MassDOT Partnership to Expand 511 Travel Information

MassDOT today announced a new partnership with Marlborough-based Sendza to provide the next generation of 511 traveler information service at no cost to the Commonwealth.

For the first time ever beginning in May, the 511 service will be expanded statewide and drivers will have the opportunity to automatically receive personalized travel information alerts via email, text or telephone. Previous 511 service only covered eastern Massachusetts.

This innovative public-private partnership with Sendza, a Massachusetts-based communications software company, will come at no cost to the state, resulting in $4.1 million in one-time savings and $1.2 million in annual savings for MassDOT.

"These new 511 services will save Massachusetts millions while providing a higher level of service," said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Jeffrey Mullan. "Sendza's capabilities and business model are raising the bar for 511 services nationwide. By providing more information with less phone interaction, as well as a connection to advertisers for consumers who want it, travelers and taxpayers gain tangible benefits."

The current 511 system handles approximately 500,000 calls per month. The Sendza-based Mass511 system is capable of not only maintaining this volume of calls, but also allows room for significant growth as the system's user base expands. Sendza's software-as-a-service (SaaS) message platform provides Mass511 message services to residents in Massachusetts and also packages marketing programs for sponsors.

The new Mass511 system will go live in May. Check back on the MassDOT 511 web page. Learn more about Sendza here.

Comments

[cheapest deal on computer]

The blog has a full of inofrmation which I have been looking for and not only this it also helps us in getting the correct facts and figures. The blogger has done a really good work in updating his blog. Keep it up

[Tom]

I used smart traveller everday in my commute both ways for years. It was simple to use and minimized my call time. Then the new system came and it is virtually unuseable. I tried to "sign up" for text message alerts, thinking I would receive the ones pertinent to my travel. NO WAY, I received WAY too many impertinent alerts WAY to often. I've given up and will no longer attempt to use the systmem. Way to go MassDOT.

[Unhappy Motorist]

This new system may be the most "sophisticated in the country", it also moved the Mass 511 from the best in the country to the worst. It is technology run amok, and the 'sampling algorithm" is WRONG. Very often what the system tells you is happening is NOT what is happening! Get the HUMANS back.

On the OLD< MUCH BETTER system, I was able to find out in about 2 min everything I needed to know about getting from Boston to Cape Cod, Including info on BOTH routes to get there, and BOTH bridges. Now it takes over 5 minutes and I DON'T GET THE INFO I NEED. "Congestion" "Heavy congestion" etc. IS USELESS - how about "a two-mile backup at the Sagamore Bridge ..."

What you had was GREAT, you have made it utterly useless, the radio is better and that is what I will be using!

[Mike Striff]

When all comments are negative you'd think that the proper response from DOT would be to scrap this "new and improved" system and give us what we want. This is not a case of getting used to a new system. It's someone's really bad idea on steroids. It's not that we don't like it. WE HATE IT!!!!!!!!
C'mon! Do the right thing.

[Michelle]

How do I get to Cape Cod traffic and roadways? This new 511 system is useless! I use it so I can get away from the tourists who clog the roads down here and get to work on time. Today I say in traffic for 1/2 hour on the Sandwich Road/6a and I kept calling 511, they offered no way to let you know which number was Cape Cod. Ok route 6 is but we also have 6a and 25 and 28 and the canal roads and scenic highway etc. I typed 6 and it just gave me the Sagamore bridge side NOT the Bourne bridge side because that isn't on 6 it's part of 28 which is confusing as hell because 28 is everywhere! It used to be 71*.....SO EASY! Now I don't know what the hell to do, having to type different routes for the same area is by no means an improvement! GET BACK TO WORK AND FIX THIS RIDICULOUS NEW "IMPROVEMENT"!!!!

[Aims Coney]

Last evening we were eastbound on the Pike and 511 was reporting a backup in Springfield. Turns out it was really Brimfield but the computer voice made it sound like Springfield. We wasted a lot of time getting off at Westfield and taking route 20. This system has potential, but the computer voice needs work.

[Dan Smith]

I just saw a comment by MassDOT. I feel I must respond, as whoever posted is missing the point.

"The new system substantially lowers costs for MassDOT"--I'll take your word for that--"while allowing it to provide an improved and statewide service to drivers." _Only someone who had never tried it could believe this is an "improved" service._ Maybe Sendza says it is, maybe it has a longer bullet list of features, maybe it sounds as if it ought to be an improved service, but it is a BADLY DEGRADED SERVICE.

