What do you use to check traffic?
I was wondering what you use to check traffic? I use Google maps and Road Now on my laptop and a couple of maps on my phone. Planning our summer trip and, for example, I periodically check the tra...
Forum Discussion
GizmosMom wrote:
...I always wonder where these traffic sites get their info from. Does anyone know?
Just wondering...
Both Waze and Google Maps use a combination of data sources, including DOT roadside sensors, and crowd-sourcing.
Crowd-sourcing has become the most valuable source of real-time traffic data. When you are using the traffic app on your smart phone while driving, you are automatically providing them with real-time, anonymous data about your current position and speed.
For example, if they see 90% of their users on I-40 in downtown Oklahoma City moving at 60-70 MPH, then they can safely deduce that traffic is flowing freely.
It doesn't rely on a single user, because someone could be stopped on the side of the road, or they could be speeding down the shoulder. But the larger the group of users gets, the more accurate the crowd-sourced data is.
