Mapbox
About Mapbox (mapbox.com)
Mapbox is a living platform of location services. We equip innovators to keep up with a changing world using real-time data and map rendering technologies. Part of the Mapbox services use OpenStreetMap. To provide up to date and correct datasets Mapbox employs a data team for improving the map through the OpenStreetsMap.
OSM Contributions
The Mapbox Data team is involved in OpenStreetMap (OSM) map data enhancement projects around the world. We focus on enhancements that elevate the overall mapping and driver experiences. The Mapbox mapping team is dedicated to refining OSM by working on:
- Edits based on user feedback
- Edits based on automatically detected issues (Linters)
- General worldwide map and navigation improvements
- Roads attributes
All active mapping tasks are ticketed and documented in our mapping repository.
Mapbox Data Team
The Mapbox Data Team improves OpenStreetMap by fixing errors and adding data using open data sources and customer feedback.
Data team points of contact: 
Tanya Koval (Takogin on osm)(Manager) and Yuliya Razukevichus (mirikaaa on osm) (communications assistant)
Current team: All team members can be found here: List of OSM Team Members
Previous team members not at Mapbox anymore: List of previous data team members
Team members active in OpenStreetMap
These are the user accounts of team members who are not a part of the data teams but are active in OpenStreetMap and projects related to the same.
Tom Lee (on osm) Alex Barth (lxbarth on osm) Arun Ganesh (PlaneMad on osm)AJ Ashton (ajashton on osm)Daniel Patterson (mapboxdan on osm)Shiv Ramachandran (shvrm on osm)Pratik Yadav (pratikyadav on osm)Marena Brikhurst (MarenaB on osm)
Current mapping projects
List of Projects we are working on:
| Activity | Geography | Description | Tag |
| Map Data (Global editing) | Worldwide improvements | MapData project is based on the Global worldwide editing activity across all layers and feature types. Mapbox has several internal projects that could give a signal about incorrect OSM data, but there are no planned massive edits for specific regions. The target is mostly to fix obvious incorrect mapping such as vandalism, offensive data, broken roads, snapped points, outdated information, missing service roads, incorrect heights and so on. | #mapbox_editing |
| Feedback | Worldwide improvements | Mapbox enhances OpenStreetMap (OSM) through organized edits by incorporating feedback from both business and individual users for map updates. This feedback involves specific reports of inaccuracies found via diverse platforms, including apps and APIs. Mapbox assesses these reports with existing data sources to verify proposed changes. Mapbox reviews these reports against available sources to confirm the suggested additions or changes. Upon confirmation, Mapbox updates its own mapping data and, in some cases, considers enhancements to OSM maps if they can be validated without violating the ODbL license. When validation through an ODbL-compliant source is not possible, Mapbox may either post a note for the OSM community directly on the map, seek input from local community members for validation suggestions, or conduct its own field verification to confirm the changes, which can include editing during surveys, uploading GPS traces. | #mapbox_feedback |
| Road attributes | Worldwide improvements | Mapbox enhances OpenStreetMap (OSM) through the organized edits of road attributes. Main targets are missed or wrongly mapped speed limits, turn restrictions, turn lanes, oneways. Mapbox is identifying the issues automatically by internal tools built by Mapbox developers based on detections from GPS traces. For confirmation of the issue Mapbox is using the list of sources available in OSM ID. | #mapbox_roads_attributes |
| Linters | AU, AT, BE, BG, CA, HR, CZ, DK, FI, FR, DE, GR, HU, IE, IT, NL, NO, PL,PT, RO, SG, SK, SL, ES, SE, CH, GB, US | Linting issues are errors in OpenStreetMap data, which is identified automatically by the internal tools built by Mapbox developers based on the OSMLint and manually by the data validators. The project was created to review errors in OSM data and fix it where there’s possibility for improving the road network and map conditions. | #mapbox_linters |
| Missing Roads | Worldwide improvements | Missing Roads project will be focused on the addition of the new and missing roads to improve the overall road network connectivity and visualization. | #mapbox_missing_roads |
| Improvements roads | India and Indonesia | Initiative to enhance the quality of road data in India and Indonesia | #mapbox_roads |
Tools & Data Sources
Main tools that Mapbox data editors use for mapping are JOSM and iD Editor. For tracking and validating edits - OSMCha.
Mapbox uses several sources to enhance OSM:
- Satellite imagery listed in the OSM ID Editor
- External data sources allowed by ODbL license
- Mapbox satellite imagery
- Feedback from Mapbox users
- GPS traces
- Local knowledge of the Mapbox mappers in their locality
- Trip recordings from the Mapbox internal Drivers team
In case of any questions we’re ready to share any internal sources that we’re using to create OSM edits.
Data Team Guidelines
In addition to the rules that apply to everyone in the community, here are the guidelines the Mapbox team reiterates and adds for themselves:
- We listen to the community. We are looking for your feedback on how to make a better map. Get any time in touch with any of our team members. For general feedback message [email protected] or create a ticket with your question on this Github
- Quality is paramount. We hold ourselves to the highest mapping standards as documented on the OpenStreetMap Wiki or as established as common practice in the community.
- Local knowledge first. Where in any doubt, the locally surveyed information prevails over remote updates.
- We disclose all ongoing mapping efforts on the Mapbox mapping repository.
- All full-time data team members will be listed here on this Github info page and identified on their user profiles.
- Where possible we use public tools for coordinating work, allowing anyone in the community to participate
Other
Contributions
- The Mapbox OpenStreetMap Data Team Guidelines September 2014 by lxbarth
- OpenStreetMap 101 series 2016 - 2017
- State of the Map 2015 | The Paid Mappers are Coming by lxbarth
- State of the Map 2016
- State of the Map 2018 | Can We Validate Every Change On OSM? by lukasmartinelli
- State of the Map 2019
- State of the Map 2020 | An Incomplete History of Companies and Professionals in OpenStreetMap by Mikel Maron
- State of the Map 2021 | Linting the map together: Collaborations of Mapbox Data RAVE and OpenStreetMap Communities by Vlada Boitik
- State of the Map 2022 | Mapbox Movement: Traffic Volume Indexing on OSM - Kuan Butts | Lessons from the sign shop - Minh Nguyễn
- State of the Map 2023 | (Travel) time is money! Costing turns, intersections, and ways - Kuan Butts & Jamie Saxon
- Mapbox designed and developed the current version of the osm.org website: Devlog: Implementing change in OSM, Devlog: improving OSM.org functionality and design, Evolving OpenStreetMap.org
- Developed the most popular map editor, iD Devlog: iD 1.1 , blog.mapbox.com
- Organized the State of the Map US conference for years: State of the Map US 2015 , State of the Map US 2013
- Responded to the Nepal earthquake
- Built company wide OSM operational plans: Community Team Work with Open Data Communities, OpenStreetMap community strategy 2017 , OpenStreetMap strategy 2016
Consultancies working on Mapbox projects
Mapbox sometimes works with consultancies on a short-term basis for certain projects. We ensure they abide by the OpenStreetMap guidelines for mapping that our team follows. Here is the list of consultancies and the projects associated with them.
| Name of the consultancy | Projects they are working on | Status (Active/Paused/Completed) |
| GIS-UA | 1. Mapping service roads in parking lots
2. Mapping turn restrictions |
Paused |
Contact
Please send any general feedback on Mapbox's work on OpenStreetMap to [email protected]