If you’re in motion, you’re connected to the New York State Department of Transportation. To get you on your way, safely and efficiently, the department has launched 511 New York – a free, one-stop, all-encompassing telephone and Web service offering authoritative information on transportation services and conditions throughout New York State. It operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

511 New York not only provides travel information by telephone but also through Internet Web pages, e-mail and personal digital assistants (PDAs) via www.511NY.org. Other hand-held, mobile and in-vehicle electronic devices eventually will be supported. The phone service is an interactive voice system reachable by landline and cellular phones, navigated by a user’s voice or phone keys.

Everything is in one easy-to-use portal. The 511 New York service eliminates having to keep many individual phone numbers and Web sites.

On 511 New York, you’ll get dynamic information on traffic and weather conditions; a transit trip planner spanning multiple service providers with information on schedules, routes, fares and park-and-ride lots; carpool, vanpool and ride-share referrals; tourism links, bicycling information and more. The traffic information includes congestion, incidents, traffic camera images, travel speeds and times, highway construction work zones and special, planned events. A personalized subscription service can provide alerts of major incidents and can be customized to give alerts for a particular area, county and travel corridor. The system offers a critical, single-point information source during transportation emergencies.

Our goal is to help all travelers, including commuters, tourists and commercial vehicle operators, make informed choices about their trips; to increase customer satisfaction; and to improve mobility, reliability and safety while reducing transportation’s impact on the environment.

511 is the national three-digit telephone number that’s been reserved for free travel information. 511 New York is groundbreaking because of its extensive transportation information for New York State and contiguous states that are part of the metro New York region. This true regional service, involving New York’s transportation and transit agencies, partners and neighboring states, was developed through NYSDOT’s leadership with the ultimate goal of becoming the basis of a northeastern United States regional system. You can get connected to go with 511 New York.

Provided by Cynthia Hart, NYSDOT

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