• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Your "traffic station"

O

oldmanradio

What station do you listen to for traffic information?

Tony
 
None.
I listen to the stations I listen to for other reasons. And traffic reports (and the necessary evil that comes with them, traffic reporters) aren't one of them.

I travel one route from home to office and back. I also tend to travel at less than peak times. And since I know the alternate routes so much better than any traffic reporter, it's pointless for me to listen to them for that, and rarely is there such a monumental accident that my main route isn't just slow, but actually shut down.

To me, traffic reports are like a side dish. Done well, it can complement the main course, but, just as I don't go to Luby's for the mac and cheese, I'm not going someplace for the side dish.

All i hope for is that whoever is cooking up the side dish isn't so bad as to become noticeable (cough, Barb Smith on The Ticket, cough)
 
little1 said:
None.
I listen to the stations I listen to for other reasons. And traffic reports (and the necessary evil that comes with them, traffic reporters) aren't one of them.

I travel one route from home to office and back. I also tend to travel at less than peak times. And since I know the alternate routes so much better than any traffic reporter, it's pointless for me to listen to them for that, and rarely is there such a monumental accident that my main route isn't just slow, but actually shut down.

To me, traffic reports are like a side dish. Done well, it can complement the main course, but, just as I don't go to Luby's for the mac and cheese, I'm not going someplace for the side dish.

All i hope for is that whoever is cooking up the side dish isn't so bad as to become noticeable (cough, Barb Smith on The Ticket, cough)
Click to expand...



Sometimes I listen to Alexis on i93 for traffic
 
oldmanradio said:
What station do you listen to for traffic information?

Tony
Click to expand...

WBAP has a pretty good report. But if you can afford to go a different rout (of finding a source, not driving rout), there are a few apps on the iPhone that let you get a more in-depth and analyzed report. the iheartradio app had market specific traffic and weather reports every 15 minutes that lasted a good 8-10 minutes...but that's all it was. Dead for 5 minutes and someone coming on to give you the info, without banter. I've since gotten rid of iheartradio because of a better radio app, so not sure if that's still an option.
 
DFW_Radio_2000 said:
oldmanradio said:
What station do you listen to for traffic information?

Tony
Click to expand...

WBAP has a pretty good report. But if you can afford to go a different rout (of finding a source, not driving rout), there are a few apps on the iPhone that let you get a more in-depth and analyzed report. the iheartradio app had market specific traffic and weather reports every 15 minutes that lasted a good 8-10 minutes...but that's all it was. Dead for 5 minutes and someone coming on to give you the info, without banter. I've since gotten rid of iheartradio because of a better radio app, so not sure if that's still an option.
Click to expand...

BAP's traffic reports are only as good as long as the anchor has more then 15 seconds to give you the scoop after the sponsor and the sign off. ::)
 
I like KRLD because I know when they will be on. :) But Monty is kinda cute so I should probably give 820 a shot. Oh and that TXDOT website is kind of hard to listen to when I am in the car. Same thing with the apps. "Sorry officer, I was trying to use this app to find out why this road was backed up."
 
maps.google.com If I want instant traffic, it's usually as accurate as any radio feed I've found. Then again thanks to the green line, I DART to work and back. So I have 40 minutes of surfing the net on the laptop and I don't have to be bumper to bumper with irate drivers ;D
 
MissyRadio said:
I like KRLD because I know when they will be on. :) But Monty is kinda cute so I should probably give 820 a shot. Oh and that TXDOT website is kind of hard to listen to when I am in the car. Same thing with the apps. "Sorry officer, I was trying to use this app to find out why this road was backed up."
Click to expand...

Did it not occur to you that you should maybe start the app before you're driving...?

Plan ahead so you know what traffic is like before you start your commute...and then the radio stations mentioned if things change while you're out. Then again, the apps are audio, so if you have a problem hearing texdot, the other are useless.

However, most radios today have aux inputs for your phone to go right in and hear texdot or an app just as clear as a station you'd hear.
 
