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

1. m:metrics December 2007

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

If you're like most MapQuest users, you don't just come to MapQuest once or twice a month - you get maps and directions on an ongoing basis. With our new MapQuest Toolbar you can have easy access to the most useful MapQuest features right on your browser at all times.



The Toolbar has one-click quick links to Maps, Directions and a Web search capability. But perhaps one of the most convenient features is the quick link to our new Real Time Traffic feature.




Just choose one of more than 80 cities across the US and you'll quickly click to real time traffic in your area at any time. Check it before you leave for work or before an important appointment. You'll now be able to see congestion before you hop on a highway and choose an alternative route.

You probably already have one or maybe more toolbars on your browser but do you use all the features they bring? Use a Toolbar where you know you'll get the most use out of the handy features it provides right at your fingertips.

Try out the Toolbar now!

We're pleased to announce the launch of our new Current Traffic feature. Now when you bring up a map or generate driving directions, with one click you can easily visualize traffic conditions in most major US metros. This is a great way to quickly check traffic as you begin your commute home from the office, or before heading out to the airport, concert, ballpark, or mall. Keep in mind that once you've started your trip, MapQuest Traffic is a real-time feature (updated every five minutes) and things can change quickly once you're on the road.

How to use Traffic:

Traffic view of Miami, FL


There are two main parts to the feature:

1. Relative speed or Flow: This is the green/yellow/red highlights over major roads which indicate congestion levels. Think of the colors like this:
   
   Green = Smooth sailing
   Yellow = Congestion building - be extra cautious and look out for slowing traffic
   Red = Backed up! Plan to be patient, try a detour, or wait for things to improve
   
   
   
2. Incidents and Construction: Pretty simple – just click on the icons to get more info, or toggle the display on/off using the boxes in the Current Traffic legend.
   
   Incidents: Accidents and other events which might impact normal traffic flow
   Construction: That stuff that keeps you from getting to your favorite vacation spot on time every summer!
   

Traffic view with Incident Info open:


MapQuest Traffic provides exceptional coverage in over 100 metro areas. So, try it out for your own daily driving needs and let us know what you think. To find out more about MapQuest Traffic and other cool new features, check out Exploring MapQuest!