Feel like you know the streets of your city better than your navigation app does? Now there’s an app that lets you prove it. Meet transit app Moovit, whose latest Android update promises to “further empower users to contribute real-time transit information.” So if you see something, say something — in the Moovit app. Who knows? You may just be benefiting other travelers in your city
The newly-released Moovit version 4.13 for Android takes the app’s original crowdsourced data model to the next level. Whereas in previous iterations, only members of the Moovit Community program were able to edit the data within the app, these capabilities have now been opened to all. This, Moovit says, “allows transit riders to help others to have the most up-to-date transportation information so that the transit experience is better for all.”
Editable data includes station features, such as its location on the map, its name, and whether it’s closed (for now or for good). Extending all the way to which side of the street your destination is located, Moovit thinks that it has the most accurate information possible for your travel efficiency. The app will even tell you how clean or crowded an area is so that users have a comprehensive look of their journey before they even embark upon it.
“We’ve seen such amazing success with our Community program, with more than 65,000 people worldwide signing up to become editors or ambassadors to improve the quality of our data, that we decided to expand upon this fundamental idea of the Community,” said Yovav Meydad, Moovit VP of Products. “We’re now empowering all of our millions of users to make changes and improvements within the app. The more users that are involved in the process, the better the data in the app becomes, and the more people we’re able to help have smoother journeys on public transit.”
Included in the latest update is also the ability to submit photos of bus stops, station entrances, exits, and more, so that everyone knows exactly where they’re supposed to go. Edits will, of course, be moderated by existing Community editors and ambassadors to ensure accuracy. So if you’re looking to join the more than 40 million people using Moovit in 1,000 cities across 65 countries, this just may be the time to get involved.