European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 20, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday. May 20. 1989 the stars and stripes Page 9 an radio helps commuters in a Jam Wurzburg begins airing traffic spots by John Millar Wurzburg Bureau we Myburg West Germany spec. Marcia Hector spends a lot of Lime behind the wheel but her Job in her unit s motor Pool has nothing to do with it. Hector like other soldiers and civil ians in the Wurzburg area spends considerable Lime commuting. The Soldier with he service. 103rd military intelligence in says her daily travels total about an hour. During these trips she journeys from Biebel Rich stops at the baby Sitter s and goes to work in Wurzburg about six Miles from her Home. She Heads off in the opposite direction at the end of the Day. Some Days it s  she said. With the problems of such Drivers in Stuttgart does for its traffic reports. The German police were not As readily Able to provide the  Holycr said. With a wide area to cover military police already were burdened with other work he said. That s when the station went to a civilian counterpart. Radio Gong main land in Wiir Burg. Chief director Jurgen holc said his private station regularly airs traffic reports from information Gatihi Rcd by the City s taxi  the arrangement the cab Drivers Contact the radio station with reports on traffic conditions and tips on breaking news they witness. Because they Are such Good sources we mention them in Al most every  he said. It s a Deal where no Money goes  no Cash Deal was struck by ". We had no idea what the traffic conditions were Franz Holzer mind the local an staff took an idea from station Secretary Sigrid Burger Andeane up with something that serves both sides of the  said station manager sgt. 1st class Franz Holzer. That something is traffic reports and updates a mainstay of German radio. Since the first week of March an has been broadcasting exons intermittently during Peak traffic hours in the morn ing and afternoon. An ran into a few curves in the Road however As it tried to Start the traffic service. At first. Hol or and his staff were faced with the task of gathering the information for listeners who were fitfully making their Way through the streets of the station s broadcast area which includes Wurzburg Schweinfurt and kit Zingen. Aside from going to the major traffic areas we had no idea what the traffic conditions were Holycr said. The obvious answer was to ask the police something the an station in to can radio Gong and an in which radio Gong sends traffic information to an Wurzburg via Tel fax. They actually make it very simple for us Holycr said. The information lists major traffic areas and any problems there. If there s some kind of urgent change in the information they la Send us another updated copy Holycr said. In return an mentions on air that the traffic updates come from radio Gong. A sic said it helps his station whose format is dominated 70 percent by Brit ish and american pop music. We want to improve connections Between German listeners and Ameri can listeners As Well As get More Ameri can listeners he said. The development of a radio station takes Lime. You do Little Steps. We use every Opportunity to Point out the  an has the same Outlook. Our listeners Don t always listen to us Holzer said. That s our Job we motorists Psi their urn to i l onto the Berliner ring in Worz Huri. Sis John Miar have to continuously find a Way to serve the Public our  he said the traffic reports help do that and  a Small  Holycr said we re helping the German population by get Ting our people to stay away from traffic problems and not add to  unfortunately for Hector the traffic reports won t Speed up her  Way you go. Where i m going traffic s going to be this  she said letting up on the brakes and applying them again winning another Inch Down Nurnberger Strassl on her Way Home. Dod spending s no Boon for most districts Washington