KSHB-TV Channel 41, the NBC-affiliate station based in Kansas City, Missouri, has launched a free mobile traffic camera service for area residents and commuters.The ad-funded service, named KSHB Traffic Jam Cell Cams, targets the more than 150,000 daily commuters in the region who will now be able to view traffic tie-ups on their mobile devices before leaving their home, office or school.
This service offers Kansas City drivers and passengers a hand in planning the quickest, most fuel-efficient and safest routes, wherever theyre heading, says Craig Allison, Vice President and General Manager of KSHB-TV, Tribune Broadcasting Company. This service further demonstrates that we are the leading news, weather and now source of real-time traffic information. 
The KSHB Traffic Jam Cell Cams relies on over 100 traffic cameras operated by Kansas City Scout, the bi-state areas traffic management system. The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) designed Scout to lessen traffic jams by improving rush-hour speeds, to increase safety by decreasing the number of rush-hour accidents, and to improve emergency response to traffic situations.
The Kansas and Missouri Departments of Transportation are pleased to develop an enhanced partnership with KSHB and 3rd Dimension to provide streaming video to the motorist of Kansas City, says Jason Sims, Kansas City Scout Traffic Center Manager. This partnership not only provides enhanced services to Kansas City commuters, but also, further maximizes Scouts comprehensive camera network.
Kansas City Scout cameras are installed throughout several cities in the Kansas City/Missouri metropolitan area, including Kansas City, KS, Independence, MO, Lees Summit, North Kansas City, Overland Park, Merriam, Lenexa, Leawood, Olathe, Shawnee Mission, Blue Springs, and Grandview.
3rd Dimension Inc., a New York-based mobile marketing and application company developed the system technology.
Cell phones are becoming an important part of our culture and are growing increasingly more powerful and personal, says 3rd Dimension President,  Eric Joseph. The 3rd Dimension real-time traffic application supports that trend in providing a value-added service to consumers whenever they need it.
The NBC Action News Traffic Jam Cell Cams application is compatible with data-enabled phones on the Sprint, Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile networks. To download the video application, commuters can  call 877-526-2268 from their mobile phone, go to the www.kshb.com website and request the service by entering their mobile phone number, or head for www.3tcam.com/kansascity on their mobiles browser. 
Once the application is downloaded, drivers can choose to view near real-time traffic images from any of the cameras along their route and can even program keys on their phone to quickly access their favorites. 
Kansas City is the fourth market in the country to launch the innovative mobile traffic service. The first was launched in early 2007 in collaboration with WCBS Newsradio 880 in New York City. The second market, Houston, went live in December 2007 followed by Indianapolis in March. 3rd Dimension plans to roll out additional markets across the country in 2008 with the goal of creating a national mobile advertising network.