travel guides |
| Waze | No | Excellent (Crowdsourced) | Great for avoiding jams | Free | Community-driven real-time alerts (police, hazards) |
| Citymapper | Limited | Public transport focused | Best for city public transport | Free (premium features paid) | Comprehensive multi-modal public transport planning |
| TomTom GO Navigation | Yes (Downloadable) | Excellent | Trusted UK mapping data | Subscription | Highly accurate traffic & lane guidance |
| Apple Maps | Yes (Automatic) | Good | Seamless Apple ecosystem integration | Free (Apple devices) | Enhanced privacy & 'Look Around' feature |
Detailed Look at Alternatives:
MAPS.ME
MAPS.ME stands out for its exceptional offline mapping capabilities. It allows users to download entire regions or countries, making it ideal for navigating areas with poor mobile signal, a common occurrence in some parts of the UK. While it might display more ads than Google Maps, its focus on detailed walking, cycling, and off-road routes, combined with curated travel guides, offers a different kind of utility. For a taxi driver venturing into lesser-known areas, its comprehensive offline maps can be a lifesaver.
Bing Maps
Often overlooked, Bing Maps provides a clean, ad-free user interface and robust mapping features similar to Google Maps. It offers high-resolution imagery and detailed layers, including streetside views. While it doesn't have a dedicated mobile app in the same vein as Google, its web interface is highly functional on smartphones. Bing Maps is noted for providing more conservative arrival times, which can be beneficial for planning, and allows users to save locations to a personal library.
Navmii
Navmii is a popular choice for iOS, Android, and Windows mobile users, offering up-to-date reports on accidents and construction sites, and integrating information from apps like TripAdvisor. Its distinct 'cartoon aesthetic' provides a fresh look compared to the more traditional interfaces. Navmii supports offline maps and offers smart auto-rerouting, ensuring drivers are quickly guided around unexpected delays.
MapQuest
An older player in the mapping world, MapQuest continues to provide reliable route directions, traffic levels, and even estimated fuel costs. Its 'Route Planner' tool allows for multiple waypoints, useful for complex taxi routes. While its global coverage isn't as extensive as Google Maps, it offers comparable service across the UK, North America, and Europe, though it lacks Google's advanced 3D or Street View overlays.
Sygic Maps
Sygic Maps is known for its voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation in multiple languages, comprehensive offline map support, and features like pedestrian navigation and 3D orientation. It integrates TomTom Traffic data, offering alerts on police traps, speed cameras, and speed limits. Sygic is primarily geared towards private vehicles, making it a strong contender for taxi drivers seeking detailed, reliable road navigation.
Waze
Waze excels as a community-driven navigation app, where users (Wazers) actively report road conditions, police presence, accidents, and construction. This crowdsourced data provides highly accurate real-time alerts and often leads to faster re-routing around incidents than other apps. Its social integration and music app compatibility make it a more interactive and engaging option for drivers, though its map details can be less comprehensive than Google Maps.
HERE WeGo
HERE WeGo offers a simple, clean interface with a strong focus on multiple transport options, including taxi, public transport, and ride-sharing routes. A standout feature is the ability to download entire territories and nations for offline use, surpassing Google Maps' area-by-area download. It provides detailed information on parking and other trip planning essentials, making it an excellent all-rounder for varied UK journeys.
Citymapper
For taxi drivers frequently navigating busy UK cities, Citymapper is an invaluable tool. It specialises in multi-modal journey planning, seamlessly integrating buses, trains, tubes, ferries, and even Uber. Its 'Go assistant' provides real-time instructions and suggestions, alongside live transit updates from sources like Twitter. Citymapper's strength lies in its ability to present numerous route options clearly on a single screen, making urban navigation incredibly efficient.
OsmAnd
OsmAnd is a highly detailed offline mapping service that uses OpenStreetMap data. It offers specialised features for cyclists and hikers, including contour lines and hill shading, which can be useful when driving in more rural or hilly parts of the UK. While its web interface is less intuitive, the app's detailed maps, including walking paths and specific business icons, provide a granular level of information. The free version offers limited map downloads, with a premium version for unlimited access.
Rand McNally
With a long history in traditional mapping, Rand McNally has transitioned into the digital space with an online maps app primarily designed for professional truck drivers. It offers highly detailed maps, including obscure walking trails and tiny water bodies, exceeding the detail found in Google Maps. While it lacks a mobile app and public transport layers, its robust route planning and ability to save locations make it a solid choice for those needing comprehensive road data.
