SA’s first live traffic update service launched

Users get SMS traffic alerts based on average highway speeds

Cellfind, a Blue Label Telecom subsidiary, has partnered with TrafficNet and Tracker, to launch miTRAFFIC; the country’s first live traffic update service based on a weekly subscription.

“The objective of miTRAFFIC is to provide a service that gives up-to-date information on traffic incidents, allowing motorists to seek alternative routes,” says Niel Barnard, CEO of Cellfind. MTN and Vodacom subscribers can access this service by subscribing via the WEB, SMS, USSD and WAP interfaces.

The offering has been made possible as a result of Tracker’s vehicle monitoring technology. Tracker’s SkyTrax technology is fitted to over than 100 000 vehicles throughout South Africa and enables Tracker to accurately determine and communicate the speed and position of these vehicles.

Utilising this data, average speeds can be determined for sections of road at any time. By then overlaying the information compiled by TrafficNet, which runs a national traffic incident service, the most comprehensive picture of traffic flow patterns and incidents available in South Africa today can be generated.

“With just Tracker’s information alone, we are able to see where there is congestion on the roads and where traffic is flowing freely. However, by overlaying TrafficNet’s information on top of ours we can understand what the reasons for the congestion are,” says Tracker’s Marketing Director, Michael Du Preez.

miTRAFFIC provides all reported traffic incidents and a traffic “temperature” map for areas that are within a 50km radius of the subscribed location.  miTRAFFIC also provides traffic incidents and temperature maps for ‘Home’ and ‘Work’ locations as registered by the customer and is  sent out at a time that the customer can set,” he adds.

The service is charged at R12 a week, for which subscribers will receive 10 traffic updates.