Trakmaps no longer available in Ontario?

[Spiderman]

10 hours ago, stoney said:

So the OFSC had a player that was used but were not meeting a new criteria. 
I assume discussions were had to see if that player could accommodate?

If criteria  could not be met and there are other possible players, it would seem prudent to give those other players a chance to step up to the plate before this decision was made. 
 

 I assume current gps can still be used to track your trail, route taken , etc…., but would need to be used in conjunction with the trail map app with most current trail route, status, etc …not ideal. 
 

Doesn’t appear to be the most well thought out decision, perhaps there is more to the situation that helps make more sense of it or why notice of this was not communicated. 

Not if the agreement with the current provider was ending and no longer met their needs, regardless of whether or not a new player was procured.

 

if the existing doesn’t do it, it’s over.

 

[stoney]

1 hour ago, Spiderman said:

Not if the agreement with the current provider was ending and no longer met their needs, regardless of whether or not a new player was procured.

 

if the existing doesn’t do it, it’s over.

 

If agreement is coming to a close on said date, should talks about next agreement not be discussed ahead of time than to ensure new requirements are met, which maybe it did (????), and at the same time open up discussions with other players who might also be able to meet requirements in that same time frame based on agreement end date. 

 

For me it doesn’t really matter, I use the ON and QC apps as well the BRP one and these meet my needs, but for others that have used GPS and expected too this year, to now hear this with I assume no prior notice, just doesn’t seem well thought out, imo.

[grover_yyz]

On 9/17/2023 at 12:40 PM, stoney said:

If agreement is coming to a close on said date, should talks about next agreement not be discussed ahead of time than to ensure new requirements are met, which maybe it did (????), and at the same time open up discussions with other players who might also be able to meet requirements in that same time frame based on agreement end date. 

 

For me it doesn’t really matter, I use the ON and QC apps as well the BRP one and these meet my needs, but for others that have used GPS and expected too this year, to now hear this with I assume no prior notice, just doesn’t seem well thought out, imo.

At the AGM he did mention the BRP app met their requirement. I have not looked into the BRP version. Probably only works with a GEN 4 sled as all the cool accessories are for the GEN 4.

[Wildman]

paper map, compass and some sense is all you need to navigate. It got us where we are.

[stoney]

28 minutes ago, grover_yyz said:

At the AGM he did mention the BRP app met their requirement. I have not looked into the BRP version. Probably only works with a GEN 4 sled as all the cool accessories are for the GEN 4.

 

It is on your phone actually, and if your sled has the option of the glove box with cell phone holder, it works great!

The new GEN4 & 5 sleds with the newer gauges does also allow your phone to link to it and display the maps, but the source is your phone in all of this....where people rather have the GPS that is made for outdoor exposures without added accessories.

[stoney]

24 minutes ago, Wildman said:

paper map, compass and some sense is all you need to navigate. It got us where we are.

 

I, just like many other used to do that - couple of years ago I embarked down the road of using the BRP app on sled trips and it worked great, basically completely stopped the driving down a trail that you were not 100% sure you were on the right one and the gas station only within the range that you had enough gas for....lol

 

Local rides in areas we know, not required though.

But running that Relive app is pretty cool though for any rides!!

[andreyboater]

That really sucks!  I use trackmap on my Garmin all the time. Pretty accurate and not too many glitches. Sad to see I can't update it anymore

[Spiderman]

Paper maps were great for promoting the comraderie of riding.

Stop, pull out a map, check the map smoke break ( for those that needed it ), rip on each other about their crap riding skills,  push down your buddies kill switch, etc.

 

I prefer those days

 

 

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

5 minutes ago, Spiderman said:

Paper maps were great for promoting the comraderie of riding.

Stop, pull out a map, check the map smoke break ( for those that needed it ), rip on each other about their crap riding skills,  push down your buddies kill switch, etc.

 

I prefer those days

 

 

Yep and the advertising on the maps helps pay for club/district expenses. 

[stoney]

9 minutes ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

Yep and the advertising on the maps helps pay for club/district expenses. 

 

How much is this still relevant today?

I do not see maps anymore, so wondering if those advertising dollars are what they once were - I imagine not.

I am thinking there might or could be pop up ads on the app that can be bought instead, but I do think that is the case.....nor would I want them either

 

Paper maps or not, still seem to be stopping the same amount, maybe more now for pee breaks actually....lol.

 

[scottyr]

I rarely use a paper map anymore EXCEPT around Mont Laurier.     There are so many local trails that I cannot blow up my GPS screen far enough to see where i actually am and where I am going.    I do always carry the paper maps with me when we are in Quebec just so I can point out to my crew where we are going in the event we get seperated.

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

20 hours ago, stoney said:

 

How much is this still relevant today?

I do not see maps anymore, so wondering if those advertising dollars are what they once were - I imagine not.

I am thinking there might or could be pop up ads on the app that can be bought instead, but I do think that is the case.....nor would I want them either

 

Paper maps or not, still seem to be stopping the same amount, maybe more now for pee breaks actually....lol.

 

Paper maps are still being produced and handed out at least in our district. The advertising money helps to pay some of the expenses.

[stoney]

1 hour ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

Paper maps are still being produced and handed out at least in our district. The advertising money helps to pay some of the expenses.

Thanks - I know they are still in circulation, I was more questioning if the advertising is still what it once was to help pay those expenses, maybe it is or maybe not.

I have a friend who's only reason to get paper maps, usually at the sled show each year, is to see who advertises on them, so he can support those businesses.

