|
Quick Links  |
511 Traveler InformationNews Release from Florida Department of Transportation 511 Tampa Bay Frequently Asked Questions
What is 511? What is 511?511 is a simple, easy-to-remember three digit phone number for traffic and travel information.How did 511 begin?The Federal Communications Commission designated 511 as the single traffic information telephone number for use by states and local jurisdictions on July 21, 2000. Since then, many states and cities have implemented 511 traffic information services to benefit travelers, and eventually the single-number service should be available nationwide. The service is provided free of charge.Is 511 available in the Tampa Bay region?Yes. It officially began service on September 2, 2004. The system is fully operational on a 24/7 basis.What information is available through 511 Tampa Bay?511 Tampa Bay provides traffic and transit information, including up-to-the-minute travel times for select routes, for the Tampa Bay area via phone or Web site (www.511tampabay.com). 511 Tampa Bay Web site and telephone service provides users with access to state-of-the-art traveler information, including:How many phone calls to 511 Tampa Bay are expected?While 511 Tampa Bay call volume is expected to build over time, it is projected to eventually average 100,000 calls per month. The system is designed to comfortably handle spikes in usage at any given time.How is 511 Tampa Bay different from existing radio and TV news?With 511, users can expect to receive more timely and route-specific information than they hear in a 30-second traffic news slot and they will be able to access the information on demand. 511 is another information source for travelers that complements radio and television broadcasts.Who provides 511 Tampa Bay service?The service is being provided by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Seven.How much will be invested on 511 Tampa Bay?The FDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will invest more than $5-million over a five-year period.What roads are covered by 511 Tampa Bay?Traffic information is provided for select roads in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, and Hernando counties. See maps.How is traffic information gathered?Roadside sensors monitor traffic along portions of the Tampa Bay area Interstate network of I-275, I-4 and I-75 using approximately 100 solar powered, wireless sensors to gather lane-by-lane data on speeds and vehicle counts. The data permits the calculation of travel times which are refreshed at 60-second intervals. This Advanced Traveler Information System is a joint effort of FHWA, FDOT and the Traffic Pulse division of Mobility Technologies. Road condition information not part of the Interstate system is collected from a variety of sources, including police scanners, FDOT Road Rangers, the Florida Highway Patrol, cameras, and Web monitoring.How many miles of roadway will 511 Tampa Bay cover?511 Tampa Bay will cover approximately 750 miles of select roadways throughout the region, 85 of which will be monitored by roadside sensors on specific Interstate segments. See map.Who should use it?Commuters & Local ResidentsTourists Can I access 511 Tampa Bay when I am outside of the region?Yes. Users can either log on to the Web site or call toll free 1-800-576-3886 from anywhere within the continental U.S. How much does a call to 511 cost users?511 is a public service of the state of Florida and the telecommunications industry. There is no charge to Tampa Bay land line users. Cellular phone users will pay normal airtime and roaming charges, according to their cellular service contracts. Pay phone users are responsible for the 35- to 50-cent minimum toll fee. Some 511 services offered in other states may charge the caller for premium information. The caller will be notified of any charges. Can users call at anytime?Like the Web site, the 511 phone service is available to the public 24/7 for traffic and transit information. How do 511 Tampa Bay phone users find information for one particular roadway?511 Tampa Bay phone users can say the road they are seeking information on at any time during a call. What's the maximum length of a call?The national average call length to a 511 traveler information service is about a minute and a half. Calls to the 511 Tampa Bay telephone service are limited to five minutes. A call will never terminate in the middle of a report and will always give users the option to repeat a report at least once. But if a call has gone over five minutes, users will not be able to continue once they have heard the last report. If users require more information after that, they will need to call back. Why doesn't the phone system "understand" some users?The single most prevalent problem with voice response systems like the 511 Tampa Bay telephone service is speech recognition. Every effort has been made to design and optimize the system, but it's never perfect. That's why the FDOT will continually work to improve the recognition level. A noisy environment will cause recognition problems and faulty connections can also create difficulties. Suggestions for improved recognition: What if users have trouble dialing 511 directly from a work phone?Users may be required to dial a single digit access code for an outside line (typically an “8” or “9”). In these instances, users should dial the single digit access code and then 511.What if users are on the phone and they want to connect to another 511 system?The telephone service providers in the Tampa Bay area have set up their systems so when users dial '511' they reach the 511 Tampa Bay service. However, this means that in some areas between Tampa Bay and Orlando, users may get 511 Tampa Bay when they want 511 Orlando. If this happens, users should say "transfer" at the main menu and follow the prompts to transfer to another system.What are Public Safety Alerts?In most cases (weather alerts, Amber alerts), the system will tell users that an alert is available and ask them if they would like to hear it. If users want to hear alerts during a call, they can say "alerts" at the main menu. From time to time, various government and law-enforcement authorities issue alerts. Some of these, like state of emergency or evacuation alerts, are of such importance that they will override any other information. Alerts of this type will be delivered at the start of 511 Tampa Bay calls. In cases of severe emergency, the call may be ended after the alert message is delivered.What does it mean to “Know Before You Go”?The FDOT’s most important priority is safety. The preference is that motorists call 511 from home, work or other point of origin, prior to departure. If a cellular phone is used en route, we urge motorists to call from an appropriate stopping point along the way and use a hands-free device.What is the difference between the Florida Highway Patrol’s *FHP and 511?Star FHP (*347) is used to report drunk drivers, traffic crashes, stranded or disabled motorists, or any suspicious incidents occurring on Tampa Bay roadways. 511 is a non-emergency traveler information number.What is the difference between 911 and 511?911 is used to report emergencies, the need for police or medical attention. 511 is a non-emergency traveler information number. |
