Traffic

Welcome to TTF.

Make an Explorer, not Home, backup of your unit's contents. This is your 'safety net'.

Now, to your questions........

Your unit comes with a combined car charger/traffic antenna that picks up information via fm signal and will report it on your unit via a vertical traffic bar on the right side of the screen.

It should show delays and hold ups on your unit. While the information is not LIVE, it's usually better than nothing.
 
What is the difference between Traffic and Live?
There are two different systems being used to deliver traffic data. One comes over a subchannel of local FM stations. It's called RDS-TMC or similar depending upon which side of the ocean you're on.

The second method provides a data connection to servers via cell phone connection. That has been accomplished in two ways - by the GPS device using the user's cell phone as a modem (sometimes called DUN, sometimes called "tethering") to contact the server, and by embedding the cell device directly into the GPS device.

RDS-TMC traffic usually isn't as up-to-date and usually doesn't cover any but the major roads. Still, it can beat roaming the AM dial looking for traffic reports.

Yours is the RDS-TMS version. It comes with a special car charger cable that receives the FM broadcasts. You should find that little oval lump in your cable - that's the receiver.

Once connected, keep watch on the right hand side of your screen. There's a vertical area there that indicates traffic incidents ahead. Slow traffic will also be indicated by different colors on the roads on the map (red, yellow, etc.)
 
Thanks. Does Traffic also seek alternate routes?
For some reason my XXL came with Traffic but not the receiver you described. I am in the process of communicating with TomTom to get the part. It is endless.
 
Thanks. Does Traffic also seek alternate routes?
The TomTom units with which I am familiar allow you to specify what you want done in the event that traffic is found on your route. (Note: I can't speak to the awful "EasyMenu" versions -- it wouldn't surprise me if they'd pulled the more useful menu options regarding traffic along with the list with which I've grown familiar in these threads). For those I've actually used and know, I've got them set up to prepare a new route and ask if I want to execute it or not.

As long as it appears, based upon current road conditions, that I have some time to evaluate what's happening up ahead with time to get off the highway, I'll blow off the recommendation and simply use the information as a warning to be ready to make a quick exit. Too often the traffic data (even Live) is old enough that the situation has actually cleared up, and a reroute is going to cause an additional delay. This stuff is all pretty early technology and can't be relied upon for rock solid information, no matter which version you've got.
 
...Too often the traffic data (even Live) is old enough that the situation has actually cleared up, and a reroute is going to cause an additional delay. This stuff is all pretty early technology and can't be relied upon for rock solid information, no matter which version you've got.

In addition to aging data, I think it sometimes gets into the system incorrectly, and that some of the LIVE traffic data is predictive. I've been stuck in traffic where TomTom shows none, only to see that TomTom believes there is traffic in the opposing direction, when there is fact no traffic. I've also been roadside in some areas for a while where TomTom shows traffic, when I know for a fact that there is not and has not been any traffic at all.

Like you, I tend to take TomTom traffic reports under advisement and don't let it automatically re-route me.
 
I'm certain that "Live" data includes some "de facto" delay information that is assumed based upon a particular condition that is "in place"... like a construction project... whether the situation actually results in a delay or not.

For example, there's some construction up north of Denver on I-25. EVERY time that I drive north through that stretch, whether there is any delay there or not, "Live" shows yellow traffic with a 3 minute delay. In fact, it shows it now at nearly 10:00 at night when traffic up there is minimal to begin with. Went blazing through there at 75 at 8:30 this evening.

Try TomTom's web based route planner using Frederick, CO to Mead, CO and "Right Now". I don't think I've seen that stretch show green since they started the project.
 
Do the regular "find alternate route" option and that option under Traffic work differently from each other, or do they really amount to the same thing? I have not found the regular "alternate route" too helpful.
 
Do the regular "find alternate route" option and that option under Traffic work differently from each other, or do they really amount to the same thing? I have not found the regular "alternate route" too helpful.
With traffic, a "good" alternative would be expected to reduce your travel time. The TT will take your current situation, with delays, and compare to any alternate route. If the time to destination appears to be shorter with the alternate, it will recommend that. On the other hand, it may instead advise that there are no routes that would improve on your existing situation. It will let you know which is the case and you can make your decisions from there.
 

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