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free transportation- related stuff online
By Michelle Johnson, Globe Correspondent
Freetrip.com
Planning a driving trip? You could go to your local software emporium and buy a program that will map out your route and flag attractions and points of interest. But for free, you can consult the AutoPilot trip planner at www.freetrip.com to create a customized travel itinerary.
How it works: Type in a starting point and ending point. Select options such as scenic roads, or tell AutoPilot to avoid toll roads or roads that are closed during winter. Select a route that will let you stop at B&Bs, or certain hotel and motel chains, travel plazas or points of interest, and hit the submit button. AutoPilot will send you a copy of the directions via e-mail if you enter your address; it also will display the results on-screen.
Pros: AutoPilot's form is easy to fill out.
Cons: Suggested points of interest and hotel choices are sort of mainstream. You may miss quirkier stops or unusual lodging options by relying completely on this site's recommendations. But for a freebie, it's a good start. Don't expect AutoPilot to be completely accurate, either (read the fine print). It mapped out a drive from Boston to Baltimore and threw in a California motel as suggested lodging in New York.
Aircraft Screen Saver
Free screen savers are available all over the Web. Here's one for airplane enthusiasts (www.boeing.com/
companyoffices/gallery/screen/screen.htm) that will cycle through a slideshow of 24 current Boeing aircraft, missiles, rockets, and an artist's rendering of the international space station. Versions can be downloaded for Windows 95/98 and the Mac.
Airline Seating Charts
I fly coach. So I usually ask for a seat in an exit row, the ones with the extra leg room. If you'd like to scope out the exit row seats, or just see where you're sitting, call up your airline's seating chart online. For a comprehensive list, go to www.airtravel.about.com/msubseats.htm.
Price that Beater
When it's time to sell your car, there's no need to rush around looking for guides that will tell you its value. The Kelly Blue Book (www.kbb.com) has a simple and quick Used Car Value finder.
How it works: Click Used Car Values, select ''Trade-in.'' Click the year, make, and model, and enter details such as transmission type, mileage and optional equipment, and rate your car's condition on a ''poor to excellent'' scale. Push the submit button to get the trade-in value.
Pros: Site's a fast download, easy to navigate.
Cons: If you want to know the retail value of the car, that is, what a dealer might sell it for, you have to go to a separate page and re-enter everything.
Michelle Johnson, a former editor for the Globe, is an Internet consultant. Her e-mail address is [email protected].
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