The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) adds to its impressive record of innovations in information dissemination by partnering with AudioNowTM , the leading provider of mobile phone radio distribution in North America. MTA users can dial a local number to listen to official traffic updates while on the go.

“AudioNow is happy to make a difference by seamlessly integrating our easy-to-deploy and scalable technology with existing state-owned information dissemination infrastructure. Maryland is the first in a series of upcoming partnerships we are prepared to roll out in the coming months. The timing cannot be better, as states are reeling from budget cuts. AudioNow saves them money,” says AudioNow’s Chief Marketing Officer, George Cernat.

Official MTA release follows.

Contact Information:

At AudioNow:
Jennifer Friesen
Director of Public Affairs
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MTA DRIVE-TIME UPDATES BY PHONE LAUNCHES THIS WEEK
MTA Transit Team Network to Provide Bus and Rail Info to Phone Users

BALTIMORE, MD – (August 29, 2011) -- The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Transit Team Network, which provides MTA commuters time-saving radio and television updates on Local Bus, Light Rail, Commuter Bus, Metro Subway and MARC rail each day, will launch an affiliation with the telephone based broadcast provider AudioNow beginning Labor Day weekend. The affiliation will allow the Transit Team Network’s familiar broadcast updates to be accessed by phone.

This new service will premiere on Friday, September 2nd and coincides with the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix Labor Day weekend. The drive-time reports, which will air from 5:00 am to 9:00 am and from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm weekdays, will also assist transit riders in navigating around the delays and diversions created by the race over the holiday weekend. Customers can access the information free of charge at 410-500-4444. Only a cell phone user’s regular airtime charges apply, if any.

"This new and up-to-the-minute MTA service will provide our transit customers another means of accessing MTA updates and service related information,” said MTA Administrator Ralign Wells. "It puts our bus and rail status updates right at their fingertips before our patrons head to or from work, home, the airport, the train station or from points out and about on our system."

AudioNow is the leading provider of mobile phone radio distribution in North America. It uses proprietary "HD' voice architecture, and patent-pending "single-stream" technology that allows any fixed or mobile phone to access live and pre-recorded audio programming without any downloads across all mobile platforms while lowering bandwidth costs for broadcasters.

In addition to MTA-AudioNow reports, transit information is available online at http://www.mtamaryland.gov. Customers can also reach the MTA Customer Call Center Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. at 410-539-5000 (TTY 410-539-3497) or 866-RIDE-MTA.