System helps motorists get the 511 on road conditions
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/11/2011 (5389 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Manitobans now just have to dial three digits to get the latest info on road closures and driving conditions.
The province has just launched its new 511 service, which allows drivers to dial a single number to reach an automated phone service and get a variety of information including weather, road conditions and highway closures.
“You won’t have to hunt a phone number down,” Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton announced Wednesday at his department’s Brandon office.
“You phone 511 and you’ll be able to access all of the latest information that is available.”
Drivers can also head online to Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation’s revamped website and get updates on road conditions via Twitter.
The 511 system can be used to access information on road conditions (including the status of winter roads), road and bridge closures, weather and even trucking permits. Callers are asked to follow a series of prompts using their phone’s keypad.
It’s expected to make it easier for motorists and truckers to plan routes and avoid delays.
Launched just as winter arrives, it’s also expected to help keep residents safe by giving them the info they need to decide whether they should venture onto highways when conditions are poor.
Meanwhile, the improved website features an interactive map that allows visitors to access the data for five sectors of Manitoba. It can also be used to access highway info in neighbouring Saskatchewan and Ontario and 511 systems that already exist in North Dakota and Minnesota.
Manitoba is the first province in Western Canada to introduce the system, but it already exists in locales across the United States and parts of Canada, including Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Yukon.
Even before it was updated, the Manitoba department’s website recorded 2,300 visits on a typical winter day, which ramped up to more than 45,000 visits during stormy days.
Ashton, however, said he believes the system is ready for the potentially large volume of calls. The plan is to later introduce technology that will allow users to navigate the phone service using voice commands.
The website is at mb511.ca, and drivers can also follow road conditions via the @MBGovRoads Twitter account.
The service was set up using existing staff, so the cost is described as minimal as phone service providers were mandated to supply 511 through the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.
» ihitchen@brandonsun.com