Carpool  

         With rising fuel prices, carpooling is a great way to save on commuting costs and help protect the environment.  Tom Vanderbilt’s best selling novel “Traffic” sites that adult drivers are less likely to crash if there is a passenger in the car. Carpooling is a great way to meet someone from a different department or to build a stronger relationship with a colleague that extends beyond work.

Avoid Honking

         Although honking is a great way to alert another driver, no one enjoys either having to honk at the car ahead or being honked at. Studies show that traffic noise is linked to increases in blood pressure, heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases.  Honking sounds much louder outside of the vehicle so try to reserve using the horn unless it is necessary to alert another car. 

Stay in “Slow” Lane

         Switching lanes, especially into a crowded lane, requires the mental alertness of several different parts of the brain. Such level of concentration and patience explains why over 50% of participants in a survey conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute reported that merging is the most stressful part of driving. 

Try to stay in the lane which is nearest to your exit, instead of having to worry about switching in and out of lanes, even if it appears to be faster to remain in the fastest moving lane as long as possible. In fact, the “faster” lane is not significantly faster in decreasing the time spent commuting; Vanderbilt’s novel sites an experiment conducted in Los Angeles, revealing that the marginal difference between staying in one lane and switching lanes to get further ahead faster is only 15 seconds.  Those 15 seconds saved are not worth the added stress. 

Listen to a funny show

         Economists from the University of Zurich found that commuting is more stressful when people are not in control of certain factors that occur during the drive to work.; so whether you’re stuck in traffic, or have to take a slower route due to construction,  turn on a comedic podcast. Research at the Humor Research Lab in at the University of Colorado, Boulder concludes that laughing raises the threshold level for physical discomfort. You can find comedic podcasts through the app store of your phone, iPod, or through radio station apps such as Stitcher Radio.  

Whether you’re driving to work, the local coffee shop or on a weekend getaway, the journey to your destination is one of the most influential aspects in that experience. Having the right tools for the road ahead will only help make the journey that much smoother. We’ve come up with a mobile app toolbox that will enhance your drive and conquer the unexpected. 

Geoloqi (Price: Free)

   Geoloqi allows your contacts to track    you    as you drive through google maps. Meeting    a friend for lunch? Update your friend with      your real-time location through geoloqi so if    you’re running late, your friend won’t have to call or text you to ask where you are. Instead, he or she can track your current location are and your expected arrival time. 

Available for iOS & Android. 

GasBuddy (Price: Free)

 GasBuddy is one of the most easy to use      and useful apps to have on your mobile.      GasBuddy locates the nearest gas stations  to you by price and distance for each type of  gas. You can even look up the additional features of each gas station such as restrooms and a convenience store. Once you’ve selected the gas station of choice, GasBuddy integrates with your mobile’s GPS.

Available for iOS, Android, Blackberry & Windows

Stitcher Radio (Price: Free for basic plan)

  If you’re used to traditional talk, news,       comedy, sports radio or a frequent           podcast listener while driving, this is the   app for you. Stitcher Radio allows you to   listen and create playlists of your favorite shows from over 6,000 different shows, so you no longer have to worry about finding the right station while steering. Stitcher will update the episodes of the shows in your playlists with the most up to date episode, as soon as they are available. 

Available for iOS, Android & WebOS

Text’nDrive (Price: Free for basic plan)

  Text’nDrive is a hands-free approach to     texting and emailing while driving. Hear       your texts and emails as they come in         and  respond to them immediately by         speech, so you can focus on the road ahead. Text’nDrive has an SMS auto-reply message feature in which a customized response text message will be sent, letting those that text you know that you are driving and cannot respond.    

Available for iOS, Android & Blackberry

Trip Journal (Price: $2.99)  

  Reminisce on your latest road trip with Trip   Journal, an app that allows you to record       every aspect of your trip and share it with       friends and family. Instead of having to post   individual pictures with comments to your friends and family, post your Trip Journal on Facebook.  With Google Earth integration, you can map your route and make location-based: notes, photos and videos. 

Available for iOS, Android & Symbian

Yelp (Price: Free) 

  Based off of the popular peer-review               website, the Yelp app lists business               information and peer reviews on categories   such as restaurants, salons and nightlife.       Each listing has peer reviews so you’ll get the inside scoop on what to order and the quality of service. One great aspect about the mobile app are the deals in your area; purchase deals at participating businesses in your area through the app and save on meals and services.   

Available for iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows & Palm 

Beat the Traffic (Price: Free)

  Find out all of the latest traffic information in   your area, so you can adjust your route           accordingly. The app features real-time           information on traffic conditions and traffic       collisions and how they affect the roads including which lanes are closed and the current speed for that location. 

Available for iOS, Android & Blackberry