IDOT has launched “SMS traffic alerts”:http://iltrafficalert.com, which on the surface sound absolutely stupid. (Encouraging people to text while driving?) It’s probably one step along the road to a unified 511 traveler information system, which has potential — but why, oh why, must we continue to wait when voice response technology to get bus times has existed since “ShuttleGirl”:http://www.secondkiss.com/why_shuttlegirl.asp in 2000?