MapQuest Blog

Have you ever been heading across town, and wish you had access to those traffic helicopters to see where the jams are? Now you can check the hotspots with a quick glance to your cell phone. MapQuest for Mobile Web, one of the most popular mobile internet sites,¹ now has Traffic Reports to go along with a new look and feel. We've also simplified the address and search fields to make it easier to enter your quest. And for those of you that take the 'greener' path, our Find Gas Prices feature now has a full slate of Alternative fuels including E-85, Natural Gas and Biodiesel.

MapQuest for Mobile Web



Traffic


Gas Prices


Best of all - even with all these helpful, comprehensive features; MapQuest for Mobile Web is still a free service.² To check it out on your device, you can either type in www.mapquest.com on your mobile web browser, or you can plan on MapQuest.com from your home computer and click on "Send to Cell" within any of your search results.³

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2. MapQuest provides the MapQuest for Mobile Web service free of charge; however, your wireless phone carrier may charge data fees to access the mobile web.

3. MapQuest provides the Send to Cell service free of charge; however, your wireless phone carrier may charge data fees to access the mobile web or for text messages. Some carriers block access to URL links within text messages; if you cannot click the link or you do not receive the text message, please check with your carrier.
m:metrics December 2007

Our new interface lets you easily plan and reorder trips with up to 10 stops. Here's a quick glance on how to use the multi-point routing features:

First off, generate a route by entering two locations in the directions form, then click "Get Directions".

Select "Add Another Stop to Your Route" in the section below your written directions right above your map. Type in the business name and/or location in the two boxes in the tan section. You can use this tool to add locations for up to 10 stops to your route.

Your route map and directions will show each segment with stops designated by letters A, B, C, etc.

You can collapse or expand the text view each segment in your written directions by clicking on the arrow beside the start of each segment label.

To edit locations or remove points along your route, click the "Edit" and "Remove" buttons located to the right of each stop in your text directions.

You can also use the "Move up" and "Move Down" tools to reorder your stops in your route.

In the next post, we'll describe improvements to our printer friendly pages and how you can customize what you print to take on the road!

On the heels of our launch of MapQuest Beta, we're following it up with some exciting enhancements to MapQuest for Mobile Web, a.k.a. our 'WAP' site. If you haven't tried MapQuest on your web-enabled cell phone, I'll give you an overview and then introduce the new enhancements to our service.

Almost all mobile phones sold in the last few years can give you access to the mobile web, so it's not like you have to have the latest gadget! Just go to www.mapquest.com on your phone's mobile web browser and you'll be able to find places, get maps and directions - 'right-sized' for your mobile phone. Millions of people are already using MapQuest for Mobile Web every month, and we're helping them get where they need to go, while they're on the go.

Here are the basics. In "Find a Place" you can search 16 million Points of Interest and find restaurants, hotels, parks, and more; just by putting in a name, zip, intersection or city. On most carriers you'll also enjoy our Click to Call feature; where you can simply click the phone number within the searched location and immediately call the business. Use Map a Location to get maps of the US and Canada that you can pan and zoom. And, in "Get Directions" you'll find reliable turn by turn directions just like online - only right on your phone. You can also choose advanced route options to avoid highways or toll roads.



And now we're introducing additional valuable features to our mobile-web service.

Gas Prices
OK, we're all shocked at the price of gas these days, but perhaps MapQuest can help ease your pain a bit. Now you can find the lowest priced gas on MapQuest for Mobile Web. Simply click on the 'Find Gas Prices', and you can find local stations by price, distance or the station name. So, whether you're running on "E", or just looking to save a buck, MapQuest Gas Prices can help you out.


Multi-point directions
Making more than one stop along your way?We've upgraded our 'Get Directions' link, to make multiple stops on a trip or while running errands. You can now add up to six locations to your route and get turn-by-turn directions from point A to B to C, etc, displayed right on your phone's screen.



Walking Directions
Taking on the city on foot? MapQuest for Mobile Web now has a Walking Directions option that displays the most direct route for pedestrians. Our walking routes ignore one-way streets and provide you with the shortest distance available.


So there you have it, enhanced features to make your on the go experience even better. Type in www.mapquest.com into your mobile browser and you're on your way.

Note: Check with your carrier about mobile web access – sometimes it's included with your service, but they may charge a small additional fee for web browsing or it may count toward your minutes.