511 in Bay Area (San Francisco & greater bay)

[KevinJames]

On my way home today, driving through Livermore, I saw a CalTrans sign I hadn't seen before: "511 for Info" (or something to that effect).

Being curious, I dialed it. Immediately a recording started by saying I can get info on different services in the Bay Area. I found it odd that it specified the Bay Area, so after I got over the Altamont, I tried it again. Sure enough an error message came on: "Message G3-SC1-32, ATT Wireless. We're sorry but the number you dialed cannot be completed...."

With that I checked the web and found: http://www.511.org/

Very interesting.

[ILUVSOCAL]

Yep, pretty cool, however, it doesn't work on every system. I can get it to work on Verizon Wireless here in Lake and Mendocino Counties, as well as in Sonoma County and SF, however, US Cellular and Edge just give me an error message, must have something to do with where their switches are. It is pretty useful, and has links to all the transit agencies, from Lake and Mendocino Counties to SF, despite the page saying their info stops at Sonoma County. There's a 1-800 number you can dial for it too, I forgot it though. Here's the web site Kev [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]


http://www.511.org/default.asp

[ZaphodB]

It's not an 800 number, it's 817-1717 IIRC... from any Bay Area area code (408, 415, 510, 650, 707, 925, and maybe 831).

Same people who run transitinfo.org.

[ILUVSOCAL]

The 707 area code runs well beyond the Bay Area, it extends from Vallejo and Contra Costa County in the south to the Oregon Border in the north, and everything from the coast over to the western edge of the Sacramento Valley, it's one HUGE area code!

[NokiaKrazy]

Here in my area, 511 was installed just in time for the 2002 Winter Olympics. All I've seen it useful for is winter driving conditions. Even that is not 100% accurate. Called it last year and it told me the roads in my area were clear. It been snowing for over 12 hours.

Give it time.