Contributing Routing Engine Data
Ride with GPS uses map data from OpenStreetMap (OSM) to power the RWGPS, OSM, OSM Cycle and ESRI map styles in our route planner and navigation software. OSM is a free and collaborative project to create a detailed map of the entire world — and it is constantly evolving and improving because of a worldwide community of volunteer contributors who regularly update the map to reflect new roads, closed roads, private/public land access, surface type information and more.
How to Contribute to OSM
It’s free and simple to become a contributor to OpenStreetMap:
- Sign up and create a free OSM Account.
- Go to the map and type the address or coordinates of the area that you want to edit into the search box.
- Hit the Edit button in the top left of the screen. This will open the iD editor.
- Suggest your edits, and a reviewer will assess them for accuracy and add them to the routing engine
Ways to Contribute
There are many ways to contribute to OSM that can improve your route planning and navigating experience, but these are some that we think are especially helpful:
- Contribute surface information to reflect whether the road is paved or unpaved.
- Add missing roads or update existing ones by using the ways tool in the iD editor. To do so you can use satellite imagery, or drop a .gpx file onto the map and then draw over it.
- Update access information to reflect where roads are privately owned or to indicate if a road is open to cyclists, though cars may not be allowed.
- Add bike lanes to where they exist, to highlight safer riding areas.
Frequency of Updates to Ride with GPS
The edits you make to OpenStreetMap will be visible immediately after you save them. However, edits may take up to 2 weeks to appear on Ride with GPS, as it takes time for OSM data to be approved and updated in our software.
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