Caltrans announces partnership with Waze app
Two-way data share hopes to ease congestion and better inform drivers
–Caltrans has announced a new, free data-sharing partnership with Waze, the navigation app powered by drivers, in which each will share data to provide the public with better traffic and road information.
“Combining the real-time anonymous data from Waze, sourced from drivers themselves, with Caltrans’ vast network of traffic management systems is a win-win for California drivers,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty.
Under this agreement, Waze will share with Caltrans the free, anonymous traffic and incident report data from Waze users (called Wazers). This data will provide real-time travel information on California’s roadways provided by Caltrans’ QuickMap. Waze, in turn, will receive Caltrans’ road condition reporting data, construction and road closure information to share with its users. Together, both will have more data and be better able to provide a thorough overview of road conditions, giving drivers more power to plan their commutes and trips.
“Waze is only as strong as the information it receives from its users,” said Paige Fitzgerald, Connected Citizens Program Manager at Waze. “The Connected Citizens Program is a natural evolution for Waze as we already enable and empower drivers and are now bringing entire cities that same level of connectivity. The immense data Caltrans can contribute to the Waze app makes them a valued partner moving forward.”
To download the free Waze app for iOS or Android, visit http://www.waze.com.
