About me

I am Michael Tsang. I am a transport information specialist with expertise in open data, software, and standards. I am an active contributor to OpenStreetMap, OpenTripPlanner, and GTFS standards, and have made products which are scalable and interoperable with different data sources and interfaces.

I am also an expert in maps, and can identify mistakes and inaccuracies to the precision of millimetres on the map. I participate in elite level precision orienteering races, which are map reading competitions where I have to match the map and the ground accurately.

Before I focused on mapping and transport, I was a web developer and made websites which are lightweight, responsive, easy to maintain, using standard technologies as much as possible. I use long-lasting technologies such as PHP, traditional development methodologies, and the best software development practices making websites last for years with minimal deprecation risk, reducing code rot and the maintenance effort of keeping websites running.

My expertise in transport data combined with my skills as a web developer means that I can set up entire, web-based passenger information solutions in form of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), which are mobile-first, responsive, and efficient, and do not require installation.

In addition, I can also work on individual components of the passenger information system, for example:

I am available for contract hire and I would love to talk to you how I can maximise your exposure of your transport network, keep your passengers informed and maximise satisfaction. If you need someone who wants accurate information to be seen by your passengers, get in touch.

My contributions

OpenStreetMap

My screen name on OpenStreetMap is 小智智. Most of my contributions on OpenStreetMap are in transport station routing, with the goal of providing accurate in-station navigation to routing software. When I visit a station, I check that the platforms, corridors, lifts, escalators, etc., are correctly mapped and connected to the street network, so that travellers can have confidence before setting foot, follow the instructions on the map to the correct platform, and allow enough time to change services.

OpenTripPlanner

I contributed a number of new features, improvements, and fixes to OpenTripPlanner 2.8 and 2.9. The most significant piece of work I have done is to modernise a legacy component which adds or replaces services in real time (PR #6028), alongside my proposal of standardisation (see below).

As a mapping expert, I have also contributed to aligning its routing engine with OpenStreetMap community standards so that the street routes returned reflect the legal (e.g. PR #6760 and #6764) and physical (e.g. PR #6774) realities.

GTFS

I made a proposal to the GTFS-RT standard to solve a decade-old problem of adding and rerouting trains on a flexible railway network by specifying new and replacement services. This problem prevented railway operators from fully adopting GTFS due to the inability to add or reroute trains in short notice. After months of discussions and two attempts at voting, it was adopted as an experimental standard, and it is now possible to deliver the reality of train service disruptions onto passenger information systems using GTFS-RT.

My competitive achievements

As a Hong Kong representative

Other notable competitions

Contact me

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Download my address book entry here.

Email

The best way to reach me is through e-mail at miklcct@gmail.com. In most circumstances (unless I have gone to travel / camp) I will reply within a day.

Social networks

I currently have my profile on a few social networks with miklcct as my id:
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