Real Time Information and Traffic Reports

Real time information provides people with up to-the-minute details about various topics. You can find tons of free real time information online, including:
  • flight information
  • gas prices
  • real time traffic reports
  • weather reports.
You can even find real time information in the form of Web camera footage.
 

Real Time Traffic Incident Reports

Real time traffic reports are the most popular form of real time information. Checking real time reports before going to work or before embarking on a road trip can help you avoid traffic jams and accidents, saving you precious time, gas and headaches.
 
Real time traffic reports include information such as:
  • camera views of real time traffic
  • construction sites
  • hot spot alerts
  • personalized traffic reports
  • real time traffic incident reports
  • speed reports
  • traffic conditions.
A real time traffic report can also include information about where to find the cheapest gas along your route. With gas prices fluctuating, sometimes daily, this is great real time information for commuters looking to save money.
 
Real time traffic incident reports are available for most major cities in the United States.
 
With incident reports, you can see information such as:
  • time the incident was reported
  • time the incident was resolved
  • the severity of each incident.

How Real Time Traffic Works

Real time traffic speed data is tracked by anonymously triangulating locations of cell phones as they pass through cell phone towers. Cell phones provide accurate real time information because they are in constant contact to maintain cellular signals. This can be combined with:
  • construction schedules
  • current road conditions
  • GPS data
  • previous accident patterns
  • road sensor data
  • weather reports.
All of the factors are used to maintain accurate real time traffic reports.

Real Time Information Pros and Cons

One of the best features of real time information is that it tells you what is happening right now on the roadways you are about to travel. By checking real time traffic reports before you hit the road, you can plan better routes to take and have a better idea of how long your trip will take. With real time information available through GPS and many newer cell phones, you can always have real time information in the palm of your hand.
 
However, one downside of real time traffic reports is that they can't predict the future. Once you leave the online real time information Web sites and enter into the real world, data can change rendering your previous real time information useless.
 
For instance, real time traffic reports provide real time data allowing you to avoid problem areas. However, once on the road, the actual traffic flow and incidents may have changed. Consequently, it's possible that, by using real time traffic information, you unnecessarily reroute your trip or inaccurately estimate your driving time.

Best Places to Find Real Time Information

Traffic.com is a great site, hosted by Rand McNally, which provides the fastest driving times based on traffic reports. Traffic.com uses real time traffic incident reports, traffic flow and roadwork to calculate the fastest driving time. It then compares the fastest driving time to the fastest driving distance and provides both routes.
 
If you want more complete real time information, major search engines such as Yahoo, Google or MSN are usually the best places to go. They even have features that allow you to combine real time information, such as traffic reports, gas prices and weather reports, on one Web page for easy viewing. Online map services also are a good source for real time traffic information.
 
For other real time information, head to specific sites. For example, if you want real time flight information, head to the specific airlines Web site. To find real time camera footage of the weather, head to a local weather news station Web site.
Resources
 
ABI Research (2006). Readers, Radar or Video? The Future of Real-Time Traffic Data Collection. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from the ABI Research Web site.
 
PC World (2006). Real Time Traffic Info Gets You Past Jams. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from the About.com Web site.