"We understand there will be some confusion as we move to a new system that replaces a system that has remained largely unchanged for 15+ years."

No, you are missing the point. The issue is not change. The issue is not confusion. The issue is quality of information. I don't mind learning a few new codes or keys or procedures. I can learn not to press the star key. I can learn just to key in 128 instead of 1281 or 1282.

The issue is not confusion, the issue is that _the information returned is of such low quality as to be useless_.

[Dan Smith]

It's a disaster. We're not going to bang our heads against it any more or fuss about it. Our routine is checking SmarTraveler on the Web before we leave, and WBZ Traffic on the Threes on the road.

It's hard to believe, but generic whole-area Traffic on the Threes actually gives me more usable, actionable information than the new 511.

The big problem with 511 is that the actual information you get is useless. It is constantly wasting time telling us about "congestion" in places where the traffic is said to be going 45 mph. That might be "heavy congestion" on the Pike out in Auburn, but it's normal in town.

The idea that traffic volume + traffic speed = traffic report is flawed. You need to know whether traffic is actually backed up and _how far_. And you need to know the _reasons_ for the backup.

And you can't tell WHERE anything is with the new 511 unless you have a passenger with an open road atlas in her lap. I don't know any exit numbers except for the actual exits I use, and I barely know where the town boundaries intersect the highways. Any useful system has to report based on familiar landmarks ("the Braintree split," "the Zakim Bridge,") not exit numbers and town lines.

DOT officials, don't just sit in an office and tabulate complaints. Get out on the road and try to use the system. You'll find out very quickly that it's unusable. I don't think it can be fixed, the whole premise is just wrong. Traffic reports require intelligent human synthesis and interpretation.

What I don't understand is how the system could have been approved in the first place. Didn't anyone actually try it?

[Richard]

This new system is completely useless.
It is very confusing and not user friendly.
You can not find an exact road or location.

With this system by the time you find the road you are on it is too late to modify you travel route.
The old system was sufficient even though it was not updated enough.
But it gave you the basic info regarding the road you were traveling and where the delays were.

BAD decision to change this service!

[Jeremiah Shehan]

06.03.2010 Well I keep trying "511" wishing that improvements have been made....SMART TRAVELER WAS A PLEASURE...this "New and improved" 511 ??????? is so confusing. I suggest you listen to what and how SMARTTRAVELER performed and copy it! One needs
fast answer, with no preadvertising, and the ability to dial a route and hear what is happening on that route...for example
Route 93-2 North from the Braintree split to the O'neil tunnel and then heading south from the O'Neil, tunnel to the Braintree split.OR Route 93-1 from the New Hampshire line.to Somerville...
PLease copy what SMARTTRAVELER had, IT WORKED!

[Matt B]

Looks like its back to good old Traffic on the 3's on WBZ radio. This new service is terrible. I agree with most of the comments I've seen on the board, and understand budget cuts requiring the move toward automation rather than live (recorded) voices. However, the navigation of the new service is completley unacceptable. If i'm on 93N heading into the City I couldn't care less about what is happening on 93S North of the City. The folks at Sendza have over-engineered this solution to have it try to make decisions for me about which segments I want to hear. Please bring back the old style navigation...which was simple, logical, and just plain worked and combine it with your new automated messaging system to provide users with a cost effective and USABLE service. As someone who has used and depended upon this sytem for the past 15 years I am very unhappy with the new service, and will just have to depend on traffic updates on the radio instead 511.

[kb]

OMG. This is SOOOOOOOO not an improvement!

This new system UTTERLY USELESS, and COMPLETELY UNUSABLE. I just spent five minutes on the phone and have no bloody clue what the traffic situation is on the expressway. I used to be able to get the information in under 60 seconds, in an intelligible, intelligent fashion. Now I just hear an endless stream of 'There is heavy congestion on... ninty... three... south...' with the sections listed in no order that I can tell, and in segments which are short enough to be meaningless, especially when neighboring segments are split up here there and everywhere in the list.

Okay, I get it, there were budget cuts, but I'd rather you guys had just cut the service altogether. Really. Kill it if you have to. But this new system is worse than confusing, it's impossible to use, and it's infuriating to boot.

