FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR THE MY 511 SITE

Here is a list of frequently asked questions about the MY 511 site. The answers will tell you what content you can find on the site, how to use the site's features, and how to troubleshoot technical issues. If you have a question that's not answered on this page, please contact us.
Alerts


Cameras


Driving Times


General


Phone


Registration


System


Troubleshooting

Alerts

What are MY 511 e-mail alerts?
MY 511 e-mail and text message alerts are messages sent to you by the MY 511 service to alert you to current conditions associated with driving times and real-time transit departure times.
How many e-mail addresses and phone numbers can I set up for alerts?
You can define a single e-mail address and/or a single phone number for each alert that you define.
How are alerts created?
Alerts are created either from the Traffic preferences page when you are setting up your trips or later by clicking the "Manage Trips" link from your MY 511 home page. You can configure the time of day, day of week, and alert type that you wish to receive.
What does a typical alert look like?
A typical alert lists your trip information including the trip name (e.g. "Home to Work"), the estimated travel times at the time the alert was sent, and incident information associated with each trip.
Can I change my alerts once they are set up?
Yes, you can always go back and change any of the available options for any of your alerts. You can also delete alerts that you no longer need. Access your alerts through the "Manage Trips" link on your MY 511 home page.
How large are the alerts that I'll receive?
The size of an alert depends on several factors: how many trips are defined; how many alternate routes there are for each trip; and how many incidents are associated with each trip. A typical alert will contain 3 - 5 lines of information for each trip.
What types of alerts can I create?
You can create a severity alert that informs you when the current driving time for one of your preferred trips has increased by a user-defined percentage beyond the typical driving time. You can also create status alerts to find out the current driving time and incident information for one of your preferred trips.
How do severity alerts work?
For each traffic trip you create, you are able to add a severity alert, which is sent to you when the trip’s current driving time has exceeded its typical driving time by a percentage that you define. When you create a severity alert, you select the time period and day during which you would like to be alerted to severe traffic conditions. You also select the method by which you would like to receive the alerts, via e-mail or text. For example, you may choose to receive an alert by e-mail whenever the driving time for your trip is 50% higher than the trip’s typical driving time between 4:00pm and 6:00pm on weekdays. If your driving time increases by 50% during this time, you will receive an e-mail letting you know this. If your driving time drops back below this threshold during your selected time period, you will receive another email informing you of this. If your driving time continues to fluctuate between being above and below your threshold, you will receive an alert each time it crosses the threshold with a maximum of five severity alerts being sent during your selected time period. Therefore, even if your driving time is still changing after your fifth notification, you will not receive any more alerts.

Cameras

How many cameras can I select to be available on my personalized MY 511 home page?
You can choose up to six different camera views, and nickname them, for display on your MY 511 home page.
Can I name my cameras anything I want?
Yes, within the maximum length of a camera name of 30 characters.
Can I get camera snapshots instead of video streams?
Currently, only camera video streams are available. In the future we hope to be able to provide camera snapshots as well.

Driving Times

How often is the driving time information updated?
Driving time information is real-time and is updated as conditions change on the roadway. However, you will only see changes to your personalized driving times trips based on the refresh rate you have selected.
How are the driving times calculated for each trip?
Each trip consists of a number of roadways defined for the trip. Driving times for each segment of the trip are calculated and then combined to create the overall total driving time for the trip.

General

What is MY 511?
MY 511 is a free, personalized service on the phone and web that allows you to customize 511, your way. With MY 511, you build your own 511.org home page or bypass phone menu options to go directly to your information. During registration, you define and save up to six traffic trips, with names like "Home to Work" or "Work to Gym". Then you can access real-time driving times for those trips on the 511 phone service and 511.org. You can also receive text message and e-mail alerts.
Is the MY 511 service free?
MY 511 is the same as using 511. It is free to sign up and use on the Web. It is free on your landline phone, and depending on your cell phone agreement, charges may be incurred when using plan minutes or receiving text message alerts.
I need help with a specific MY 511 feature. Who do I contact?
Use the Suggestions link in the MY 511 drop-down window.
How do I make a suggestion for the MY 511 system?
Use the Suggestions link in the MY 511 drop-down window.
What is the geographic coverage area for MY 511?
The MY 511 service covers the same geographic areas as covered by the current 511 Traffic and 511 Transit systems. See 511.traffic.org or 511.transit.org for more information.
Are there other MY 511 features planned?
There will be more personalization features coming for transit trips as well a way to save your favorite traffic map views and a WAP-enabled site for use with mobile devices.

Phone

Can I use MY 511 on the phone?
Yes. During registration, you can save up to three phone numbers that 511 will recognize. When calling 511, the phone system recognizes MY 511 users via caller ID and immediately asks for the name of a saved trip set up during MY 511 registration (e.g. "Home to Work"). MY 511 will respond with current traffic information for your trip.

If your phone number has caller ID blocked, you must say, "MY 511" at the Main Menu. The system will respond by asking you to enter your 10-digit phone number. Upon recognition, MY 511 will ask for one of your trip names and provide the current traffic information.

What MY 511 features are available on the phone?
Currently, you can access current driving times for your saved trips via the 511 phone system by providing a trip name that you saved during registration (e.g. "Home to Work").

