The Maine Department of Transportation introduces the Maine 511 Travel Information Service to help commuters and travelers access information regarding weather-related road conditions, construction and congestion, via the web or phone – 24/7.
Part of a National Effort:
The FCC designated “511” as the national traveler information phone number and MDOT is one of a handful of state DOT’s seeking to implement the service.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) and American Public Transportation Association (APTA) are leading deployment efforts and the development of guidelines for a seamless and comprehensive service nationwide.
Improving Public Service:
The new service will provide enhanced service that is available directly to travelers via the web or phone – 24/7 - and include voice recognition, increased calling capacity and easier-to-navigate web pages.
By knowing state highway road conditions, travelers will be able to better plan for their trips and commutes and in the future, abbreviated dialing of 511 will make the information even easier to reach.
Where the Information Originates:
The Condition Acquisition and Reporting System (CARS) will be the primary source of data for 511 services.
MDOT and Maine State Police staff from dispatch centers and out in the field use this system to maintain real-time information about travel conditions throughout the state.
The system continues to evolve as one comprehensive and timely source of data that ultimately improves the information available through services like websites.
Where to Get the Information:
Call 511 from any phone, including mobile phones.
Maine is preparing the needed infrastructure to handle this new service so that you can call 511 from any phone, including mobile phones*
Maine is part of an 8-state consortium that is sharing the cost to design and develop the system.
In addition to Maine, the participating states are Alaska, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Vermont.
The service is provided free of charge to the public. Cell phone users will pay for normal airtime and roaming charges according to their wireless service contracts.
Related Information:
The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America): www.itsa.org/511.html
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO): 511.transportation.org
511 Helpful Hints
Thank you for using www.511Maine.gov to help make your travel more predictable.
In addition to visiting this web site, you can also dial 511 from your phone for statewide travel information.
The Maine Department of Transportation suggests using these helpful hints for using the 511 website and phone service.
511 Website Hints
HOW IT'S ORGANIZED:
The Maine 511 site contains two primary navigation tools, a vertical blue menu located on the left hand side and a tabbed interface along the top. The left hand menu contains links to information about the 511 site and to the State of Maine Government websites.
The green tabs are key to accessing actual travel information and are organized in 5 categories.
"All Advisories" displays all situations found under "Major Delays", "Roadwork", and "Road Conditions".
"Major Delays" displays accidents, incidents, and adverse driving conditions.
"Roadwork" displays construction and maintenance activities.
"Road Conditions" displays driving conditions.
"Weather" displays current weather forecasts and watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service.
SELECTING LOCATIONS:
The home page provides three methods of selecting the location within Maine to obtain information. A map with mouseover capabilities allows users to select the region of interest by clicking on the map. The use of the drop-down menu located above the map will also allow you to change your viewing area. Finally, the text-only option can be selected to obtain information.
TEXT ONLY/SHOW MAP OPTION:
The "Show Map" option is the default setting for the website. To view situations without the map, simply click on the "Text Only" link located near the top of the screen, on the right hand side. If you wish to view the map once again, click on the "Show Map" link located in the same proximity as the "Text Only" link appeared.
USING THE SITE MAP:
For a list of text links to navigate between the different situation categories and locations, click on the "Site Map" link, located on the left hand menu.
511 Phone Service Hints
HOW IT’S ORGANIZED:
511 organizes information into five main categories for your convenience.
Simply say "go to menu" or press 0 any time during your call to hear these choices.
Then, simply say the category you want.
"Highway traffic" offers reports about construction and other delays.
"Road weather" provides reports on adverse driving conditions.
"Regional summary" lets you hear urgent and routine reports around a specific city that you select.
"Acadian National Park" provides information on the part, the Bar Harbor region and real-time departure information on the Island Explorer transit system.
"Tourism" provides a toll-free transfer to the Departmentof Tourism's recording of on-going events updated monthly.
"Ferry and Transit" lets you hear information about the major ferry services that operate in Maine and public transit transportation choices.
"Help with 511" gives you a quick summary of how to use the system.
GET HELP:
Say "help" or press * any time during your call for more instructions on how to use 511.
VOICE OR KEYPAD ACTIVATED:
You can speak or use your keypad to make requests while using 511.
For example, you can request reports for Highway 61 by saying, "Highway 61," or by dialing 61# on your keypad.
REPEAT INFORMATION:
To repeat a report, say "go back" or "repeat that."
SKIP THE INTRODUCTION:
When you hear the 511 introductory music, say the name of any city to get a summary of urgent reports in that area.
WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK:
Your feedback on this service is important.
When you're done with your call, you can say "goodbye" or press *** to leave your comments.
