google maps direction api taking traffic in account - google-maps

Question

I am trying to write a simple script in order to calculate in a google sheet the travelling time between two locations, by taking in account the traffic.
I am using the class DirectionFinder of the google Maps API.
I have managed to calculate the time necessary for a trip, but whatever departure time I enter, my travelling time stays the same. Any idea on what am I doing wrong ? Is it even possible to take traffic into account using this class ? Do I need to be a business user to have access to this ?
Here is my code :
function DrivingSeconds(origin, destination, Y, M, D, H, S) {
Utilities.sleep(1000);
var time= new Date(Y,M,D,H,S);
var directions = Maps.newDirectionFinder()
.setDepart(time)
.setOrigin(origin)
.setDestination(destination)
.setMode(Maps.DirectionFinder.Mode.DRIVING)
.getDirections();
return directions.routes[0].legs[0].duration.value;
}
Thanks for any advice that you might have ! :)

Answer 1

From Google documentation:
For requests where the travel mode is driving: You can specify the departure_time to receive a route and trip duration (response field: duration_in_traffic) that take traffic conditions into account. This option is only available if the request contains a valid API key, or a valid Google Maps APIs Premium Plan client ID and signature. The departure_time must be set to the current time or some time in the future. It cannot be in the past.
https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/directions/intro#RequestParameters
So yes, only for Premium users.Then your request should look like this:
var request = {
origin: origin,
destination: destination,
drivingOptions: {
departureTime: new Date(),
},
travelMode: google.maps.TravelMode[DRIVING]
};
var directionsService = new google.maps.DirectionsService();
directionsService.route(request, function(response,status) {
if(status == google.maps.DirectionsStatus.OK) {
console.log(response.routes[0].legs[0].duration_in_traffic);
}
});

Answer 2

directions.routes[0].legs[0].duration_in_traffic may be what you need.
E.g. this code:
function traffic_test() {
var threeAM = new Date();
threeAM.setDate(threeAM.getDate() + 1);
threeAM.setHours(3, 0, 0);
var eightAM = new Date(threeAM);
eightAM.setHours(8, 0, 0);
var directionFinder = Maps.newDirectionFinder()
.setOrigin('Union Square, San Francisco')
.setDestination('Golden Gate Park, San Francisco')
.setMode(Maps.DirectionFinder.Mode.DRIVING);
var directions = directionFinder.setDepart(threeAM).getDirections();
var leg = directions.routes[0].legs[0];
Logger.log('3AM: leg.duration=' + leg.duration.text +
'; leg.duration_in_traffic=' + leg.duration_in_traffic.text);
directions = directionFinder.setDepart(eightAM).getDirections();
leg = directions.routes[0].legs[0];
Logger.log('8AM: leg.duration=' + leg.duration.text +
'; leg.duration_in_traffic=' + leg.duration_in_traffic.text);
}
logs this:
[19-07-21 08:39:54:606 PDT] 3AM: leg.duration=16 mins; leg.duration_in_traffic=12 mins
[19-07-21 08:39:54:795 PDT] 8AM: leg.duration=16 mins; leg.duration_in_traffic=16 mins