One of the great accomplishments of the TRAC movement has been the acknowledgement by Google with the Road Mapping Champion Badge. The TRAC team is so proud of the five Local Guides who have been granted this badge on Connect. BUT, we have many incredible members who make exceptional contributions as both Local Guides and TRAC members. So, for our Community Spotlight, I’m proud to be shining the spotlight on a few well-deserving Local Guides from the TRAC Community.
The four LGs we’re presenting really need no introduction; @annaelisa from Germany, @MrFreez from Nigeria, @TerryPG from Canada, and @Designer_Biswajit from Bangladesh are staples of the Connect community. Their contributions can be seen everywhere, from Annelisa’s 9,800 comments cheering on her fellow LGs, to Biswajit’s beautiful 10th Anniversary Logo designed for the Local Guides program’s big birthday. We have some pretty heavy hitters as part of the TRAC Team. So, we asked them a few questions to pick their brains about being Guides and drawing roads.
How has your experience with TRAC been? What impact has it had on you and the community?
Patrick (@mrfreeze): It has been an enjoyable ride. The team spirit and support in the TRAC community is amazing, second to none.
Terry: It has been great. I achieved the goal of 5000 roads. I went to my closest local town today to the grocery store and saw the new houses being built on the first 4 roads I ever added. Brings a smile to me every time.
Annaelisa: I enjoy it. Adding streets is a calming activity, and accuracy is important.
Biswajit: Among all the ongoing campings, TRAC is a great initiative through which we can learn something new, exchange knowledge, and, above all, play an important role in the map by adding missing roads.
What motivates you to contribute to TRAC?
Annaelisa: Through the contributions on TRAC No.1, I was asked to add roads and tried it.
Patrick: The knowledge that roads drawn will be easing somebody’s movement is really motivating. The other motivating factor is the community spirit.
Terry: I like adding roads in underdeveloped countries.
Biswajit: I really like working with a specific goal in mind. The TRAC always moves forward with a specific goal, which gives me a lot of motivation in the field.
Share something interesting we might not know about you, or tell us something unique about your country.
Biswajit: I am a Graphic Designer. I have been working in this sector for almost 26 years. That’s why drawing roads is so easy for me, and that’s my favorite. My homeland, Bangladesh, has many unique things that are not found anywhere else in the world. It is the country of six seasons. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas in a river basin, this country, surrounded by rivers, offers different beauty in each part of the country throughout the seasons. For example, when you visit the Haor, during the rainy season, you can enjoy one kind of natural beauty, and in the winter, you can enjoy another kind of beauty in the mountains.
Terry: We have so many unique and iconic Canadian foods. Such as Poutine, Butter Tarts, Maple syrup, Newfie Screech, to name a few. Also, I love to cook and am known for a few of my dishes.
Annaelisa: I love being in nature and working in my garden. A great place known to tourists and locals in Germany is the Baltic Sea fjord, Schlei. The landscape is renowned and the perfect spot for me and many visitors to unwind.
Patrick: Culturally, Nigerians are very respectful people, and we take greetings/salutations very seriously. A fun fact: I call the phone numbers listed on business listings on Google Maps to confirm they are the correct numbers and edit the information where it is incorrect.
Wrapping up
I’d be remiss if we didn’t get tips for drawing roads from these TRAC Stars. They all recommend going slowly, being accurate, and being patient. Great advice for anyone who wants to start their journey adding roads to Maps. I’d add that you can always ask questions on Connect; one of our TRAC members will be very quick to jump in and help. Join TRAC, read the posts, join the chat, and being in the community will help you learn through the challenges of others.
Thanks to @AdrianLunsong for organizing this Community Spotlight program & a HUGE thanks to these TRAC Stars for taking the time to answer some questions about their experience. Special appreciation to @Kumaarsantosh for creating our cover images & @SholaIB (my beautiful 
co-host for TRAC on Road Mapper) for the entire TRAC initiative.
SO…
Are you part of TRAC? How was your experience with road mapping? Or are you planning to start your mapping journey soon? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments and learn more about your experiences.
, 
I appreciate you taking the time to read their stories, Jay.