Zip code distances

[Dave]

Is anyone aware of a canned zip code distance calculator that has already
been built in Access?
I would prefer 2003 (but I assume this would be easily convertible to any
version).
I would also prefer free. Just don't want to reinvent the wheel.

Any help here will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance
dave

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

Zip code distances can only be calculated between post offices, or between a
post office and a specific address. One needs to have the physical
coordinates of every address to be able to do that. AFAIK, the only programs
that have that data are the mapping programs. The good news is that
Microsoft MapPoint is programmable with VBA from Access, and one could
possibly print that information.

 

[Dave]

It was my understanding that Zip code distances were calculated from their
geographical centers using lat/log calculations.

Am I miss-informed?

Thanks for the reply

dave

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

I have never personally seen any data which has been calculated by finding
the geographical center of a zip code. MapPoint maps appear to use the post
office as the zip code center. Google does not, although it may or may not
use the geographical center. In order to use Google, you'll need to buy
their api's, and I don't know how they'd work with Access or VBA.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access
http://www.accessmvp.com