Deliver Your News to the World

GPS Users Reveal Which US Cities Are Truly The Most Congested


WEBWIRE

Think it’s New York or LA? Think Again.

Millions of TomTom users show clearest picture yet of nation’s worst roads

Concord, MA - TomTom, the world’s leading provider of navigation solutions and digital maps, today revealed the first fully detailed view of which cities have the worst traffic in the United States. The results were calculated using data from Speed Profiles, the historical speed database from TomTom map business unit Tele Atlas that helps personal and professional fleet drivers using portable, in car or smartphone navigation systems avoid trouble spots and save time and money.

Speed Profiles aggregates the actual speeds that millions of anonymous, GPS-enabled drivers have traveled over the last two years. This community of drivers is the largest GPS data collection community in the world. It provides actual average speeds for every five minutes of the day on roads across the full network to help show a far more accurate view of historic traffic. In contrast, traditional historical traffic systems use random sampling from a limited number of road sensors on primary roads or from fleet vehicle traces.

Cities* were ranked as most to least congested according to how fast cars could travel on the street network. A city’s traffic was defined as congested if drivers could travel at only 70% or less of the posted speed limit, meaning on average an hour long commute included 20 minutes or more of significant delays.

The results of the continental U.S. states reveal some interesting surprises:

o Seattle, Washington is the city with the worst traffic in the United States, with an average of 43% of its roads showing heavy delays. Rounding out the top five cities after Seattle are Los Angeles (38%), Chicago (37%), San Francisco (35%) and New York (31%).

o The “Bay Area” of California has the most cities in the top 30, with San Francisco, San Jose (29%) and Oakland (28%).

o The most congested “corridor” is between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. About 36% of that area’s roads, largely in Montgomery County, are congested.

o While New York has many pockets of heavy congestion, the area also contains many major arteries for alternative routes. In fact, cities with fewer options for alternative roads were higher on the list.

o The least congested of the top 30? Minneapolis, Minnesota. Only 17% of the roads in that city are congested.

When all U.S. states and territories are included, the Toa Baja and Bayamón areas of San Juan, Puerto Rico are both in the top ten. Approximately 24% of the streets in greater San Juan are congested.

For a full list of the top 30 most congested cities in the continental U.S., a list of the most congested cities including all states and territories, and for more information, go to www.teleatlaspresskit.com.


With packed roadways and ever-increasing travel times, drivers are seeking better ways to minimize fuel costs and find the fastest routes to their destinations. Speed Profiles, integrated as IQ Routes™ on TomTom devices and available in other applications, provides the insight needed to avoid congestion and the stress which accompanies it. It also helps businesses cut transportation and logistics costs. Speed Profiles is available in 27 countries and territories, covering 35 million kilometers of both directions of roads.

About TomTom

TomTom NV (AEX: TOM2) is the world’s leading provider of navigation solutions and digital maps. TomTom NV has over 3,300 employees working in four business units – TomTom, Tele Atlas, Automotive and WORK.

TomTom’s products are developed with an emphasis on innovation, quality, ease of use, safety and value. TomTom’s products include all-in-one navigation devices which enable customers to navigate right out of the box; these are the award-winning TomTom GO family, the TomTom XL and TomTom ONE ranges and the TomTom RIDER. Additionally, independent research proves that TomTom products have a significant positive effect on driving and road safety.

Tele Atlas delivers the digital maps and dynamic content that power some of the world’s most essential navigation and location-based services (LBS). Through a combination of its own products and partnerships, Tele Atlas offers digital map coverage of more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The Automotive business unit develops and sells navigation systems and services to car manufacturers and OEMs. TomTom WORK combines industry leading communication and smart navigation technology with leading edge tracking and tracing expertise.

TomTom NV was founded in 1991 in Amsterdam and has offices in Europe, North America, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. TomTom is listed at Euronext Amsterdam in The Netherlands. For more information, go to www.tomtom.com.

###

* Defined as areas with populations of more than 500,000 and labeled by local governments as “municipalities.”



WebWireID108929





This news content was configured by WebWire editorial staff. Linking is permitted.

News Release Distribution and Press Release Distribution Services Provided by WebWire.