Great news on this area!!!
GPS maps for the DR are currently in the last stages for the entire country!~!!!!!
A group of the private sector along students of Telematica in the DR is in charge of the creation of the map for the DR.
The current maps (print) in use are seldom complete or accurate enough. The maps will be released via the major GPS makers in the market. Sorry! No out of the loop maps will be available till them...
In the coming months, local biz will start to receive pamphlets with instructions on how to take advantage of having their biz names, tel# and other information available to users of the systems. For a set fee, they can tailor the way their biz will pull more biz via the users of such devices.
The map is extremely well done, as top notch equipment was employed to gather the data at street level. Elevation and other data was collected and verified as well for all the geographical points included.
A marine map is also being done to aid boaters reach and operate with safety and knowledge of the routes and ports in the littoral of the DR.
I was able to listen to the positive comments of two users that tested the ongoing maps, and they are delighted with the results so far.
All public and gov places, including gov offices, airports, etc... Are being tagged with extra data that will update via locally placed transmitters. So you'll get live information on the status of those places. For example, if you get close to the passport office you'll get the operating hours for that precise day and actual data from related issues to that office.
Traffic conditions will be updated as well real time, via the same inclusion of transmitters on the local highways and streets in major cities and points of travel.
There'll be a fee for the services mentioned before, with the exclusion of the ones serving the local gov sites and public places.
When you reach toll roads you'll get a real time price list of the tolls there...
At least one major GPS maker is interested in testing a newer system in the DR when the DR goes live with it. They want to include a wireless phone capability into the GPS device that will allow clients to operate vehicles safely by cutting in the need to operate a cell phone independently of the GPS (blue tooth cells) via voice commands only prompts (no keys to tap on the screen). The system will allow emergency services to locate and communicate with a vehicle that reports an auto accident (think on-star) and also allow services like towing with direct communication to the service providers. The main focus of the makers is to provide added contents to users for a fee. Think Radio, news, sport's info, game results, etc...
We don't know much about how it will work but so far the stuff works in the test runs...
GPS of the DR! Isn't it great and already long overdue?
The projects already underway (Cap Cana, Juan Dolio, etc...) will have their projected streets and roads mapped even as they're not ready yet (a color will be used to denote this in the GPS map showing). Same goes for major highways the gov is working on and other future upgrades.
The SD Metro and SD - Santiago high speed train will show up in the map! Including the Metro lines not built yet!?!<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>
I was told that 3 new international airports to be built (can't name them here yet) also were included in the map.
I'll try and get somebody give me the permission to post screen captures of the map in use to post here. Is not 100% done but it sure looks that way to me...
