RALEIGH ó The N.C. Department of Transportation now offers travel information for motorists and ferry passengers on Twitter.
“A quick check of Twitter can make for a quicker trip to work,” said Gov. Bev Perdue. “State government and our DOT are using 21st century technology to connect you to up-to-date travel information so you don’t start or end your day in a frustrating logjam or bottleneck.”
The department reminds motorists not to use mobile devices while driving. Instead, NCDOT encourages them to check the alerts before they leave home, work or school.
“The goal of this high-tech initiative is to help people ‘know before you go,’ ” said Transportation Secretary Gene Conti. “By sending them important updates about traffic conditions and ferry delays, we can help citizens better plan for the day ahead.”
The NCDOT Twitter updates regarding highways include information about:
– Congestion;
– Accidents;
– Road or lane closures;
– Construction projects; and
– Maintenance work.
The department’s Twitter alerts about the state’s ferry system include details on:
– Schedule changes;
– Weather-related delays; and
– Ticket sales.
Citizens can get brief updates, or “tweets,” for 16 different routes or regions of the state. To see all the Twitter options NCDOT offers, they can go to www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter/. There, they also will find information on how to sign up for a Twitter account. Doing so allows users to receive tweets on mobile devices such as cell phones and PDAs.