(And no, it's not just that I can't deal with changing technology - I'm a technogeek for a living. The usability of this system is just ABSOLUTE ZERO.)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MassDOT Responds: Thank you for sending us your comments about the new 511 system. We are reviewing all feedback and making changes to the system where possible. We you give the system a few more tries. We would also encourage you to visit www.mass.gov/511 to sign up to have personalized traffic alerts sent directly to your cellphone or email address.

[BringBackSmartraveler]

While this may be a budgetary improvement which I understand is needed, it is definitely NOT an improvement for traffic reporting in Metro Boston. I too work off of many segments coming from the North Shore and just want to listen to my exact portion of the commute. I also need to know which lanes to avoid on a given road due to accidents or construction, specific information as to the exact location where congestion is occurring, and an estimate on how far (in distance not time) the backup is so I can reroute my commute accordingly to other roads. This is especially needed in downtown Boston where one has many options to reroute their travel. While I'm happy that people in Western Mass and the Cape have traffic info now this is a HUGE step backwards for the Boston commuter.

[David]

One more follow up comment. I went to the mass511.com link after I submitted by first comment to find out if there is an easier way to navigate the system. In the menu options section (http://mass511.com/preferences.sws) it states that you can dial 1 to "Skip a segment". I couldn't find anywhere on the webpage what a "segment" is. Can you please update the webpage so list the various "segments" of the routes?

[David]

I used the new system for the first time on Thursday and it was completely useless. It couldn't easily find the information I needed -- I don't care if there is traffic on other sections of 90 or I-95. Also, letting me know that there is congestion around an exit doesn't tell me the information I need to know. Is the congestion due to routine commuter traffic? Due to an accident? Should I stay in the right or left hand lane? Is the back-up one mile or six?

On Friday, I used Google Maps with the traffic option. Not an ideal long term solutions b/c it is not safe to drive AND look at my phone. But at least I was able to see where the traffic was, how far it was backed-up and if there were any accidents.

I tried it again tonight before I went into town. 511 said there was "heavy" traffic on I-90 Eastbound between I-95 and I-93 and my expected travel time was "13 minutes" with an average speed of "47 MPH." That information didn't even make sense and doesn't help me. There was no traffic and I flew into town. It sound like there is an algorithm that needs to be recalculated.

Please stop billing this new system as an improvement. Why not say what really is happening. The budget got cut and DOT was left with little options others than a busted free system. There was a comment above that there has been a 50% decrease is 511 usage over the past few years. The remaining 50% are probably folks like me that don't have navigation in our cars. I'd be curious to see how much more it drops with his "new" system.

[unhappy]

Corrections: The former system did indeed cover Cape Cod roads as well as the Cape/Islands ferries, which the new system does not. And the former system covered 290 and 90 in Central MA.

Questions: What makes you say that "Federal Highway officials required that MassDOT change the current system after 15+ years with the same vendor and little change in service level"? First of all, is there something in writing about the Feds requiring that change? I looked around the FHWA website and saw no such requirement, not to mention that 511 wasn't even hatched 15 years ago. Secondly, if you never expressed any interest in changing service levels of the old provider, how could they change? Were they not living up to the expectations of your old contract with them?

[George Moore]

Today is the first time i used the new Mass DOT 511 traffic system. it's was very confusing. .. i commute from Boston to Lynnfield on thursday and friday mornings for work and back to Boston Mid morning.. I enter 93N at Mass Ave! Normally before i would check traffic pattern going into Boston 93N SMART ROUTES (932*) if traffic back up i would continue to Boston through chinatown and enter 93N after south station.

Today i dial 511. i received information that had nothing to do with the route I was taking.. All i wanted to know was the traffic patten head to Boston Tip O' Neil tunnel 93N, traffic thur the tunnel and traffic head 93N to 128/95 split.

once thur the tunnel i need to know traffic patterns 93N/128/95N, which gets conjusted at 128 cloverleaf. I couldn't get that information from DOT 511 system. Lucky i got off 93N at Spot Pond,Stoneham and cut through Main St. Stoneham. As i was getting of the exit I could see a huge traffic jam ahead at Montvale Ave exit and beyond which was not reported on the DOT 511system..

I was probably one of lucky one who made it to work on time but other commuters who don't know the short cuts and rely on the traffic reports were screwed.

Im not going to go into detail about my reverse commute, what i need to know heading into Boston on 93S from lynnfield is trafic on lower deck Boston, storrow drive exit traffic to TD Garden and traffic going through Boston tunnels are clear,,

there need to be major changes to the new traffic system.. All I want to know as a commuter from the Mass DOT traffic system is the quickest, shortest time to get to and from my destination..

the old Smart Route system wasn't perfect but you need to bring it back.. Did the MASS DOT conduct focus group with commuter before they design this system???? if you need help let me know??

