MapQuest Introduces New Multi-Stop Route Builder

June 28, 2006-- Just in time for the busy July 4th travel weekend, MapQuest.com has launched a beta (www.mapquest.com/maps-directions) of its new multi-stop Route Builder feature. This new tool lets travelers save time and money by mapping out their entire journey - and multiple destination stops in between - in one convenient step.

MapQuest's Route Builder feature was the #1 requested feature among the millions of MapQuest consumers. MapQuest.com recently had a record 50 million unique monthly visitors, two and a half times more than the leading competition.*

"Despite record gas prices, most Americans are still planning to drive to their annual Fouth of July and summer vacation destinations," said Jim Greiner, VP and GM, MapQuest. "MapQuest.com continues to be the leading resource for people to find places and get reliable directions. And now the new Route Builder feature lets travelers map out driving directions between multiple stops - saving them time, gas money and frustration."

MapQuest's Route Builder lets users:

• Add up to 10 location destinations along a route;
  
• Search for destination by address or place name;
  
• Optimize route to avoid highways or toll roads;
• Find gas stations, hotels, restaurants, ATMs, and other places along the way;
• Re-order stops by dragging and dropping and automatically recalculate driving directions;
  
• Print, or email route; and
  
• Choose to show or hide directions as the route is plotted.
  

So, whether it's figuring out various stops for the kids' car pool, dropping off deliveries across town or a cross-country field trip to visit Aunt Tilly, hitting as many minor-league ballparks along the way, MapQuest can get users beyond just Point A and Point B.

According to the May 2006 MapQuest Road Trips survey, more than half of Americans are taking road trips this summer, and July 4th weekend ranks highest for road trips at 17%, with Memorial Day and Labor Day tying at 12%.

Other findings from the survey:

• 72% of those planning to take a road trip this year said that gas prices were affecting their summer travel plans.
  
• Nearly one in 10 said they plan to cancel trips altogether to avoid the pain at the pump.
  
• But despite the prices, nearly half of Americans (49%) plan to take a road trip this summer nevertheless, according to the report.
  
• Travel volume will remain relatively consistent over the summer months, with August as the most popular time for summer travel (29%), followed by July (27%) and June (24%).
  
• 25% of Americans were undecided on their summer travel plans.
  

MapQuest Summer Road trips Survey Methodology

The MapQuest poll was conducted online from May 3-8, 2006, by ICR of Media, PA. ICR interviewed a national sample of 1,023 adults who have online access. In addition to the national sample, 3,000 interviews were conducted in the top 20 US cities.

* comScore Media Metrix, May 2006

SOURCE MapQuest

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