Maximize Rideshare Potential with Hivemapper: Tips from a Seasoned Driver

“I’m on my way from Los Angeles to San Diego at the moment,” says Eddie Navarrette as he cruises down Interstate 5. A rideshare driver who regularly crisscrosses the sprawling Los Angeles metro area, Eddie makes mapping with Hivemapper part of his daily routine.

“I’m one of the OGs,” he notes with pride. Eddie has seen the Hivemapper Network evolve from a budding idea to a thriving community actively building the world’s freshest map. It all started with an early pitch in a Facebook group for Uber and Lyft drivers promoting a novel project that rewards everyday drivers for mapping with specialized dashcams.

“Basically, all Uber and Lyft drivers would love to get more for their driving,” he acknowledges, so exploring Hivemapper was a no-brainer. Eddie has now mapped nearly 100,000 total road km since the network’s launch, and has seen a dramatic improvement in the experience of mapping using the dashcam and companion app. “It’s driver friendly,” he comments. “It’s just so much easier now to actually contribute.”

Eddie enjoys coaching newcomers to Hivemapper. Here’s some general guidance based on his travels across Southern California and beyond.

“They always ask me, are those cameras on top of your car?”

Eddie mounts his two Hivemapper Dashcams externally — one facing forward and the other capturing the passenger-side view. “I do that to get the highest quality imagery,” he explains. “Some people will put it on the inside of their car, but I know that sun glare will sometimes mess up the image.”

Eddie secures his cameras using two dual-cup magnetic action camera mounts, which he says get less wear and tear than the suction-cup mounts he previously used. “I’ll be driving 80 to 85 miles per hour on the highway, and those cameras, they’re not going anywhere.” By capturing crisp, glare-free imagery, Eddie ensures his mapping contributions are first-rate.

“I just let the rides that I get from Uber and Lyft take me wherever,” says Eddie, though he tends to seek out uncharted side streets. “If I take regular streets, I’ll check the Hivemapper map for unmapped roads and take that route.”

Mapping uncharted and less-traveled roads makes the journey more rewarding. “During Open Road Season One,” which targeted 6 million unique kilometers mapped, “I actually took a couple of trips up to Big Bear to cover unmapped roads in the hills and the mountains.”

By varying his routes and exploring side streets, Eddie expands Hivemapper’s coverage while helping to keep it fresh.

During an extended road trip through Nevada and Arizona, Eddie got his first taste of Bursts, which reward contributors with bonus HONEY for mapping high-demand areas. “It was just a nice, stress-free moment, because my therapy is actually driving and listening to good music,” he says with enthusiasm. “And if I can get rewards at the same time, hey, I’m all for it.”

Eddie regularly posts videos of his rideshare adventures and mapping excursions to TikTok. In Lake Havasu, he made a video from the app’s map perspective of himself mapping a bunch of Bursts to Pac-Man sound effects, gobbling them like power pellets. “I was actually playing that sound effect in my head the whole time while I was mapping.”

Eddie’s elaborate camera rig sometimes draws attention. While mapping Bursts in a small Arizona town during the trip, locals called the authorities about his vehicle and he was pulled over — another experience captured on video.

“The cop, he was very nice to me, he was very cool,” Eddie recounts. As he gave his info, Eddie explained Hivemapper to the officer and showed his activity on the app. “And he was very intrigued and he said that he was gonna sign up for it,” he adds with a laugh. For Eddie, spreading the Hivemapper gospel makes mapping all the more fun.

Eddie is always happy to help onboard new contributors to Hivemapper. He’s even inspired some of his own rideshare passengers to join the movement. “I pick up a lot of truck drivers, like from the mechanic or from the gas station,” he explains, “and they’ll ask me, ‘Well, can anyone do it?’ And I’ll give them the information and they’ll sign up.”

He encourages everyone who wants to contribute to Hivemapper to join its Discord server. “If anyone has concerns or any questions about Hivemapper or about uploading their images, or how their dashcam isn’t working properly or something like that, they should communicate with the Hivemapper community on Discord,” he emphasizes. “It’s one big community where everyone is helping each other.”

The strength of the Hivemapper community lies not simply in its capacity to constantly map, but in the stories and support shared among its members. Hivemapper’s vibrant global community thrives on this collaborative spirit, where every individual’s contribution is genuinely valued.

Eddie’s journey illustrates the unique blend of technology, human connection, and exploration that defines the Hivemapper experience. As the network continues to grow, the contributions and dedication of individuals like him remain pivotal.**