If you have a smartphone you can use the google maps app. It show congestion and wrecks. All you have to do is look at the maps while you're driving. That's what I use. It's all color coded for those of you that are a lil slow. Now the color blind will have a problem. ;D Hope you're not red/green deficient.

As for traffic station. I usually use BAP, but Randy Fuller NEVER gives any accurate traffic info. Must be the slackers at Metro not entering the data correctly. Or the over zealous execs have put a kabosh on staying on top of your job round there. I'm sure it's probably a couple people doin all Sirius/XM traffic along with all the stations they still have.
 
I listen to Alexis on The Ticket because I like to hear her say "stick it up your tailpipe"..

Yummy!
 
I check Google Maps on my Blackberry ("Show Traffic") before I head out, so I can plan whether to take I-20 or I-30. I've always wondered how they got such accurate info, until someone pointed out they're probably just monitoring the speed/location/congestion of all the other people who have smartphones with Google Maps. A little creepy, but I guess it gets the job done.

Once I'm on the road, I'll flip between WBAP and KRLD. Sometimes I listen to Kraddick during morning commutes, but their traffic reports are useless.
 
Kym West
Click to expand...

Why the smiley face for Kym? I actually find her to be, by far, the most annoying traffic personality on BAP, with her cutesy-crackly voice. I hope you're not her... If so, I'm sure you're/she's a very nice person. Just does NOT have the voice I need to hear on the way home after a long day.
 
CinnamonToast said:
I check Google Maps on my Blackberry ("Show Traffic") before I head out, so I can plan whether to take I-20 or I-30. I've always wondered how they got such accurate info, until someone pointed out they're probably just monitoring the speed/location/congestion of all the other people who have smartphones with Google Maps. A little creepy, but I guess it gets the job done.

Once I'm on the road, I'll flip between WBAP and KRLD. Sometimes I listen to Kraddick during morning commutes, but their traffic reports are useless.
Click to expand...

Actually NavTeq does all the mobile app information. There is a program that will track cell signals on a hwy/roadway t osee where congestion is.
 
My favorite source is KRLD-AM since the focus is on my route in general. WBAP is excellent for Tarrent county, but in general I find the coverage on KRLD well balanced across DFW especially because they include expanded Collin County. For years many stations forgot that there is life outside the LBJ loop.

In the old days when I was the image guy and swing at the Eagle I really enjoyed Jimmy Helms (Hollywood) the guy had a ton of Texas personality, knowledge of the area, and was one heck of a chopper pilot. Remember "Black Thunder?"

Back during the last ice-apocalypse around 1989 I made a nice re-mix of Kenny Loggins Danger Zone intermixed with the traffic plane to plane communications (BS between the pilots and sun bather babe watch in the summer on the high rise roof pools). It was a hoot. I know that Moby played it a lot in morning drive in the aftermath and I think it even got airplay on Kid's afternoon show. Aaah the good old days ;D

Somewhere around here in the tape archives it may live on :-\
 
I've discussed this before but I'm always amazed that CBS tried All-News on KRLD TWICE and failed both times. Dallas is the largest market in the country without an All-News station doing traffic every ten minutes 24/7.

This means outside of drive times, who knows when and where to get a traffic report? If it's not AM or PM drive and WBAP or KRLD learns of an overturned tanker truck blocking a major interstate highway at 33 minutes after the hour, you're never going to hear about that traffic problem till maybe the local news at the top of the next hour... that means at least 30 minutes later. Neither station is going to break into a syndicated talk show to air local traffic. You could easily be listening to Rush on WBAP or another syndicated talk show on KRLD and drive right into the traffic jam.

There are very successful All-News stations in markets smaller than Dallas (KYW Philadelphia, WTOP Washington, WWJ Detroit, KOMO Seattle). What's wrong with Dallas that nobody needs an All-News station that features "Traffic and Weather Together Every Ten Minutes" all hours, day and night? (Remember, expense is not an issue because CBS invested in All-News TWICE on KRLD believing if it worked, it would be worth the cost.)


Gregg
[email protected]
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom