Three more Map Apps have been released:
 
This time it’s all about travel!

1. Distance Calculator

Let’s say I want to fly to Seattle. First that would mean I’d have to get to the airport here. With the Distance Calculator I can find out how far it is and which route to take by bus/car. First I draw the flag to my hometown Heerenveen (train/bus station, not my home :P), then I’ll put in a search for Schiphol Airport and put a flag there. Flying is no option, no Airport in my hometown so let’s get some driving directions. Clicking on Calculate Driving Route will draw out the route for me.
   
As you can see in the screenshot above it is 136 kilometers (84,2 miles) to the airport and it has drawn me the route on the map too. If I decide to take the car, then I can freely drag the flag wherever I want (to my home addy for example)

Now I am about to fly, but how far is it? Let’s see, Schiphol Airport – Seattle Airport
  
4886 miles (7864 km)! That must be quite a flight! P.S. Have you noticed how you can get the distance in miles or kilometers? Handy!

2. Parking Finder

Now, if someone was to pick me up from the airport by car, where would he park? If no special lanes for that, I dunno never been there. App number 2 has the solution for that: Parking Finder. This Bing Map App was built by BestParking.com, who has a massive amount of data about the various parking lots around the US.
 
The Parking Finder Map App uses the Bing Maps One-Click Directions feature for calculating directions to the respective lot. Just click the link, select the most appropriate cardinal direction from which you’re coming and the route will be calculated for you with step-by-step directions within Bing Maps.
 
You can also calculate the parking rates, so you’ll know upfront what it will cost.

3. Gas Prices

Ohh my, the one picking me up has run out of gas, now what? Let’s fire up the Gas Prices Map App and find the nearest gas station.
 
Whoops, looks like that service isn’t available at this time…surely one is near, let’s use our eyes instead.

You can find all these apps on Bing Maps. For more information read Chris Pendleton’s post on the maps blog.

Edit: Almost forgot. Those of you who have been following my posts about Bing Map Apps, will have noticed that the Global Action Atlas and Piracy Watch weren’t working as should for everybody (at least not for me). This issue has now been fixed.