[rfe]

There shouldn't be this much of a learning curve to get a simple traffic report. It's very confusing to skip between segments. I commute between Beverly and Braintree every day so I check the traffic on 128, 1 and 93. It's very time consuming and commanding too much of my attention to cycle through all the different segments. It's very distracting to have to figure out exactly which segment it's talking about so I can either skip it or listen. When I'm on my way to work, I don't care what the traffic is like on 93 north of Boston. I'm headed southbound, south of the city. And it's not like you can remember to skip three segments for example because the way I understand it, if there's no congestion there's no segment report.

Luckily the old service still works if you call 617-374-1234. I hope it stays that way. Very disappointing that Massachusetts chose this new service. There are enough distracted drivers as it is without people having to pay more attention to their phone to cycle through segments than paying attention to the road.

[veronica]

The new system does not provide any details that a commuter would want to know. I don't care about 93 south of the city when I live in Methuen. I loved the old system that was so user friendly and gave me the info I needed to be able to tell my famly when I might get home. Now, it gives you the option of skipping a section, but i was on the phone last night with this new system for over 5 minutes and never found out why 93 north was backed up at commerce way. Again, it is very unuser friendly and keeps you on the phone longer. Please give us back the old system and get rid of this horrible new system.
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MassDOT Responds: Thank you for writing. The new 511 service will provide real-time traffic updates for all current 511 road segments, in addition to new road segments in parts of the state that have never received coverage. For the first time ever, this expanded coverage includes major routes and highways in Western Mass, Central Mass, Cape Cod, and the South Coast. Previous 511 service only covered communities in eastern Massachusetts.

We understand there will be some confusion as we move to a new system -- that's natural when you change from an older, outdated system we've been using for the last 15 years that people have gotten used to.

However, the serious budget cuts that are being made throughout the state impacting human services and health care mean that we have a responsibility to reduce costs where possible. In this case we have launched a better service, that for the first time provides service to customers throughout the state at NO cost to the taxpayer.

[Dianne Rizzo]

Sorry but this change now makes the information provided useless. I prefer the older method with intellegent information that gives some information on why, where, and how far a back is meaningful. Just exit number and "congestion" is not helpful! PLEASE bring the old system back.
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MassDOT: Thank you for your comments.

We appreciate you taking the time to post comments about the system, and we sincerely hope that you give the system a few more tries. We would encourage you to visit www.mass.gov/511 to sign up to have personalized traffic alerts sent directly to your cellphone or email address.

Federal Highway officials required that MassDOT change the current system after 15+ years with the same vendor and little change in service level. The new 511, the result of a public-private partnership with Sendza, a Massachusetts communications-software company, will come at no cost to the state, resulting in $4.1 million in one-time savings and $1.2 million in annual savings for MassDOT. The new system substantially lowers costs for MassDOT while allowing it to provide an improved and statewide service to drivers. Savings from this program will be re-invested in critical road and bridge projects that create jobs.

Since 2005, calls to the old system had declined steadily, to the point where on an average day, less than one half of one percent of Massachusetts drivers called the service. Given the fiscal constraints on the Commonwealth, MassDOT decided to seek a vendor that could meet the requirements of a leading 511 system while minimizing cost to the Commonwealth.

We understand there will be some confusion as we move to a new system that replaces a system that has remained largely unchanged for 15+ years. However, the serious budget cuts that are being made throughout the state mean that we have a responsibility to reduce costs where possible. In this case, MassDOT has launched a better service, that for the first time provides service to customers throughout the state at NO cost to the taxpayer.

[Chayah L.]

I tried to use the new 511 this morning. Awful. I used to be able to dial 511 and then enter 31* for Route 3 traffic. With the new system, I can't find any way to get Route 3 (Chelmsford to Burlington) information. I used the Boston/Cambridge arteries route code, hoping it would give me Route 3 info. No dice. My only other choice was Neighboring states 511 systems. Thinking that I wasn't using the system correctly, I looked on Sendza's web site. Same menu choices.
Actually, I can't even figure out how to use Sendza to get info about coverage West of Worceseter or on the Cape when the only choices are Boston/Cambridge or Neighboring States. Am I missing something here?
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MassDOT Responds:

Thanks for your comments. We're sorry you had trouble using the system this morning.

