The next Generation Road Weather Information Tool has been launched. During bad weather 6,600 people are killed, 470,000 people are injured, and 544 million hours of time are lost annually. FHWA?s Office of Operations and Office of Operations R&D responded with the next generation of road weather information system called the Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS). It is currently a prototype that is available for field-testing on FHWA?s Road Weather Management Web page at www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/weather/index.htm. The system displays various maintenance alternatives and their resulting benefits, which will allow highway agencies to more effectively deploy snowplows and improve road conditions while also reducing response costs.