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I'm specifically meaning the traffic mapping and collaborative reporting side of Waze and Gmaps, I know navigation via Comaps is possible but I haven't seen anything that I can contribute to, to help others with time estimates etc.

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[-] Steve@communick.news 49 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

No. Live traffic data is too much server overhead for an un-monetized service.
Also, someone would have to be tracking where everyone is.

[-] Linearity@piefed.zip 18 points 2 weeks ago

There’s definitely a way to implement it while maintaining privacy

We just need a company or organization that’s not comically evil

[-] EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted 16 points 2 weeks ago

company or organization that's not comically evil

In a capitalist system? Good luck with that.

A nonprofit organization, sure, but definitely not a company or a not-for-profit organization.

[-] Griffus@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 weeks ago

Honest question; what is the difference between a nonprofit and a not-for-profit org?

[-] EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Some asshole downvoted you, so I gave you an upvote because there's nothing wrong with admitting you don't know something. Welcome to today's 10 000! ^_^

As for your question, a nonprofit cannot make profit and has to work toward a societal good, while a not-for-profit also cannot make profit but is not bound to that obligation.

From this article:

While all types of nonprofit organizations share the common goal of not pursuing profits, their legal and operational characteristics can differ:

Mission: Nonprofit organizations are required to benefit the public or advance a social cause. Not-for-profit organizations, or “other nonprofits” as the IRS deems them, can also benefit the public or they may focus solely on benefiting their members.

Scale: Nonprofits are typically larger organizations that aim to fulfill a larger need, such as the American Red Cross, while not-for-profits (or “other nonprofits”) are often smaller, serving only their members, such as a social club.\

Revenue Sources: The revenue of a nonprofit organization primarily comes from donations, grants and memberships. The revenue of a not-for-profit organization (e.g., a social welfare organization, civic league, social club, labor organization, veterans’ club or business league) is mostly derived from sales and membership dues.\

Tax-Exempt Status: Nonprofits are often granted tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3), while not-for-profits (or “other nonprofits” as the IRS calls them) can be tax-exempt under other 501(c) sections.

This is, perhaps to needless to say, a US-specific distinction and may be different or even nonexistent in other countries. :)

Cheers! <3

[-] Griffus@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 weeks ago

Thank you!

You are right, it is a US specific distinction, hence why I needed to ask. In Norway and Europe we have charitable organisations, US nonprofit, and interest organisations, US not-for-profit, The difference between them are somewhat similar, but less formalised here.

[-] EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted 1 points 2 weeks ago

I think that's interesting!

[-] Successful_Try543@feddit.org 7 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

In the meantime, one could parasitically use the Data from Google, e.g. in OSMAnd Link (in German but with useful screenshots).

[-] chris@l.roofo.cc 18 points 2 weeks ago

The biggest problem is scale. You need enough people to use it to even be remotely useful. Google has the movement data for so many phones that the can detect traffic problem only through the phones moving more slowly. Then there is waze where people actively add data. Even if there was an app that had the same functionality you wouldn't get any benefit if you are the only in a 100km radius.

[-] bryndos@fedia.io 16 points 2 weeks ago

yeah nah. organic maps for speed and footpaths-ish. Osmand for accuracy, quality map so much good mapdata it breaks my telephone.

but road traffic estimates, meh idk osm is the ultimate collab map though. #fuck car

[-] birdwing 8 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

OsmAnd is excellent, can rec.

There's also Organic Maps, which is also pretty good, but I personally prefer OsmAnd. And as another user posted below, OM has a bit of lack of transparency, so instead CoMaps is handier, that's a fork from it.

[-] furtiveParalysis@jlai.lu 2 points 2 weeks ago

When traffic'll pop it will be a pluggin in osmand I believe :)

[-] 14th_cylon@lemmy.zip 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)
[-] EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted 27 points 2 weeks ago

It's recommended to use CoMaps as that is the more-ethical successor to Organic Maps. (If you're not aware, there was a problem with Organic Maps being very...non-transparent should I say, and people got fed up with it and forked the project with the intent of establishing a successor app but that was more dedicated to transparency in decision-making.

[-] forestbeasts@pawb.social 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Oh goodness. I thought Organic Maps was itself supposed to be the more-ethical fork of maps.me or something... what are they even doing!

[-] EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Haha, no worries. Glad I could help! ^_^

[-] 14th_cylon@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 weeks ago

ok, i was not aware, thank you for the info

[-] EveryMuffinIsNowEncrypted 1 points 2 weeks ago

No problem! ^_^

[-] ivn@tarte.nuage-libre.fr 11 points 2 weeks ago

And CoMaps is its fork.

[-] governorkeagan_@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

There's this project, which I believe just needs to be integrated into the map of your choice (OsmAnd has support already if I'm not mistaken).

https://closures.osm.ch/

**EDIT: ** Added link.

[-] Zurgo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago

I think you're missing a link?

[-] governorkeagan_@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

Oh, I thought I pasted it. Thanks! Edited the post with the link.

[-] furtiveParalysis@jlai.lu 4 points 2 weeks ago

As it should be, I'll reference the openTraffic effort wich I think is stale since about 10years. There definitely is a need for this infrastructure as opensource map users grow along the years. https://github.com/opentraffic

[-] mortalic@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

I believe Murena Maps is working on implementing traffic data. I don't love their turn by turn, but if they do get traffic data, I'll use it.

[-] MedicPigBabySaver@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

As of now, Waze can't be beat. Even better than Maps.

You can give verbal reports by phone or Android Auto/Car Play. Can give more variety of reports, eg: potholes, blocked lane, road kill. And it gives a very accurate countdown timer for how long you're stuck in traffic. Waze is the superior app.. IMHO.

Last Sunday, we drove behind 2 snow plows in New Hampshire. Waze actually gave us a countdown timer for how long we'd be in traffic. It literally worked and knew where the snow plows were exiting the highway.

[-] mhzawadi@lemmy.horwood.cloud 1 points 2 weeks ago
[-] Successful_Try543@feddit.org 4 points 2 weeks ago

While StreetComplete or Every Door are useful for improving the data of OSM, OP ist asking for real time traffic data that is lacking at the moment in OSM based apps.

[-] timbuck2themoon@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago

Is magic earth Foss? Im not entirely sure but they at least do traffic.

[-] wasabi@feddit.org 2 points 2 weeks ago

Not foss and traffic is now paywalled

this post was submitted on 27 Mar 2026
84 points (100.0% liked)

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