~ TomTom Traffic Index also reports that rush hour traffic increases journey times for Canadian commuters by almost 90 per cent with the average commuter losing almost 79 hours a year in traffic~   

TORONTO, March 31, 2015 /CNW/ - TomTom (TOM2) today released its 5th annual Traffic Index, the most accurate barometer of traffic congestion in over 200 cities worldwide. In addition to revealing rising congestion levels around the globe, for the first time, the Index took an in-depth look at the true impact of rush hour traffic on the work week, uncovering that evening rush hour nearly doubles the journey time for car commuters in Canada's busiest cities.

In Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, the average commuter loses 84 hours a year being delayed in traffic while the average time lost to traffic across the country is almost 79 hours.

Additional highlights of the 2014 study include:

• Average overall congestion in Canada is 27 per cent, a two per cent increase over last year
• Congestion rates have risen in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton and Quebec by a combined 11 per cent since last year's index
• In Vancouver, Toronto, and Ottawa, Canada's most congested cities, the overall congestion rate has increased by a combined seven per cent
• The most congested cities in Canada continue to be Vancouver and Toronto with the least congested city in Canada being Calgary
• The average evening rush hour congestion rate in Canada is 57 per cent, up from the average 27 per cent congestion rate in Canada
• Traffic has worsened in five out of seven of the cities measured for Canada, with Calgary and Vancouver's traffic congestion rate staying the same
• The average Canadian has been reported to lose 79 hours stuck in traffic based on the 2014 Traffic Index. The 2013 Traffic Index reported that the average Canadian lost 77 hours.
• In general, Thursday evening is the most congested evening commute, except for in Edmonton, Quebec and Calgary where Wednesday or Friday showcase the highest evening commute times.

The high levels of congestion are due in part to the traditional workweek, giving people no choice but to all be on the road network at the exact same time. By adopting more flexible schedules, individuals save travel time and rush hour congestion can be reduced overall.

"TomTom's mission is to reduce traffic congestion for everyone," said Jocelyn Vigreux, President of TomTom, Inc.. "Road authorities and local governments can use TomTom's traffic data to better manage traffic flow during the rush hour. We can help businesses plan smarter working hours to help their employees avoid travelling during rush hour. And we give drivers the real-time traffic information and smart routing they need to avoid congested roads and get there faster."

Top seven most congested cities in Canada ranked by overall congestion level in 2014:

To find out more information on the Traffic Index please visit: www.tomtom.com/trafficindex

For b-roll, please visit: http://www.visionariesevents.com/admin/tomtom/March_2015_TomTom_Annual_Traffic_Index_Canada.mp4 (username: tomtom password: navigate)

Notes to Editors:
The TomTom Traffic Index is based on data over the year of 2014.

This year TomTom has expanded its Traffic Index to 218 cities in 36 countries. For the first time, the Index includes traffic information for China, Romania, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, and United Arab Emirates in one comprehensive report.

TomTom has analyzed the average amount of delay a driver experiences during peak times of traffic congestion in the morning and evening, which are typical commuting hours. By comparing this to free flow traffic the true impact of traffic congestion for the average commuter.

About TomTom
TomTom (TOM2) empowers movement.  Every day millions of people around the world depend on TomTom to make smarter decisions. We design and develop innovative products that make it easy for people to keep moving towards their goals. Best known for being a global leader in navigation and mapping products, TomTom also creates GPS Sport Watches, as well as state-of-the-art fleet management solutions and industry-leading location-based products.

Our business consists of four customer-facing business units: Consumer, Automotive, Licensing and Telematics.

Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Amsterdam, we have 4,000 employees worldwide and sell our products in over 46 countries.

SOURCE TomTom