TomTom launches traffic portal with live traffic and travel information

TomTom (TOM2) has announced TomTom City – a new traffic portal that provides live traffic and travel information for consumers and traffic management experts.

The new service showcases the extensive range of traffic information available on a city by city basis and will provide a platform to connect traffic authorities, businesses and citizens to jointly manage sustainable and efficient mobility. TomTom City builds on the TomTom Traffic information available to TomTom navigation devices and licensing partners in automotive, consumer and government. It also extends the historical congestion information provided through reports such as the TomTom Traffic Index.

TomTom City is accessible from any Internet enabled computer, tablet or smartphone and provides freely accessible content showing live traffic status and incidents as well as other driver-based information in cities. This will enable users to check their journey routes first and plan the best route. The data is also accessible to traffic management experts, traffic issues can now be dealt with even more quickly.

Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Head of Traffic at TomTom, said: “TomTom City gives drivers and traffic managers essential insights into the real-time traffic situation and the historical bottlenecks in key cities. This is an important step in our mission to help reduce delays for all drivers. Using data from over 450 million devices* globally we are creating services that will help cities and connected cars work together to optimise the road network.”

Key features:

Real time traffic status updated every minute

Status indicators show the current average speed observed in the city compared to average speed when there is no congestion; a congestion barometer showing relative congestion compared to a free-flowing period; and a snapshot that shows the number of road closures, construction areas and accidents currently in the city. In addition, TomTom City also shows the traffic incidents on a map, and the traffic flow (speed) on a map.

Delay hotspots

TomTom City shows the top congestion bottlenecks recorded in the recent quarterly period.  The information is presented as a summary for ‘All Day’ and separately for morning and afternoon peak periods to reflect the periodic traffic conditions in cities.  Summary information is presented on a map view and each hotspot can be selected individually to see road segment delay details.

Event reporter

This new web-based tool will help road authorities and other professional operators to inform millions of road users in minutes about events that are affecting the road network and its traffic flows via the TomTom Traffic service.  With a few clicks a road authority can report road closures, road works, accidents and other disruptions that are affecting traffic in their local area, now, as well as those planned in the future.

Cities currently supported include Dubai (ARE), Istanbul (TUR), and Riyadh (SAU), with a total of 25 cities in 18 countries included in this initial launch. More cities in 18 countries will be introduced, and more products, throughout the year.

*Devices include dedicated portable navigation devices, connected smartphone applications, in-dash navigation and fleet management systems.

PLUS Malaysia gears up for Hari Raya traffic

PLUS Malaysia (PLUS) will temporarily open up several stretches of highway at the current fourth lane widening project areas to facilitate smoother traffic flow on the North-South Expressway (NSE) and the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) this coming Hari Raya (Eid) holidays.

The highway stretches are: KM16.3 – KM14.7 (southbound) between Damansara and Subang, KM13.3 – KM9.65 (southbound) between Subang and Shah Alam, KM25.0 – KM28.5 (southbound) between DBKL arch and the Segambut Bridge, KM445.26 – KM447.63 (southbound) between Rawang Interchange and Rawang Selatan, KM282.2 – KM280.4 (southbound) between Bandar Baru Nilai and the Recron factory and KM280.4 – KM268.6 (southbound) between the Recron factory and the New Seremban Interchange.

PLUS Managing Director, Dato’ Noorizah Hj Abd Hamid said, ”These critical stretches will be temporarily opened starting from 23 July. It is aimed at facilitating smoother traffic flow as well as distributing traffic during the holidays.”

PLUS also anticipates the traffic on the NSE to increase by 25% to 1.5 million vehicles per day on the peak days which are 25 to 27 July and 1 to 3 August as compared to 1.2 million vehicles every day on normal days.

“As such, PLUS urges members of the public to plan their balik kampung (returning home) travel for Hari Raya based on our travel time advisory (TTA) which has proven to have contributed to smoother traffic flow during peak periods in the past,” Noorizah added.

The TTA lists recommended staggered travel times for various destinations from the Klang Valley to major states and cities in Kedah, Perlis, Penang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor and to Singapore. It is aimed at distributing traffic and reducing congestion on the mainline, major toll plazas, rest areas and lay-bys during peak periods.

“This time, the TTA provides travelling times for the public plying the NSE between 25 and 27 July (for balik kampung journey) and between 1 and 3 August (for balik kerja journey). Based on the TTA, those heading towards farther destinations are advised to leave the Klang Valley earlier, while those heading towards destinations that are nearer to the Klang Valley are advised to enter the highway at later hours,” Noorizah added.

Noorizah was quoted at a media briefing to highlight preparations and initiatives that will be taken by PLUS in coping with the traffic increase during the Hari Raya holidays at Persada PLUS.

Apart from temporarily opening up several critical stretches at the 4th lane widening project and issuing the TTA, other new additional initiatives include the introduction of the PLUS Traffic Portal to disseminate the latest highway traffic information and the deployment of motorcycle patrolling teams for the existing highway mobile workshop service, Workshop on Wheels at strategic locations on the highway.

Other routine preparations include stationing additional staff and opening up more toll counters at toll plazas to facilitate faster toll transaction, increasing the number of PLUSRonda teams and so on.