Callers should enter only their route number. To access information on Route 3, press 3. Pressing 31* is no longer correct.

Reports are prioritized by the congestion, direction, and time of day. In the case of Route 3, a given morning may be ordered as such:

- Route 3 South, north of Boston
- Route 3 North, south of Boston
- Route 3 South, south of Boston
- Route 3 North, north of Boston

The system only provides a report if there is congestion on that route, so if Route 3 North of Boston is congested but Route 3 South is not, callers might here only these two reports:

- Route 3 South, north of Boston
- Route 3 North, north of Boston

If you don't hear reports for Route 3 South of Boston, it means the system isn't reading congestion on that road.

We verified this morning that route 3 is providing reports for all four areas and directions (again, only if they are congested).

To find information for routes west of Worcester, simply enter the route numbers after the prompt. For example, for information on Interstate 91 press 91. For information on Route 6 on the Cape press 6.

Thanks again for the detailed comments and please let us know if you have additional questions.

[cmf46]

It seems strange that MassDot will be promoting receiving text messages, while the Federal Govt is trying to outlaw text messaging by commercial drivers. If you think this is a problem please comment on the DOT's proposed rule at regulationroom.org

[Trucker]

1) The current service may not advertise it but it covers out to Sturbridge, not just Worcester (and often covers incidents on the Pike in Springfield when they are aware of them).

2) The new provider is "a national leader"? Do they have experienced traffic reporters on the radio and TV in every big city in the country like the current provider does? I've never heard of them. However, I have heard of Metro Traffic for years.

3) The current service also allows us to connect to someone at MassDOT (by pressing 321*). That's in addition to connecting us to live traffic reporters (by pressing 4*)

4) You boast about the new computer-generated voice. Have you heard the computer-generated voice systems that other states use? They lack inflection and emphasis and sound very bland. It is very easy to lose focus on such tedious and monotone systems.

I travel a lot for business and have used 511 systems all over the country. I can tell you that the current system here in MA is the most logical and user-friendly of them all (with the San Fran Bay Area's system being a close second). It has everything that commuters and vistors need in traffic reporting. I am very sorry to hear that it is going away.

You get what you pay for.

[511 LOVER]

AUTOMATED? WILL THIS BE AS BAD THE NEW HAMPSHIRE AUTOMATED 511

[John Miller]

1. The current provider has NEVER limited their coverage to inside 128.

2. The current provider's content is backed with an infrastructure of aircraft, cameras, new tecnologies, and, most importantly, real, live, and very experienced personnel. Sendza cannot say the same. Not even close.

3. The new service will not allow commuters to talk with a live person. This has always been an option with the current provider.

4. The new service's recordings will not be able to provide either nuance nor context to ongoing issues as they will be computer voiced. It will be much more about construction info and events that were pre-planned.

5. In short, the state chose the provider that provided the cheapest service not the best. Everyone agreed that SmartRoutes provided the best information but that it costs more than the state is willing to pay. For anyone to now claim that Sendza will be better for commuters is simply wrong.
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MassDOT Responds: Thanks for the detailed comment.

1. You're correct -- we had an editing error. The current service includes most of eastern Massachusetts. The new service will provide coverage west of Worcester and on the Cape for the first time in the program's 15+ year history.

2. Sendza uses traffic congestion data provided by INRIX, a national leader in traffic information. This is the same company that provides traffic information to leading automotive and technology companies, including Ford, TomTom, Avis, BMW, Sprint, AT&T, Mapquest, Microsoft, and Apple.

3. The new service will permit callers to connect directly to live operators at the MassDOT Highway Operations Center.

4. The existing 511 service, which remains largely unchanged from its initial rollout in the early 1990s, is believed to be the only system in the country that still uses recorded voice for the majority of its messages. Updating to a computer-generated voice permits huge savings, which will be reinvested in critical infrastructure projects that make our roads safer and smoother.

5. Bidders were encouraged to submit bids that met the basic requirements of a 511 system while minimizing the cost to taxpayers. Sendza's "no cost" response was the only one that offered both statewide coverage and personalized traffic information."

To learn more about the innovative way that the Commonwealth approached this project, check out this blog post:

http://transportation.blog.state.ma.us/blog/2009/10/reform-new-direction-for-mass-511-service.html

[user]

Correction: The current service covers east of Sturbridge including 90, 290, and 495.