Mapquest - How accurate are drive times? (trip, calculate, map)

[VALOVE]

How accurate do you find the estimated drive times on MapQuest? Do they take into consideration speed limits on winding roads? Or do they use an average speed based on the number of miles you are travelling?

[Rapunzll]

I use Rand McNally, but find that I must drive a lot faster than they figure I will, I always get to my destination faster than their estimates. The same thing used to happen when I used to use MapQuest.

[D_J]

I have always found that the drive times listed by Map Quest were somewhat over exaggerated. I would almost always make it there quite a bit quicker than what it had stated.

[ontheroad]

I find mapquest more often than not off than on. Taking total number of miles as a measure of number of hours on a small one lane road is nearly always off by 25-50%.

I drive on a local road last week, a trip estimated at 28.50 miles. Seven to ten of those miles were on an unpaved--single lane, both directons--mountain road. mapquest estimated the trip at 40 minutes; I believe in all it took me about one hour.

I also don't know what established MPH they use to calculate their trips. I drive within or above the limits, and drop down to acceptable miles in/near towns--this is often not accounted for at all.

[foma]

I find they are accurate but somewhat over-exaggerated. Our drive to Vegas took 5 hours but it calculated 5.5 hours. Our drive to Sedona was calculated at 2.5 and I think it took us just under 2hrs.

[southernlady5464]

On 95% of my trips, it's been reasonably accurate (not including potty stops etc.) but my husband and I had one trip recently where the accuracy was so far off, it was unbelievable. The trip took almost twice as long as MQ said it would. Liz

[dullnboring]

For me, it's been remarkably accurate time-wise, usually (regarding long trips) within 15 minutes barring any sort of random stops, heavy traffic or inclement weather.

I have had a few problems however on shorter local trips, not so much time-wise, but just in giving faulty or roundabout directions.

[ontheroad]

I must be driving too slow. I wool-gather, I suppose.

So how fast do you all go to get there mapquest-time?

[MB2]

When I had to use Mapquest, we were ALWAYS way ahead of time, unless stuck in traffic because of accidents, weather conditions and such.
But, we are usually going OVER the speedlimit tough too.
(Not by to much, but enough to make a difference!)
It was a rather pleasant surprise to get to the destination AHEAD of time, having time to do something, instead of still driving.
Now, I can't live without my GPS, since I have NO sense of direction what-so-ever (blindfold me, drive me 3 blocks from my house, and let me try to find my house....NOT going to happen..... )
And, if you think I am KIDDING, you've GOT to ask my hubby about this. (he was also the one, buying the GPS for me *blushing* ...so, what does THAT tell ya??? LOL )

[VALOVE]

I, too, usually get to my destination faster than their estimate. But I've never used MapQuest for directions on a windy mountain road before. I just wonder how accurate that would be.