Social Media Savvy Manitoba!

Social Media Savvy Manitoba!
Social Media Savvy Manitoba!

Manitoba, Canada, is being so social media savvy!

Manitobans are invited to receive road-closure information on Twitter by following  @MBGov .

Via the @MBGov Twitter account, you will be informed regarding highway closures, construction updates, road conditions, emergency information and public service notices in Manitoba.

Here’s how you can use the free  @MBGov Twitter service for your safety and benefit:

  • Hashtags can also be used to follow the government’s Twitter information even if you don’t have a Twitter account.
  • Hashtags are a way to help people organize and search for information. They are created by placing the # sign in front of a keyword and allow users to track tweets.
  • All provincial highways have been assigned a hashtag and will report highway closures, construction updates and road conditions using the @MBGov Twitter account.
  • You can follow @MBGov for reports from all provincial highways or search for specific highway information using hashtags.

Please note the @MBGov Twitter account is only updated when department staff observe and report conditions.

Also, please be alert for changing conditions.  Actual conditions may vary from those reported.

Furthermore, other ways to get updated info on road conditions 24 hours a day are via:

  • calling 204-945-3704 or 1-877-MBRoads (1-877-627-6237).

I am looking forward to the time when the rest of Canada is as social media savvy as Manitoba.

Manitoba, Canada

News Release

April 13, 2011

HIGHWAY, ROAD CONDITIONS AVAILABLE VIA TWITTER
FROM PROVINCE OF MANITOBA

Motorists have a new way to keep up-to-date on the latest weather-related highway closures in Manitoba, now that the province has started using Twitter to send out this information, Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton announced today.

“This is a fast and accessible way to provide important information that will benefit many drivers and demonstrates our commitment to using technology to keep Manitobans informed,” said Ashton. “Making highway condition information more accessible, especially during storms or the upcoming flood, is important to ensuring safety.”

Twitter, a micro-blogging service, is very popular and has gained a significant following since it was launched in 2006. The free service allows users to broadcast messages, known as tweets, of up to 140 characters. It is estimated Twitter has 190 million users worldwide, generating 65 million tweets a day.

Manitobans are invited to receive road-closure information on Twitter by following @MBGov. Hashtags can also be used to follow the government’s Twitter information even if you don’t have a Twitter account. Hashtags are a way to help people organize and search for information. They are created by placing the # sign in front of a keyword and allow users to track tweets. For more information, including a full list of Manitoba highway hashtags, visit: www.manitoba.ca/socialmedia/twitter/roadinfo.html.

Manitobans can continue to access updated road information online at www.manitoba.ca, which is also available in a mobile format. Manitoba’s online road conditions service is one of the most visited websites in government, receiving about 2,300 visits on a typical winter day, with use rising to over 45,000 visits a day during storms, Ashton said. Manitoba’s road information centre serves the public 24 hours a day, providing important updates on driving conditions, he added.

Information on road conditions in Manitoba is also available any time by calling 204-945-3704 or
1-877-MBRoads (1-877-627-6237).