GOOD radio traffic reporters

[cpzilliacus]

How about traffic reporters that know the system they are reporting on, clearly like what they are doing, speak clearly and make it worthwhile to listen to their station for traffic information?

My favorites:

Bob Marbourg on WTOP Radio (103.5 FM) in Washington, D.C. (and large surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia).

Tommy Jaxson on KNX Newsradio (1070 AM) in Los Angeles.

Other good traffic reporters out there?

[MrDisco99]

I've always thought the reports on WINS 1010 in NYC were pretty impressive for the amount of information that can squeeze into about 30 seconds.

[OCGuy81]

I usually listen to Scott "Skylord" as he reports during the Mark & Brian morning show here in the LA area.  The downside is he doesn't really cover anything in Orange County, but my commute is short, so meh.

[1995hoo]

How about traffic reporters that know the system they are reporting on, clearly like what they are doing, speak clearly and make it worthwhile to listen to their station for traffic information?

My favorites:

Bob Marbourg on WTOP Radio (103.5 FM) in Washington, D.C. (and large surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia).

....

I feel conflicted about Marbourg. He knows the area really well and can be thorough. On the other hand, his sentences are often too long and winding for what is inherently a rapid-fire radio broadcast that should be about pumping out the maximum amount of information quickly and clearly. He sometimes takes forever to get to the point. I also find some of his pet phrases to be irritating ("no accidents/incidents in the way"–why does he feel the need for both words?). His preaching about getting over early instead of practicing the "zipper merge" needs to end.

[cpzilliacus]

How about traffic reporters that know the system they are reporting on, clearly like what they are doing, speak clearly and make it worthwhile to listen to their station for traffic information?

My favorites:

Bob Marbourg on WTOP Radio (103.5 FM) in Washington, D.C. (and large surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia).

....

I feel conflicted about Marbourg. He knows the area really well and can be thorough. On the other hand, his sentences are often too long and winding for what is inherently a rapid-fire radio broadcast that should be about pumping out the maximum amount of information quickly and clearly. He sometimes takes forever to get to the point. I also find some of his pet phrases to be irritating ("no accidents/incidents in the way"–why does he feel the need for both words?). His preaching about getting over early instead of practicing the "zipper merge" needs to end.

I don't think Bob Marbourg is much of a preacher, though that may be a matter of perception. 

I do appreciate it when he encourages listeners to turn on their headlights (I suppose that's a form of preaching that I approve of).

Most traffic reports that have been doing it for a while develop a style, and certainly he has his own distinct way (but usually clear) way of presenting information to the listeners.

[1995hoo]

I agree with you on the headlight thing. Yesterday in the rain the invisible cars on the Beltway were very frustrating.

[Alps]

I've always thought the reports on WINS 1010 in NYC were pretty impressive for the amount of information that can squeeze into about 30 seconds.

880 is not nearly as good. Half of the reports have almost no content. However, about 10% of the reports are incredibly detailed around the entire metro area, whereas 1010 does a good overall job but misses some details. Though not a news station, 105.5 does a good job reporting on NJ rush hour traffic (they don't do it off-peak) and generally hit all the hot spots.

[cpzilliacus]

I've always thought the reports on WINS 1010 in NYC were pretty impressive for the amount of information that can squeeze into about 30 seconds.

880 is not nearly as good. Half of the reports have almost no content. However, about 10% of the reports are incredibly detailed around the entire metro area, whereas 1010 does a good overall job but misses some details. Though not a news station, 105.5 does a good job reporting on NJ rush hour traffic (they don't do it off-peak) and generally hit all the hot spots.

That's interesting. When I am driving in North Jersey or Metropolitan New York City (as far north as Orange County), I generally tune to WCBS-880 out of habit.  Curious that their content is different, since they are (these days) both owned by the same company (though maybe that makes sense in terms of market segmentation).

[bsmart]

I've talked to Bob Marbourg off and on for several years  He has the problem of having to deal with several completely separate commuter corridors at the same time.  In our conversations when I'm calling in it sometimes comes down to do the occupants look like regular commuters or families leaving for the holiday. I've mentioned it when I notice a lot of dealer logos from parts of the DC metro area that wouldn't be normal commuters on this route (I-270) or tags from out of state.  Then when I listen in a couple minutes later he may mention that it is getaway traffic or just an early departure of regular commuters.  He also understands the routes and what can be seen from where.  When the spaghetti bowl at I-70 and I-270 was changed a couple years back we had several conversations about how it changed patterns and he had already been up there to check it out.  His style does change a little when there is a monster problem taking place but on normal days I appreciate his style.  Sometimes it isn't in what he says but what he doesn't say (no news is good news.  Not hearing my roads mean it is what passes for normal)

[cpzilliacus]

I've talked to Bob Marbourg off and on for several years  He has the problem of having to deal with several completely separate commuter corridors at the same time.

Though most traffic reporters in large metropolitan regions have to do that.  What is somewhat unique about Washington is the number of different agencies involved in maintaining and operating functional class freeway and expressway-type routes.  The Capital Beltway is maintained by Maryland's SHA and VDOT.  The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) maintains its (relatively small) freeway network.  The National Park Service has primary responsibility for most of the "true" parkway system running through D.C. and into some suburban areas. The Maryland Transportation Authority is responsible for the ICC and several vehicular crossings at the edge of the WTOP listening area.

In our conversations when I'm calling in it sometimes comes down to do the occupants look like regular commuters or families leaving for the holiday. I've mentioned it when I notice a lot of dealer logos from parts of the DC metro area that wouldn't be normal commuters on this route (I-270) or tags from out of state.  Then when I listen in a couple minutes later he may mention that it is getaway traffic or just an early departure of regular commuters.

That is useful information in some corridors, especially I-95 in Prince William County, Va. and as far south as the suburbs of Richmond, which tends to get severely congested with getaway and holiday traffic.

He also understands the routes and what can be seen from where.  When the spaghetti bowl at I-70 and I-270 was changed a couple years back we had several conversations about how it changed patterns and he had already been up there to check it out.  His style does change a little when there is a monster problem taking place but on normal days I appreciate his style.  Sometimes it isn't in what he says but what he doesn't say (no news is good news.  Not hearing my roads mean it is what passes for normal)

Agreed.

[rmsandw]

I always love to hear Rodger Brand on KMOX in St. Louis.

[hm insulators]

In Phoenix we have "Detour Dan" on KTAR-FM.

[cpzilliacus]

In Phoenix we have "Detour Dan" on KTAR-FM.

Traditionally, there was a "Detour Dave Sandler" on Baltimore's WBAL-AM (1090), a NewsTalk station, but I do not know if he's still on the air or not.

[brownpelican]

Nearly all the radio stations in NOLA use the same traffic service: MetroScan. John Bray is the best from that company.

[golden eagle]

I used to listen to Captain Herb on WSB when I lived in Atlanta.

[blawp]

Nice. I was goin to say Tommy Jaxson as well!