[Spiderman]

17 minutes ago, stoney said:

Thanks - I know they are still in circulation, I was more questioning if the advertising is still what it once was to help pay those expenses, maybe it is or maybe not.

I have a friend who's only reason to get paper maps, usually at the sled show each year, is to see who advertises on them, so he can support those businesses.

 

Community partners like to support one another. 

I'm sure there is no real "pay off' - other than showing your mutual support for one another.

 

[stoney]

3 minutes ago, Spiderman said:

 

Community partners like to support one another. 

I'm sure there is no real "pay off' - other than showing your mutual support for one another.

 

Yep - there is a ton of support in this industry by good people that allow it to be what it is, regardless of the shortcomings!

 

I am sure the extra few bucks a club might get from advertisers on trail maps, helps somewhere whether be fuel, tools, etc....

Which actually now makes me wonder with the new'ish template the OFSC uses for funding the clubs, does the advertisers moneys go into one big OFSC bucket or directly back to the club(s) that the advertiser is supporting, I would hope it goes directly to that club, but who knows now a days. 

[Big Pete]

3 hours ago, stoney said:

Yep - there is a ton of support in this industry by good people that allow it to be what it is, regardless of the shortcomings!

 

I am sure the extra few bucks a club might get from advertisers on trail maps, helps somewhere whether be fuel, tools, etc....

Which actually now makes me wonder with the new'ish template the OFSC uses for funding the clubs, does the advertisers moneys go into one big OFSC bucket or directly back to the club(s) that the advertiser is supporting, I would hope it goes directly to that club, but who knows now a days. 

Any fund raising done by clubs stays with clubs. The OFSC does not control any of that money.  
 

 

[Spiderman]

25 minutes ago, Big Pete said:

Any fund raising done by clubs stays with clubs. The OFSC does not control any of that money.  
 

 

 

That being the case, I assume fund raising for a club is important

 

[Big Pete]

43 minutes ago, Spiderman said:

 

That being the case, I assume fund raising for a club is important

 

Yes it is as most clubs have targeted the money at specific projects/needs that are not funded from permit dollars.

 

that said, fund raising sounds easy but it takes a tremendous amount of volunteer effort to raise any significant amount.

 

 

[scottyr]

 

[barberch]

It’s hard to imagine how the OFSC can think this is a good thing to do. They tell us all the time that the ITG is the only source for trail status but feel this is the right thing to do. I guess their method of communication of the source of trail status must be a failure. I assume all paper maps will cease to exist as well as any maps that are posted on sign boards at clubhouses and at locations on the trail. 
Next thing they will think we have to install gates that can only be operated by paid members on each trail to keep non members out! It will be another inconvenience for the membership. 
I believe the membership should send an email to let them know how we feel about it. 

[signfan]

I got that e-mail today as well.  Wonder if they can use the same tech that gps units with traffic alerts use.  Problem is when you loose that traffic data the base map stays the same.  If they want the map data to completely disappear then its new tech that isn't common in any current gps units.  Don't know what to say here.  Landowner relations are important.  Feel like there needs to be a tech solution for this before cutting out the old.  BRP go is not the solution.  GPS units offered something almost no other current solution does.  Reliability.  They don't freeze, work all the time if powered and provide accurate real time location data without cell service.

[barberch]

I wonder where the data came from that confirmed that the reason people are riding on trails that are closed is because they are using tools like Trakmaps? When i use Trakmaps to plan my route, I always refer to the ITG to ensure the trail is available. 

[signfan]

1 minute ago, barberch said:

I wonder where the data came from that confirmed that the reason people are riding on trails that are closed is because they are using tools like Trakmaps? When i use Trakmaps to plan my route, I always refer to the ITG to ensure the trail is available. 

The argument would be atv's in the off season.  Its either an atv issue or an insurance liability issue or both.  Not snowmobiliers riding closed trails.

[willb]

Like mentioned above it would be ideal that the OFSC presents the data they have that stopping usage of track maps is going to lower trespassing. No other places (states, provinces, etc) to my knowledge are doing this?

 

It just seems the OFSC continues to take these stances that blindside members and offer less services for them.
 

For anyone involved in the OFSC was this discussed at district meetings or the AGM? Or with landowners?

 

I have the file now so should be good for a little bit…

[Canuck]

TrakMaps customer. Received the following from the company.

 

Dear Valued TrakMaps Customers,

 

We regret to inform you that The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) has terminated its partnership with TrakMaps for the production of GPS maps covering the OFSC trails.

 

This means the following regrettable consequences:

 

We can no longer offer Ontario (OFSC) snowmobile trails maps for GPS product.
We can no longer offer official updates for this GPS product.

This product is discontinued and is no longer available for purchase.
 

While your current Snowmobile Ontario product will continue to function on your GPS unit, please be aware that there will be no further updates available. This said, we never recommend riding with trail maps that are out of date.

 

It would be best to contact the OFSC for other available mapping options.

 

We understand that the news is disappointing to our dedicated snowmobiling community, and we want to express our gratitude for your continued support over the years.

 

While this particular collaboration has come to an end, please rest assured that TrakMaps remains committed to providing you with top-notch navigation solutions for all your outdoor adventures (ATV, Hunting, Hiking, Fishing, Boating, Snowmobile and so much more).

 

If you have any questions about this decision or would like to share your feedback, we encourage you to reach out to the OFSC:

Phone: 705-739-7669 (press 0)
Email: [CLICK HERE]

 

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This one's a head scratcher. How can removing pinpoint location in Ontario's north be safe?