Tech to trim your commute
Does technology that helps you plan your commute more cost-effectively and carbon-effectively count as green tech? If so, I want to bring your attention to a new mapping option on the Traffic.com Web site that is optimized to calculate the quickest drive time between Point A and Point B CONSIDERING CURRENT TRAFFIC CONDITIONS.
OK, if any of you live near New York City you'll know why I'm capitalizing, because often the shortest route is not the one on which you will spend the least time in the car. And honestly, can the directions you get off the Web really be any worse than the ones you get at either MapQuest or Google.
To make the case for its services, Traffic.com reminds us about the difference between city driving and highway driving (remember, your car has a range of average mileage). The stop-and-go stuff isn't just frustrating, it's way worse for your mileage; about 30 percent way worse.
If you're already in the car and you have a companion (remember, hands-free for safety), here are some other resources to shorten your time on the road:
- Call 1-866-698-7232 (866-MY-TRAFC) for roadway updates - Visit mobi.traffic.com for hotspot updates - Text your city code (NY for New York, as an example) to 87232 for real-time information about problem areas - Download Traffic.com2GOTM, which will bring reports to your cell phone