Questions & Answers - How to publish a multi-modal journey app based on OSM with Trufi App

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Please feel free to start writing questions before the end of the talk and remind to rename yourself :) Please keep a copy of the previous language before translating to another language.

Speaker: Christoph Hanser ( https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/User:Chanser ) & Samuel Rioja https://www.trufi-association.org/ Chair: Lorenzo Stucchi (@LorenzoStucchi)

Questions:

  1. [DONE] GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) standard demand bus stop, do you work with this standard? How manage this requirement?
    1. ANSWER: Yes, we are working with GTFS data. For informal bus routes we build virtual bus stops on every crossing - Sören (Trufi)
    2. Are you planning to support GTFS-Flex?, Felix
      1. Yes, definitely. Actually, we are running Trufi App in Addis Ababa already with GTFS Flex and want to migrate the other cities as well.
  2. [DONE] How do you create bus routes ?
    1. if I understood well, you create GTFS from OSM routes ?
    2. Do you create routes manually with JOSM ??
  3. [DONE] What are “Digital Principles”? (The speaker mentioned that the app was developed “along Digital Princples, if you know what I mean”.) – das-g
    1. you can see https://digitalprinciples.org/
      1. (thanks!) – das-g
  4. [DONE] Which countries in Africa are using it?
    1.  (Ghana and Ethiopia)
  5. [DONE] Anyone in Tanzania?
    1. Not yet, please contact us! - Christoph
  6. [DONE] What level of technical expertise do you need?
    1. ANSWER: The tech team must be able to develop in Dart/Flutter or able to learn it - Sören (Trufi)
  7. [DONE] It was mentioned that the app is customized / localized for local communities. When travelling several Trufi-enabled places (cities, countries), do I have to download a separate app for each, or is there one I could use everywhere? – das-g
  8. [DONE] Will the app(s) be available of F-Droid? https://f-droid.org/ – das-g
    1. Yes, please contact me if you want to help us to publish it on F-Droid!
    2. We made a try but failed and haven’t tried again. - Christoph
  9. [DONE] Why are there multiple apps (forks of the original) instead of one (localized) brand?
  10. How do you deal with the very chaotic and different ways to map public transport in OSM? If you have your own model: Is it available in the OSM-wiki or elsewhere?
    1. We have a guideline on how we do it: https://www.trufi-association.org/projects/the-ultimate-guide/
    2. Sören will talk about this in his talk at 20:00 UTC - Christoph
  11. How can you collaborate with companies likke WhereIsMyTransport from South Africa to target the coverage for more cities?
    1. Our data is Open Data from OSM and WhereIsMyTransport isn’t -Enock
    2. We could collaborate with companies like WhereIsMyTransport, because our App could be an add-on to their backend - of course, we would prefer an open source backend. - Christoph
  12. [DONE] What does the name “trufi” mean / derive from? – das-g
    1. Taxi de Ruta Fija :)
    2. From Bolivia - Enock, Meaning??
  13.  [DONE] Are there issues with internet connectivity in some places that the busses go? - Gregory +1
    1. Yes - unfortunately, our app requires right now internet for the search with OpenTripPlanner Server. - Christoph
  14. How is market penetration of the drivers app?
    1. Not yet - we look for a funding to finalize it. - Christoph
  15. Will the app help the drivers to find their way?  — Sometimes the driver in the villages does not know the exact route.
    1. What do you mean with “find their way”?
      1. Yes, but most important share GPS coordinates so that users know, when the next bus comes.
  16. Can I see the vehicles in realtime? Like uber vehicle?
    1. In the future :) - Enock
      1. Yes, with the driver app. - Christoph
  17. Are the informations only useable on a smartphone or on a normal PC as well?
    1. Only smartphone right now. - Christoph
  18. This app is compatible with the relations of transport created in openstreetmap? https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:public_transport
    1. Yes! Using osm2gtfs you have a ready GTFS for OTP - Enock
      1. Exactly - that’s what we build on. OSM2GTFS is a good option and our own tool, published on Github.
  19. Do you think managing (mapping and keeping it updated) bus routes in OSM is sustainable? - wille
    1. Yes, I think it is sustainable - Wille, could you write me, why not? - Christoph
      1. In some places routes change too much. It’s difficult to map with relations in OSM, it costs time to be reviewing all changes and assure information is reliable. Maybe it’s a good solution if you don’t have official data.
        1. Yes, that’s a challenge. Therefore, we need a lot of community efforts. Sören will show later how to do the work with JOSM.
        2. Users can also say, when routes are wrong or missing and track their journey. With many of these trackings, we want to establish a process to get curated routes to OSM to keep it up2date.
        3. BTW, we only work in places without official data. - Christoph
  20. In bad shape here in central Taiwan
    1. Let’s clean it up together :) - Christoph
  21. in big cities) Don’t bus companies give GTFS files to Google? Well ask them for an extra copy.
    1. Yes, cities with digitizes public transport often already have GTFS. That is of course the easy start for Trufi :)
    2. By the way, TRUFI can help maintaining the GTFS accurate and up-to-date, with the user feedback on missing or outdated routes. - Christoph

Comments:

  1.  Kampala
  2. Thanks for the answers to Christoph and Sören. :-)