rails geokit - get travel/commute time - ruby-on-rails

Question

Is there a way to use geokit in rails to get the estimated travel time between two locations? Right now, I'm simply showing the distance away but I think a better approach would be to show '15 minutes away' -- gives it a more practical approach to distance (sometimes 2 miles is 10 minutes and sometimes its 3)

Answer 1

A better solution would be to use the Google Maps Directions API using the API is as simple as calling the following URL http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/directions/json?origin=Chicago,IL&destination=Los+Angeles,CA&waypoints=Joplin,MO|Oklahoma+City,OK&sensor=false.
Which returns this JSON:
{
"status": "OK",
"routes": [ {
"summary": "I-40 W",
"legs": [ {
"steps": [ {
"travel_mode": "DRIVING",
"start_location": {
"lat": 41.8507300,
"lng": -87.6512600
},
"end_location": {
"lat": 41.8525800,
"lng": -87.6514100
},
"polyline": {
"points": "a~l~Fjk~uOwHJy#P",
"levels": "B?B"
},
"duration": {
"value": 19,
"text": "1 min"
},
"html_instructions": "Head \u003cb\u003enorth\u003c/b\u003e on \u003cb\u003eS Morgan St\u003c/b\u003e toward \u003cb\u003eW Cermak Rd\u003c/b\u003e",
"distance": {
"value": 207,
"text": "0.1 mi"
}
},
...
... additional steps of this leg
...
... additional legs of this route
"duration": {
"value": 74384,
"text": "20 hours 40 mins"
},
"distance": {
"value": 2137146,
"text": "1,328 mi"
},
"start_location": {
"lat": 35.4675602,
"lng": -97.5164276
},
"end_location": {
"lat": 34.0522342,
"lng": -118.2436849
},
"start_address": "Oklahoma City, OK, USA",
"end_address": "Los Angeles, CA, USA"
} ],
"copyrights": "Map data ©2010 Google, Sanborn",
"overview_polyline": {
"points": "a~l~Fjk~uOnzh#vlbBtc~#tsE`vnApw{A`dw#~w\\|tNtqf#l{Yd_Fblh#rxo#b}#xxSfytAblk#xxaBeJxlcBb~t#zbh#jc|Bx}C`rv#rw|#rlhA~dVzeo#vrSnc}Axf]fjz#xfFbw~#dz{A~d{A|zOxbrBbdUvpo#`cFp~xBc`Hk#nurDznmFfwMbwz#bbl#lq~#loPpxq#bw_#v|{CbtY~jGqeMb{iF|n\\~mbDzeVh_Wr|Efc\\x`Ij{kE}mAb~uF{cNd}xBjp]fulBiwJpgg#|kHntyArpb#bijCk_Kv~eGyqTj_|#`uV`k|DcsNdwxAott#r}q#_gc#nu`CnvHx`k#dse#j|p#zpiAp|gEicy#`omFvaErfo#igQxnlApqGze~AsyRzrjAb__#ftyB}pIlo_BflmA~yQftNboWzoAlzp#mz`#|}_#fda#jakEitAn{fB_a]lexClshBtmqAdmY_hLxiZd~XtaBndgC",
"levels": "BBBAAAAABAABAAAAAABBAAABBAAAABBAAABABAAABABBAABAABAAAABABABABBABAABB"
},
"warnings": [ ],
"waypoint_order": [ 0, 1 ],
"bounds": {
"southwest": {
"lat": 34.0523600,
"lng": -118.2435600
},
"northeast": {
"lat": 41.8781100,
"lng": -87.6297900
}
}
} ]
}
Then parse the JSON returned to grab the duration.text and display it on your page.
You may have to comply with terms of service in order to use this API so make sure you read up on googles requirements and how they affect the use of the service.