Here’s some answers to questions that I get a lot:
Q. The maps that you create look great! Can I buy posters of them?
Sure! Visit my secure on-line store – there are lots of my own maps to buy, as well as a great selection of vintage transit and transportation maps and photographs! I print and ship all orders myself, and I put the same love and care into that as I do with the artwork. This is one of the best ways to show your support for the site, as you get something awesome in return, and I make a decent amount from each print.
Q. I love your site! How can I help support it?
Thanks for your support! There are a few things that you can do to express your appreciation of the site, including buying prints from my store (as above) or becoming a patron of the site via Patreon (click the “Become a Patron” button below)!
Become a Patron!Q. Can you design a map for me?
If you’re a business, non-profit or transit agency that needs a transit map made, then let’s talk! No personal commissions at this time, unfortunately.
Q. What software should I use to make a transit map?
A vector-based illustration application is an absolute necessity for making professional-looking transit maps. I use Adobe Illustrator, which is the standard industry choice of professional designers and map makers.
If you can’t afford the hefty price tag of Adobe applications, many enthusiasts use Inkscape, an open-source (free) vector illustration application. It doesn’t have the same polish as Illustrator, and some of its functionality is implemented differently, but — from what I’ve heard — it’s a very competent editor.
If you use a Mac, I’ve also heard good things about Affinity Designer, a newcomer to the graphic design and vector illustration world. At just $50 for a full license (the same as just one month of a full Adobe Creative Cloud subscription), it’s definitely worth checking out.
Bitmap editors like Photoshop or MS Paint are really totally unsuited to the precise work required to make a transit map, and I really recommend you don’t even try.
Q. I want to make a transit map, but I’ve never done one before. Can you help?
I offer lots of tips and tricks that I’ve picked up from making my own transit maps over the years on the site. Simply browse the “Tutorials” category!
Also, something I often recommend for people just getting started with transit map design is to find a PDF of a real map you like and open it up in Illustrator. Play around with it and see how it’s been put together. Sometimes official PDFs are password-secured against editing, but it’s worth a try!
Q. I made a transit map! Can you look at it for me?
Sure! Send me a JPG of your map via the Submissions page (you can include one image up to 5MB in size with your text) along with some details about it. Let me know if you want me to publish the map on the site or if you’d just like some private feedback. Be sure to add your email address if you want me to write back!
Q. Your scoring system for maps you review is totally whacko! What gives?
I’ll admit that my scoring is totally subjective and probably inconsistent, but it’s generally a “gut feeling” score based on my own personal criteria, including, but not limited to: informational hierarchy, aesthetic qualities, technical excellence, uniqueness of the map, my mood that day and the phase of the moon.
For the record, this is the general idea behind each score:
| 0 | Absolutely no redeeming qualities. Technically deficient, difficult to understand or just plain hideous to look at. An automatic entry to the Transit Maps Hall of Shame. |
| 1 | Awful, but with one or two glimmers of hope buried deep in the map. |
| 2 | Not bad, but has a few major flaws or errors that hold it back. |
| 3 | Almost there! Just needs a few little tweaks to be really good. |
| 4 | World-class. Wouldn’t be out of place in a major transit-based city. |
| 5 | The best damn map I have ever seen, or a map of superb historical importance. |
These days, I tend not to give marked scores to submitted amateur maps, as it can be unfair to compare them to professional ones. Instead, I focus on giving a balanced critique with some constructive criticism and ideas for improvement. However, if something amateur blows me away, then I’ll still hand out four or five stars as appropriate!
Q. I totally disagree with your review of [insert city here]. Who made you the expert?
I started Transit Maps as a personal design exercise — to analyse maps from around the world and see what made them tick so that I could understand them more fully and make better maps myself. My reviews are simply my own opinion and you don’t have to agree with me — in fact, I encourage you to comment on the site and put forward your point of view. Every design problem has multiple solutions and some of them will appeal to some people more than others.
Q. How do I get from (here) to (there)?
Transit directions are beyond the scope of this site — try Google or the website of the transit agency you’re after.