What is Tennessee 511?
Tennessee 511 is a voice-activated phone system and website that provide real-time traffic and travel information to travelers statewide.

Who provides the 511 and www.TN511.com service?
511 and www.TN511.com are provided by the Tennessee Department of Transportation as a public service to residents and travelers in Tennessee. Making travelers aware of road conditions—particularly hazardous conditions or major construction activities—makes travel safer for everyone. Travelers can find out about their routes before they leave on a trip, whether it’s going across town or going across the state.

What information does Tennessee 511 provide?
The 511 system provides accurate, up-to-date information about statewide traffic congestion and incidents, weather conditions, and road construction on interstate highways, state routes and U.S. routes in Tennessee. From the 511 phone service, callers can request road conditions and closures for specific routes. From the www.TN511.com web page, users have access to the statewide road conditions map, as well as the TDOT SmartWay cameras in the metropolitan areas of Nashville, Knoxville, Memphis, and soon Chattanooga.

I see the TDOT SmartWay cameras on the Web and on my local news. How does the information from Tennessee 511 differ from SmartWay?
Actually, the information on www.TN511.com is the same TDOT SmartWay information that people have been able to access for the last couple of years on TDOT’s web page. 511 serves as the phone interface to provide statewide road conditions information, as well as the TDOT SmartWay metro area road and traffic conditions. TDOT has implemented the www.TN511.com web address to make it easy for travelers to remember that information is available with 511 either on the phone or Web.

Who should use 511?

• Commuters
• Local residents
• Tourists
• Commercial truck drivers

How do I use the 511 system?
The Tennessee 511 phone system uses voice-activated technology and touch tone technology. When you dial 511, the system will greet you and will present you with a menu of options. Here’s what you’ll hear on the main menu:

• To hear up-to-date traffic information, press 1 or say "Traffic Conditions.” You can then request a highway or region.
• For weather conditions, press 2 or say "Weather.”
• To transfer to a 511 system in a neighboring state, press 3 or say "Other States."
• To leave a comment with your feedback on this system, press 4 or say "Comment.”
• For assistance on using this system, press 5 or say "Help." To hear these options again, press star or say "Repeat."
• Please make your selection.

Can I dial 511 from anywhere in Tennessee?
Yes, the information is available statewide.

Can I call 511 from my mobile phone?
Yes, you can reach 511 with most wireless companies. For a list of carriers, visit www.TN511.com. If you are unable to connect to 511 from your cell phone, try calling the alternate toll-free number, 1-877-244-0065.

I have a mobile phone from Sprint (or Nextel) but I can't seem to connect to 511. Why not?
Sprint has recently learned that some Samsung and Motorola phones may not be able to access 511 over their network. If you have one of the following models, please click on this link to learn how to resolve this issue.

Samsung models: MM-A900, SPH-N200, SPH-N400, VI-660, VM-A680, MM-A700, PM-A740, RL-A760, IP-A790, MM-A800, VI-A820, PM-A840 and MM-A880 Motorola models: Motorola ic402 (Blend) and ic502 (Buzz)

Can I access Tennessee 511 if I’m out of state?
Yes, you can call from anywhere in the U.S. by dialing toll-free 1-877-244-0065

I called 511 in Tennessee from my mobile phone, but I got a neighboring state’s system. What happened?
There are some locations where wireless networks overlap near the state borders. Unlike land line phone networks, which correspond to some very specific geographic boundaries, wireless systems have a different set up. TDOT has coordinated with the major national wireless companies to try to minimize the overlap into nearby states, but it is not 100% effective in all locations. To help address this overlap, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky have agreed to transfer callers to each other’s 511 system. There are “Other State” menu options on each state’s system which will transfer callers to the system they request.

What does it cost to call 511?
Call 511 at no charge from a land line phone. If dialing from a cell phone, normal airtime and roaming charges would apply according to the terms of your wireless contract.

Is TDD-TTY service available?
Hearing-impaired callers can dial 711 and ask the operator to connect them to 511. You can also get the information provided on 511 at www.TN511.com.

How is 511 information updated?
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and Tennessee Highway Patrol provide the 511 system with current information. The 511 service is updated every 5 minutes.

What area does the 511 service cover?
Tennessee 511 is a statewide service, covering all regions of the state and their interstate highways and major routes.

Do other states have 511? Do Tennessee’s neighboring states?
Yes, other states-and regions within states-have 511 services.

Currently, there are twenty-eight 511 services in 24 states. Neighboring states with 511 services are Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia. Many additional states and regions across the country are in the planning stage for 511 service.