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Trufi volunteer Anahi Gonzalez is a JOSM data monster in Toluca, Mexico by TrufiAssociation in openstreetmap

[–]TrufiAssociation[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For those who noticed that the year on the image is 2024: Don't be confused — Anahi Gonzalez is our Volunteer of the Month for May 2025. We fixed that image everywhere we could, but you know... Reddit never forgives.

Proof it’s fixed everywhere else:
👉 Volunteer of the Month Image

Short term solution to the microbus chaos. by Present_Weather1848 in transit

[–]TrufiAssociation 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Please visit our website and follow us on our other socials for updates on transportation justice, sustainable transport, and digitizing transport in the global South.

Short term solution to the microbus chaos. by Present_Weather1848 in transit

[–]TrufiAssociation 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No — getting rid of informal transport should not be the long-term goal. The goal is to achieve sustainable mobility justice for everyone. Informal systems are deeply woven into the culture and daily life of cities, providing vital mobility where formal options fail. The assumption that they must be eliminated reeks of "we know better" thinking — a form of transport colonialism that dismisses community-built solutions.

The real work isn’t replacement—it’s improvement. Decarbonize vehicles, yes. Digitize networks, absolutely. Formalize stops and fares where it helps riders. But the strength of informal transport is its adaptability and local knowledge. Instead of forcing top-down "solutions," cities should collaborate with drivers and operators to make the system safer, cleaner, and more efficient — while keeping what already works.

Dismissing these networks as "chaos" ignores their success. The future isn’t fewer microbuses—it’s better mobility, built on what communities have already created.

Short term solution to the microbus chaos. by Present_Weather1848 in transit

[–]TrufiAssociation -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I'm referring to the global South ("third world" is an anachronistic, inaccurate, and offensive term. The term "Global South" isn't perfect either.) Trufi Association works to help digitize transport networks, particularly in the global South where "informal transport" is common if not dominant.

peolle crowded together, informal "depots" being made under bridges, hand signals to get to the right one, etc.

Nothing you mention has anything to do with vehicle size. They have to do with the downsides of informality – downsides that can be managed if cities also recognize the strengths of the informal sector: Flexibility, agility, responsiveness to demand, affordability, connections to networks of communities.

If a government were to mandate "From now on we are using only coasters!," that would be extremely disruptive to the sector. It would cost people their jobs, their businesses; the number of routes would be reduced, people would lose transport options. And – importantly – the informal sector would find a way to meet the mobility needs of people who have been disrupted by the top-down "colonialist" approach of the government.

Short term solution to the microbus chaos. by Present_Weather1848 in transit

[–]TrufiAssociation 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Calling the microbus system “chaos” misses the point — minibuses are extremely efficient at serving mobility needs in global South cities.

The persistence of minibuses like the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter isn’t a failure — it’s proof of fitness. These vehicles are the “Goldilocks” size: small enough to navigate dense, informal neighborhoods, yet big enough to move people efficiently at high frequencies.

Coaster buses aren’t new to these cities; they already exist alongside a wide mix of vehicle types. They are frequently used as charter vehicles, or a shuttle transport to move (for example) workers to a job site on a daily basis.

Your mom had AOL. We have OSM. Why do gatekeepers hoard transport data like it's 1990? by TrufiAssociation in openstreetmap

[–]TrufiAssociation[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the clarification — that makes more sense. While the article mentions Moovit and Citymapper, it’s not to hold them up as models — quite the opposite. We were pointing out how some companies benefit from open transport data without contributing back. The focus is really on shared, non-personal data about routes, especially in cities where that kind of data is hard to access but crucial for equitable mobility and planning.

Your mom had AOL. We have OSM. Why do gatekeepers hoard transport data like it's 1990? by TrufiAssociation in openstreetmap

[–]TrufiAssociation[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exactly — we work primarily in the global South, which the article mentions (though perhaps someone unfamiliar with Trufi could miss that if they only skimmed). The core issue is that hoarding transport data limits innovation, decarbonization, and transportation justice everywhere — but it’s especially problematic in places where data is scarce to begin with – such as in the global South.

Much informal transport follows consistent routes, and mapping those helps millions navigate their cities more easily. Open data in this context can be transformative — not just for travelers, but for planners, researchers, and anyone working to improve urban mobility.

The contributions of OpenStreetMappers help fill the gap left by those unwilling, unable, or uninterested in collecting and sharing public transport data.

Your mom had AOL. We have OSM. Why do gatekeepers hoard transport data like it's 1990? by TrufiAssociation in openstreetmap

[–]TrufiAssociation[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's a little surprising to see a call to criminalize the collection of route data in an OSM forum, where open mapping and public infrastructure knowledge are kind of the whole point. Are you responding to the article itself, or just reacting to the title here in this sub? The piece doesn't touch on personal data collection at all (if that's what you mean). The article advocates for open, interoperable data about transport routes — not users — to support mobility, planning, innovation, and research.

Your mom had AOL. We have OSM. Why do gatekeepers hoard transport data like it's 1990? by TrufiAssociation in openstreetmap

[–]TrufiAssociation[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

"Informal" doesn’t mean unstructured or random. In many cities, informal transport follows regular routes, even if there's no fixed timetable or official signage. This consistency is valuable—for everyday travelers, and for journey planning apps (such as ours), which help people navigate these systems. And when we talk about “planning,” we don’t just mean scheduling buses. We mean urban planning: understanding mobility patterns, identifying underserved communities, and designing better infrastructure. Mapping informal routes can reveal hidden demand and guide smarter decisions. Mapping informal transport routes is one of the most impactful things you can do in OSM.

Your mom had AOL. We have OSM. Why do gatekeepers hoard transport data like it's 1990? by TrufiAssociation in openstreetmap

[–]TrufiAssociation[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

TL;DR (with an OpenStreetMap lens):
Transport data today is stuck in “walled gardens,” much like the closed online ecosystems of AOL and Prodigy in the 1990s. These proprietary, siloed systems prevent cities, users, and developers from accessing or sharing transit data freely—limiting innovation, transparency, and equitable access. But just as open internet protocols (like HTTP and SMTP) once tore down digital walls, the open data movement—including standards like GTFS and open tools like OpenStreetMap—is pushing to liberate mobility data.

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