News: New TRANSalert Emergency Notification System
From NY Canals: Information and Cruising Guide to New York's Erie, Oswego, Champlain, and Cayuga-Seneca Canal System
April 23, 2007
Free Service Will Notify Customers of Canal Emergencies Via Email, Text Messages
The New York State Thruway Authority/Canal Corporation today announced it is offering a new email service called Canal TRANSalert to boaters and other customers, including residents of communities along the Canal, to inform them of major incidents and emergencies that may affect navigation on the New York State Canal System.
The Canal TRANSalerts, offered as part of the Thruway Authority’s Transportation Regional Advisory Network System (TRANSystem) that provides free email alerts to customers to inform them of major unscheduled incidents that may affect their travel on the Thruway, are now being offered to canal users and residents along the Canal System. This tool, designed to help motorists, boaters and residents alike to plan ahead, is also being offered in response to last year’s devastating floods which closed major portions of the Canal System during the height of the summer boating season.
Carmella R. Mantello, Director of the New York State Canal Corporation, said, “Similar to the Thruway Authority’s successful highway TRANSalert service, the Canal TRANSalert system will allow boaters and residents along the Canal System to be informed of major incidents and emergencies that affect navigation on the Canal System so that they can make preparations or avoid impacted areas of the Canal. This important customer service tool will allow better communication with our customers and ensure that those utilizing the system, as well as those living along the canal, are aware of major incidents and emergencies that may affect travel on the System.”
The Canal TRANSalert service is free and allows subscribers to select during what months and on what Canal section they want to receive Alerts. Canal TRANSalerts can be sent to any device capable of receiving email or text messages, including personal computers and mobile devices (cell phones, PDAs and text pagers). For cell phone/wireless users, the TRANSalert system utilizes commercial cell phone/wireless systems in place across the State, which could impact service to customers depending on the carrier’s coverage area.
The Canal TRANSalert email service will also be used to disseminate real-time AMBER Alerts to promptly alert Canal System users of child abduction cases.
Customers can begin signing up for the new service immediately. The system is scheduled to go into operation on Friday, April 27. For more information about this new customer service option and to sign up for the Canal TRANSalerts, customers can visit the Corporation’s website at nyscanals.gov/tas/.
Customers will be asked to select the format in which they wish to receive the information - either via a standard email that is sent to a personal computer or compatible mobile device. A text message can be sent to a PDA or Blackberry device that is capable of handling messages larger than 160 characters. A short verbal message may also be transmitted to a mobile device such as a cell phone or pager.*
Subscribed customers can also place the alerts on hold at any time. This useful feature will allow users to suspend the alerts while on vacation or allow travelers to only receive alerts when planning and/or taking a trip on the Canal System.
The Canal Corporation will continue to issue regular Notices to Mariners to provide boaters and community residents with important information regarding emergency and non-emergency incidents and events on the Canal System. Notices to Mariners are available by calling 1-800-4CANAL4 or on the Canal Corporation website at www.nyscanals.gov. To receive Notices via email or fax, call the Canal traffic agent at 518-471-5016.
The Thruway Authority offers a free email service called TRANSalert to its customers via email or text messaging to inform them of major unscheduled incidents that may affect their travel on the Thruway. To sign up for the TRANSalert service, customers can visit the Authority’s website at www.nysthruway.gov/tas/.
* Fees for text messages may apply depending on the subscriber’s text messaging provider. Customers are encouraged to contact their mobile service providers to find out how text messaging works with their personal mobile devices.