Travel Mapping iOS App Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 25, 2026

Overview

Travel Mapping is an iOS app for browsing and tracking road and rail travel data from travelmapping.net. This privacy policy describes what information the app collects and how it is used.

Information We Collect

Location Data

• When used: Only when you explicitly start recording a Road Trip via the Road Trips tab, or tap the location button on a map view.
• How it's used: To record GPS coordinates of routes you drive so they can be matched to TravelMapping route segments.
• Where it's stored: Locally on your device and, if you have iCloud Drive enabled, in your personal iCloud container. No location data is sent to any third-party server.
• When it stops: GPS tracking stops when you tap "Stop Road Trip" or close the recording session.

User Preferences

• Favorited users, primary username, map display settings, and unit preferences are stored on your device.
• These preferences may sync across your Apple devices via iCloud Key-Value Storage if you have iCloud enabled.

Network Requests

The app fetches publicly available data from:

• travelmapping.net — route data, map segments, traveler statistics
• tmrail.teresco.org — rail route data
• github.com/TravelMapping/UserData — user travel list files

No personal information is transmitted to us. The app does not have its own user accounts.

Optional GitHub Sign-In

If you choose to sign in with GitHub (Settings > GitHub) so the app can open .list update pull requests for your recorded trips:

• Sign-in uses GitHub's device authorization flow — you approve access on github.com; your GitHub password never passes through the app.
• The app requests the public_repo scope only, and uses it solely to fork TravelMapping/UserData to your account, commit your updated list file to a new branch, and open a pull request.
• The access token is stored in this device's Keychain and sent only to api.github.com. It stays on that device unless you turn on "Stay Signed In on My Other Devices", which syncs it end-to-end encrypted through your iCloud Keychain. Signing out deletes it (from all your devices, if syncing is on).
• Pull requests, and the route segments they add, are public on GitHub like any other contribution to TravelMapping/UserData.

Optional AI Assistant (Your Own API Key)

You can connect your own API key from Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI (ChatGPT), xAI (Grok), or another OpenAI-compatible service to get suggested fixes for lines of your list file. This is off unless you add a key and give permission:

• Nothing is sent to an AI provider until you explicitly allow it for that provider in the app, and only when you ask for a suggestion.
• What is sent: the lines of your list file that TravelMapping's nightly update flagged, TravelMapping's notes about them, and public TravelMapping route data (waypoint names and coordinates) for those routes.
• What is never sent: your recorded GPS trips or location, the rest of your list file, your email, your GitHub account, or other keys.
• Requests go directly from your device to the provider you chose, under your own account and that provider's terms and privacy policy. We never receive your key, your requests, or the AI's answers.
• Your key is stored in your device's Keychain. It stays on that device unless you turn on "Use on My Other Devices", which syncs it end-to-end encrypted through your iCloud Keychain. AI suggestions never change your list file on their own — you review every change before sending it.
• A log of each request (date, provider, model, and a description of what was sent) is kept on your device. You can turn AI off, revoke permission, clear the log, or remove your key at any time in Settings > AI Assistant (removing a synced key removes it from all your devices). AI request errors are not sent to our crash reporting.

Crash Reporting & Diagnostics

The app uses Sentry to collect anonymous diagnostic data that helps us identify and fix bugs and performance issues. Data collected may include:

• Device model, OS version, and app version
• Stack trace information (which code was executing when an error occurred)
• Performance metrics (CPU profiles, app hang detection, slow screen transitions)
• Screenshots and view hierarchy captured at the moment of an error
• Session replay video (a visual recording of the few seconds leading up to an error) for a sampled subset of sessions
• Breadcrumbs and structured logs of app events (trip lifecycle, navigation, settings changes) — no trip coordinates, note content, or personal data
• Your TravelMapping username (if set) to help reproduce user-specific issues
• General device state (memory usage, battery level, connectivity)

Diagnostic data is not used for advertising, tracking, or analytics. It is used solely to improve app functionality. Session replays exclude any content inside AVFoundation views, system photo pickers, and camera views by iOS design. You can report bugs directly via the shake gesture or Settings > Report a Bug, which optionally includes your name, email, and a screenshot only if you provide them in the form.

Information We Do Not Collect

• We do not collect, store, or share any personally identifiable information (email, phone, real name) with third parties.
• We do not use advertising or user-tracking SDKs.
• We do not share your road trip data or location history.

Data Storage

• Device: User preferences, favorites, recent users, cached data, and road trip recordings.
• iCloud (optional): Favorites, user preferences, and road trip files sync across your Apple devices if enabled.
• External servers: None — the app only reads public data from the sources listed above.

Background Location

The app uses background location updates only when actively recording a road trip. The blue status bar indicator will be visible during recording. Background tracking stops when the trip ends.

Your Choices

• iCloud sync: Can be toggled on/off in Settings.
• Location: Required only for road trip tracking. You can deny location permission and still use the rest of the app.
• Cache: Can be cleared at any time from Settings.
• Recent users: Can be cleared at any time.

Children's Privacy

The app does not knowingly collect data from children under 13.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected on this page with an updated "Last updated" date.

Contact

For questions about this privacy policy, open an issue at:
https://github.com/psiegel18/TravelMapIOS/issues