New digital map guides migrant workers making way home by motorcycle

Migrant workers head home by motorcycle for Spring Festival family reunions after getting free oil from a gas station in Foshan, Guangdong province, on Monday. [Photo by Xiao Xiong/China Daily]

On Wednesday morning, Zhang Aiping joined hundreds of migrant workers as he began his journey home by motorcycle for a Spring Festival family reunion.

The journey of 600 kilometers from Zhaoqing, Guangdong province, to Liuzhou, in neighboring Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, was particularly difficult because of harsh weather conditions and difficulty in finding motorcycle maintenance shops.

"The first time I traveled home three years ago, I lost my way," said Zhang, 48, who has been working for a furniture company in Zhaoqing, about 100 kilometers from Guangzhou, Guangdong.

Showing a digital map on his mobile phone, which provides a designated route for his journey home, Zhang said he was no longer afraid of losing his way.

The navigation service, known as Gaode Map, can show specially designed routes for motorcyclists during the travel rush of the Spring Festival holiday.

The map service also includes information on 75 motorcycle maintenance shops in Guangdong, Guangxi and the nearby provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou and Sichuan, as well as weather conditions along the routes. The map includes 75 maintenance shops.

"It was very easy to see the traffic conditions on the road. The map informs us which road to take to avoid heavy traffic," Zhang said.

According to Gaode Map, about 2.46 billion trips will be made overland during the Spring Festival travel rush. Thousands of migrant workers in Guangdong and neighboring provinces and regions will choose motorcycles to take them home.

"We are joining hands with traffic authorities and social organizations to offer better services for this special group - migrant workers," said Dong Zhenning, vice-president of Gaode Map.

Dong said the navigation service for motorcyclists was aimed at ensuring a safe and happy journey.

"Because of the service, motorcyclists will have a reduced risk of breaking traffic rules because motorcycles are not allowed to be on some roads and the map will help them to avoid taking such routes," Dong said.

Gaode also offers traffic information seven days ahead for motorcyclists and car drivers, based on its artificial intelligence technology and big data resources, he said.

High-tech traffic measures were widely used in Guangdong during the once-a-year Spring Festival travel rush, according to the Guangdong traffic police and transport operators.

For example, the Guangdong traffic police are employing drones to monitor traffic. The drones will fly over major bus terminals, ports, harbors and along busy highways in 13 major cities to monitor traffic operations and help transportation companies avoid problems or handle emergencies.