🚀 go-pugleaf

Arthur T. McClinton (art@cyclone.mitre.org) wrote:
: WRC, WMAL, WTOP and several others all buy their traffic reports from the
: same company.  The reports are for the most part every 10 minutes.  I have
: found I can switch around between the stations and find virtually the same
: information (or miss information).  

: WMAL is generally on the 3's, WRC is on the 8's.

   We've all heard of Metro Traffic Control, right?  While it is true 
that Metro Traffic provides traffic reports and reporters for a number of 
radio and television stations throughout the B/W area, WTOP does not use 
Metro Traffic.  1500am has their own traffic control center, e.g. "I'm 
Bob Marburg (sp?) in the traffic control center..." 

   Metro Traffic does at least a reasonable job, reporting all dispatched
emergencies and most of the major tie-ups, but in my opinion, WTOP has by
far the best coverage.  During rush hour, they typically have two aircraft
and four reporters around the city watching traffic.  It seems that their
information is more timely and more thorough.  And what's more, the
reporters know what it's like to drive the roads on which they report and
can therfore stress the severity of a delay through the inflection of 
their voices.  Just yesterday, Friday before Memorial Day weekend, I heard 
Shari Liquor on WJFK happily breeze through the sentence, "...and a four 
mile delay at the Bay Bridge."  On WTOP it would have been, "...and a 
FOUR MILE DELAY at the Bay Bridge..." 

   I like WTOPs seemingly thorough and prompt coverage of traffic.  And 
if they aren't really any better than Metro Traffic, I still like the 
style in which they report.

-Jonathan