Registration

Who can register for the MY 511 service?
Anyone can register for the MY 511 service. All you need is a valid e-mail address and to agree to the Terms and Conditions of the MY 511 service.
Why do you need my name and e-mail address for registration and is this information kept secure?
We need your name and e-mail address to identify you in the system and to communicate with you to verify the account, send any alerts for which you sign-up, provide warnings if one of your trips change, alert you if there has been no activity on the account, etc. Your information is kept secure and is never shared with anyone outside of the MY 511 services. You can read our privacy policy here.
I didn't receive my confirmation e-mail to complete the registration process. What happened?
The confirmation e-mail may have been incorrectly identified as SPAM by your e-mail system. Check your junk e-mail folder to see if this has happened. If you don't find it there, you may have entered your e-mail address incorrectly. If your e-mail address was entered correctly, then you can request another confirmation e-mail be sent to you by the MY 511 service.
I registered for MY 511 but forgot my username and/or password. How do I retrieve it?
You can retrieve your username if you know the e-mail address you used when you registered. You can retrieve your password if you know the username AND e-mail address you used when you registered. Click on the Forgot your username or password? link in the sign-in box on the MY 511 welcome page.
Can I opt-out of the MY 511 service and have my account information removed?
Yes, under "Edit My Account" there is an option to remove your user information from the MY 511 service. When you choose to be removed from the MY 511 service, you will no longer be able to access your personalized MY 511 home page or use the MY 511 features on the 511 phone system unless you register again.
I want to change the e-mail address connected to my account. Why can't I?
The current version of MY 511 does not allow for e-mail address changes since we have no way to verify a new one. We are working to change this. In the meantime, if you need to change your e-mail address, please delete your current account and re-register or open a new MY 511 account. We apologize for the inconvenience.

System

What browsers do you support?
The MY 511 system has been tested with Internet Explorer 6.0 and above, and Firefox 2.0 and above. Other browsers may also work but are currently not supported.
I have a wide screen display. Why does the MY 511 system only display in 1024-pixel width?
The width of the MY 511 web pages are currently fixed in order to better manage the user experience and to provide maximum accessibility to the MY 511 features available on the web.
Can I use MY 511 from any computer?
Yes. Any computer that has access to the Internet, a compatible browser, and security settings to allow cookies will be able to access the MY 511 service on the web.
Do I have to log in every time I visit MY 511?
The "Remember Me" feature can be used so that you do not have to log in every time; simply check the box next time you sign in. Your browser security settings need to allow for cookies. If the computer you are using is a shared computer, such as one at a library, it is best not to set the "Remember Me" feature.

Troubleshooting

I can't see the video from the traffic cameras I have selected. What's wrong?
The camera video streams are provided through video servers managed and maintained by Caltrans. Although these servers are maintained with the utmost focus on availability, there may be times when a camera feed is unavailable due to technical difficulties. There are other possible causes for lack of video including incorrectly configured software on your computer or not having the latest versions of your media software installed. The views are programmed to be watched with Windows Media Player.
Why haven't I received any alerts?
There are several reasons you may not have received any alerts. The first, and most common, is that the conditions you set for receiving the alert have just not occurred. For example, you may have selected that a driving time alert be sent when the driving time is more than 50% of the typical driving time. This condition may not have occurred for that alert. Another reason you may have not received alerts is the alert e-mail may have been incorrectly identified as SPAM by your e-mail system. Check your junk e-mail to see if this has happened. If you don't find it there, you may have entered the alert e-mail address incorrectly. If you have selected to receive e-mail text messages delivered to your phone, make sure you have entered your phone number correctly and that your phone supports receiving text messages.
Why doesn't the phone recognize me as a MY 511 user?
There are several reasons why you may not be recognized as a MY 511 user when calling the 511 phone system. These include: 1) not using a phone that you identified during registration, 2) your caller ID is blocked and cannot be recognized by the system, or 3) a technical issue associated with your registration for the phone system has occurred. If your caller ID is blocked, you will have to say "MY 511" at the 511 Main Menu and then type in your 10-digit phone number when prompted. If you continue to experience this problem, please use the Suggestions link in the MY 511 drop-down tab to contact 511.
I set the "Remember Me" option on my computer at work, but the MY 511 service doesn't remember me when I use my home computer. What is wrong?
The "Remember Me" feature utilizes cookies that are stored locally on your computer. This means that you will have to click "Remember Me" for each computer you use.
I saved my traffic trip but I do not see it on my home page.
MY 511 displays trips on your home page in alphabetical order, so your most recently added trip is not necessarily at the bottom of your trip list. Check your trip list again and search alphabetically for your trip name. If you still do not see your saved trip, please use the Suggestions link in the MY 511 drop-down tab to contact 511 staff.
Why haven't I received my confirmation e-mail, and what should I do?
The confirmation e-mail has been designed to be accepted by spam filters. However, with high security systems, your spam filter might place the confirmation e-mail in a bulk or junk folder, or it might not accept the e-mail at all. To have your confirmation e-mail resent to you, sign in, and you will be directed to the "Unverified User" page where you can request a new confirmation e-mail.

If after requesting a new confirmation e-mail and checking your bulk/junk folder you still do not have the confirmation e-mail, we suggest:

1. You or your system administrator add "confirm@my511.org" as an accepted address to your spam filter.

2. Create a new e-mail address with Gmail or Yahoo or some other popular e-mail system. We know these systems accept MY 511 e-mails, but some place them in the junk folder so be sure to look there.