Citymapper explores Istanbul
Frontrunner in Open Data transport applications
Ever wondered which London double-decker to take in London? There is a good chance that the application of Citymapper may help you find the fastest route. This application is a showpiece of how releasing Open Data enables innovative companies to make use of information which creates benefits for the people or tourists in a city. When many cities started publishing Open Data on public transport, the company used their experience to quickly expand their service to cities all over the world. This resulted in an expansion to cities across five continents which would not have been possible without Open Data.
However, also Citymapper is often dependent on the availability and quality of the Open Data published in a city. To overcome this, they have developed a number of tools to enhance their knowledge of public transport in a city. For example when there is a large private transport network running alongside the official transport, for example in Mexico City, the company used crowdsourcing techniques to enhance the Open Data available. With their data tools, they could even create information on future transport routes such as the London Crossrail. In one of their blogs, they demonstrate how these tools are used to create a transport database for a city with no Open Data at all.
Although the tools enable them to create data themselves, Citymapper expresses their strong support for Open Data as this enables them to offer transport advice to citizens all over the world. Do you also want to use your Open Data to inform people what is their optimal route? Find out more about this application or what it can do for you by following the link below.
