FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 22, 2010
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ITS America Smart Solution Spotlight
Technology Can Help Savvy Drivers Navigate Traffic, Save Money
and Find New Ways to Travel this Holiday Season
Washington, DC - With the official start of Thanksgiving week, AAA reports that 39.7 million people will travel by car during the holiday weekend. Thanks to the latest Intelligent Transportation Systems, many of these drivers can take advantage of new traveler services to save money and make the trip home a little less stressful, including unique car sharing programs, real-time traffic information, and accurate travel time predictions posted overhead to help drivers avoid congested roadways.
Today, the nation's largest transportation technology association recognized two pioneering organizations for their innovative use of technology to help holiday drivers navigate the overpopulated roadways, save time, reduce delays and use alternative transit options.
"With 94 percent of holiday travelers expected to travel by car over Thanksgiving, we want to make sure people are taking advantage of the latest technology solutions to avoid traffic gridlock and expand their travel options," said Scott Belcher, President and CEO of ITS America. "Rather than sit in traffic, travelers are getting resourceful about when and how they travel. It's not like the old days where you load the family in the station wagon and cross your fingers that you make it to grandma's house in time for dinner."
California's Getaround, Inc. Offers a New Twist on Car Sharing
Holiday travelers wanting to avoid costly airfare fees and lengthy bus rides can use a car sharing service to rent a neighbor's vehicle fit for their travel needs. Pioneering this concept in California is Getaround, Inc., a San Francisco-based start-up that allows car owners to rent out their car for an hourly or daily rate. Getaround provides insurance during the rental. Typical car sharing companies own and rent out a fleet of company vehicles, but now individual car owners can capitalize on the time that their car sits idle at home. Participating car owners can make enough to significantly offset the cost of ownership, while those who don't drive enough to warrant purchasing their own vehicle have an additional option to get home for the holidays.
Drivers can find available cars through an iPhone application, as well as gain keyless entry access to the selected vehicle. For drivers without access to a smartphone, the company offers a free web portal to arrange vehicles, pickup locations and key swaps. The program just launched in California with a focus on cities and college campuses, where tech-savvy travelers know how to get creative in finding a way home for the holidays.
"We're excited to launch our innovative platform for peer-to-peer car rental in time for the holiday season," said Bentley Turner, co-founder at Getaround. "This time of year, it's more important than ever that travel is hassle-free and cost effective."
Getaround, Inc. was founded to address the 280 million personal vehicles around the country that sit idle 93% of the time. Car sharing has a net positive impact on the environment and enables affordable, convenient access to nearby cars. Those interested in the new service can sign-up at: www.getaround.com.
I-95 Corridor Coalition Provides One-Stop Trip Planner Tool for East Coast Travelers
On a daily basis, more than 100,000 cars and trucks travel the I-95 corridor, which runs along the East Coast from Maine to Florida. On Thanksgiving weekend, this number will climb significantly. Fortunately, drivers planning to travel through the I-95 Corridor can access real-time traffic speeds and travel time information for the more than 5,000 miles that make up the Corridor through the "Vehicle Probe Project," a partnership between the I-95 Corridor Coalition, the University of Maryland and INRIX that focuses on delivering traveler information services to help plan efficient trips.
Drivers can plan the most efficient travel route by accessing real-time traffic information and travel times at i95travelinfo.net. The website features information for all associated routes that make up the I-95 corridor, including 15 states, 24 metropolitan areas and the beltways surrounding each major city. As traffic conditions change while in route, drivers can access 511 services, such as the North Carolina DOT 511 service which allows interstate travelers to get estimated travel times between interchanges. Passengers can also download real-time traffic conditions and travel times and find less congested routes on their smart phones while drivers focus on the road.
"One of the I-95 Corridor Coalition's goals is to make it easy to learn about traffic conditions along the I-95 Corridor," said George Schoener, Executive Director, I-95 Corridor Coalition. "i95travelinfo.net continues to be an important element in supporting that goal at a time when travelers along the corridor can benefit from our efforts the most."
One of the most congested routes along I-95 falls in the Washington D.C. metro area. Using this data, the Maryland State Highway Administration is providing drivers in the Baltimore/Washington area with predicted travel times, which are posted on 22 dynamic message signs during peak travel periods. AAA predicts that almost 850,000 Marylanders will travel 50 miles or more between this Wednesday and Sunday, an 11.8 percent increase over 2009.
About the Intelligent Transportation Society of America
ITS America is the leading advocate for ITS technology development and deployment in the United States. ITS America was established in 1991 as a not-for-profit organization to foster the use of advanced technologies across America's surface transportation system. Members include private companies and industry leaders, government agencies at all levels, universities and research laboratories. For more information, visit www.itsa.org.
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