Apple Maps
Apple Maps has undergone a significant transformation, now offering a sophisticated mapping platform, particularly for users within the Apple ecosystem. Its seamless integration with iPhones, iPads, and CarPlay provides clear lane guidance and natural-sounding directions. Features like 'Look Around' offer stunning 3D city views, and its strong focus on privacy, with random identifier generation for searches, appeals to many users. Recent updates include cycling directions and electric vehicle routing.
TomTom GO Navigation
TomTom, a stalwart in navigation, offers an app that leverages one of the world's largest mapping databases. It excels in providing exceptionally detailed traffic information, drawing from various sources for highly accurate predictions and re-routing. Its advanced lane guidance, speed camera warnings, and features like fuel price comparison make it a premium choice for professional drivers who prioritise accuracy and reliability.
Moovit
Moovit is a public transit powerhouse, combining official data with crowdsourced information across thousands of cities globally, including many in the UK. It offers sophisticated real-time arrival predictions and excels at multimodal journey planning, integrating buses, trains, tubes, and micro-mobility options. Its community-driven updates on vehicle crowding and service disruptions provide invaluable real-world information for urban navigation.
Magic Earth
Magic Earth distinguishes itself with an unwavering commitment to user privacy, operating without collecting personal data, ads, or requiring registration. It uses OpenStreetMap data to provide robust offline maps for entire countries, complete with voice guidance and 3D mapping. Its 'natural guidance' system uses landmarks, making navigation more intuitive. For privacy-conscious UK drivers, Magic Earth is an excellent choice.
Backcountry Navigator
While perhaps less relevant for typical taxi driving, Backcountry Navigator is a powerful tool for outdoor enthusiasts, offering sophisticated navigation for off-grid adventures. It supports a vast array of map sources, including topographic maps and satellite imagery, all downloadable for offline use. For drivers who also enjoy hiking or exploring remote UK areas, this app provides advanced GPS tracking and waypoint management.
What3Words
What3Words offers a revolutionary approach to location identification by dividing the entire world into 3x3 metre squares, each assigned a unique three-word address. This system is incredibly precise and has been adopted by many UK emergency services, delivery companies, and even some automotive manufacturers. It's particularly useful for pinpointing exact locations in areas without traditional addresses or in large open spaces, making it a valuable supplementary tool for taxi drivers.
Q: Can I change the default start location in Google Maps?
A: Unfortunately, no. Google Maps is designed to automatically use your current location as the default starting point for directions. While you can manually input a different starting point for a specific journey, there isn't a setting to permanently change this default behaviour.
Q: Why does Google Maps sometimes give me the wrong route or miss road closures?
A: Google Maps relies on a vast database and real-time data, but sometimes information can be incomplete or outdated. Unexpected road closures due to local events, sudden construction, or weather damage might not be updated instantly. Additionally, complex road networks or remote areas can sometimes lead to less optimal routing. Apps like Waze, with their community-driven updates, often react faster to such dynamic road conditions.
Q: Are there any completely free alternatives to Google Maps that are good for UK driving?
A: Yes, many excellent alternatives offer robust free versions. Waze, MAPS.ME, HERE WeGo, and Citymapper (with some paid premium features) are all free to download and use, providing comprehensive navigation services that can rival or even surpass Google Maps in specific areas like real-time traffic alerts or public transport planning.
Q: Is Google Maps safe for my privacy?
A: Google Maps, like many Google services, collects data to improve its services and provide personalised experiences. While Google states this data is used responsibly, concerns about data collection and privacy are valid for some users. If privacy is a primary concern, alternatives like Magic Earth are specifically designed to operate without collecting any personal data or showing advertisements.
In conclusion, understanding why Google Maps displays the 'Preview' button is straightforward: it simply means you're not yet at the detected start of your journey. A quick check of your starting point and phone's location settings will usually resolve this. However, for UK taxi drivers and anyone regularly navigating Britain's diverse road network, exploring the rich landscape of alternative navigation apps can offer tailored benefits. From the crowdsourced alerts of Waze to the robust offline capabilities of MAPS.ME, or the privacy-focused approach of Magic Earth, there's a tool out there to perfectly match your navigational needs. Choose wisely, and enjoy a smoother, more efficient journey across the UK.
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