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Trapster helps travelers (and truckers) with wireless alerts to slow down

SAN DIEGO — Over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house you go … and when you’re running late, maybe you could use a little reminder to slow down. Nothing can ruin the holiday spirit faster than a $300 (or more)  speeding ticket.

So, just in time for the holidays it’s Trapster: Your mobile phone alerts you as you approach police speed traps. With hands-free audio alerts, and one-touch reporting, “it's a modern-day version of the age-old practice of flashing headlights at other drivers to warn them of a speed trap ahead,” stated a Trapster news release.

The service has some 200,000 members already enrolled, according to the release.

Trapster's new "Virtual Radar" iPhone app (application), is available for free on the App Store (click here), has enlisted an army of more than 100,000 iPhone-armed speed trap spotters since its October 8th release. And it's not just iPhones. Trapster also simultaneously released new applications for other GPS smartphones like BlackBerry, Nokia, and J2ME-enabled phones, the company stated.

In six weeks, the trap database has grown from 39,000 to more than 115,000 reported trap locations.

Trapster also announced support for the new Verizon BlackBerry Storm.

Those who don't have a GPS smartphone can call in traps using Trapster's toll free tip line, and receive alerts via text messages with maps to show where the police are hiding.

And during the holiday season Trapster is free. “It might just keep your goose from getting cooked,” the release noted.

Trapster is provided at no cost and can be downloaded for other phones by clicking here. “It is the first location-based application that alerts users in real-time when they approach speed traps or photo enforcement cameras. It takes advantage of user input and the power of the community to provide not only the trap information, but also to arbitrate the veracity of that information.”

Tenereillo Inc., founded in 2003, creates mobile social networking technology that allows users to collaborate and create up-to-date, relevant geographic content.

Dorothy Cox of The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at [email protected]