The Trufi App for Cochabamba delivers what no other mobility app for informal transport can. It includes informal transport routes that Google Maps lacks. It works offline. It routes between provinces.
These features exist because the Trufi App is and has always been built on open data and community collaboration.
Version 5 recently launched for Android and iOS devices. It introduces a faster, more intuitive interface. The architecture is new, the design is cleaner, and the performance is faster.
But the real power comes from the volunteer community behind it. More than 625 routes are now available, all maintained by volunteers who map in OpenStreetMap. But you don’t have to be an OpenStreetMapper to participate. App users can report issues or suggest corrections, ensuring the app stays accurate and useful.
Offline Functionality — Because Cochabambinos Aren’t Constantly Online
Offline functionality relies on pre-downloaded data. When a device reconnects, the app syncs automatically.
“I think offline functionality is one of the most important things because in Bolivia not everybody always buys mobile data,” said Ismael Angulo, Trufi’s community leader in Cochabamba. “Many of our users are students. They connect to Wi-Fi points at university or home.”
The app also now lets users save frequent destinations, such as “home” or “work” for quick access.
Inter-Provincial Routing: More Maps Needed
Most apps made with Trufi code help people find routes within a particular city, or within cities that share a border. Routing between non-adjacent cities has always been an ambition, and now we’ve done it.
Because this is a new feature, there are only two inter-provincial routes available. This is a challenge to our users and mappers in Cochabamba. The more they map, the more useful the app becomes.
Open Source Means New Features Cross-Pollinate
The Trufi App for Cochabamba is part of a larger ecosystem. The ability to select different colored maps was originally developed for our stadtnavi app in Herrenberg, Germany. Innovations from Cochabamba, such as offline mode and inter-provincial routing, may soon appear in other apps based on the Trufi Core codebase. Because our code is open source, a feature developed for one app in our ecosystem can be adopted by another app — even apps outside of our ecosystem.
We invite partners, funders, and supporters to get involved. Contact us to learn how you can support this work.
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