Wednesday, July 23. 2008

How do drive time maps save fuel?

An Internet-based map store put out a press release offering custom drive time maps. The selling point: they save gas. There's no real explanation of how they'd be used for that purpose and I can't think of any.

Update 3:26 pm: Based on the comments below I realize I didn't define drive time maps. That was an error. Here's the definition, a fine one, from the vendor of the maps in question: "Highlights drive time range limits." Such maps define the boundary of how far a driver can go from a specified point in a specified time. The vendor suggests 5, 15, 30, 45 and hour ranges, but will accept any value you choose.

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Presumably if the map shows you the possibility of a different, shorter route than what you'd normally travel, you'd save gas.

But for $100+, I think most people would opt to put that in their gas tank.

#1 John Reiser (Link) on 2008-07-23 11:15 (Reply)

They don't, but "save fuel" is an attention grabber, as rising gas prices are on most people's minds nowadays. That's also why many non-travel promotions also dangle a "$100 gas card" in front of consumers, as opposed to merely a $100 rebate.

#2 Atanas Entchev (Link) on 2008-07-23 11:22 (Reply)

Google traffic maps work just fine for me.. free and I can grab a look on my mobile while sitting on the Interstate...

#3 glenn on 2008-07-23 13:13 (Reply)

If you're making service calls or deliveries from a central location you've probably been estimating travel cost (and billing customers) based on straight line distances from your hub. If you could drive as the crow flies that makes sense, but all straight line distances are not equal, and as gas prices increase so does the inequality. The fuel savings comes from using the map data to more efficiently plan your routes according to the reality of time, and thus cost. At the current fuel pricing trend It shouldn't take long to recoup the price of the map.

#4 Steve (Link) on 2008-07-24 08:50 (Reply)

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