Connected Commuters Are Happy Commuters

A new study from the New Cities Foundation suggests that those of us who use transit apps such as Waze and Roadify have shorter and more pleasant commutes.

1 minute read

December 11, 2012, 12:00 PM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


The study, which was published this week, looked at commuter sentiment in San Jose, California by analyzing the results of focus groups and comments made by users of Waze (a car-focused transportation planning app) and Roadify (a public transportation planning app), reports Ariel Schwartz. One of the key findings of the study was that drivers "not only reached their destinations faster by staying connected with other drivers, they were also less impatient about getting there, " writes Christopher F. Schuetze in an article in The New York Times.

He adds, "In a 21st-century equivalent of flashing your headlights to warn of an upcoming speed trap, drivers also felt good about sharing information that would help others on the road, the authors found. 'It is the element of not just receiving information that is useful,'” said Naureen Kabir, who led the study.

Monday, December 10, 2012 in Fast Company Co.Exist

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

A Firefighter sprays water from a hose at a tall blaze.

US buildings threatened, destroyed by fires set to triple by 2060

Researchers found a high fire risk for socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods in the American West.

5 hours ago - Inside Climate News

People cross a crosswalk in Los Angeles.

LA residents may be allowed to paint their own crosswalks

Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky put out a motion instructing the Los Angeles Department of Public Transportation to study the feasibility of allowing volunteers to paint crosswalks.

6 hours ago - ABC7

Two women walking on the sidewalk in Dallas.

Dallas moves to overhaul its zoning code

The city's zoning reform will allow more multi-family and mixed-use developments.

7 hours ago - Yahoo News