View source for MapQuest

{{Short description|American free online mapping service}}
{{update|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox website
| name = MapQuest
| logo = MapQuest Logo 10.2025.svg
| collapsible = yes
| screenshot = MapQuest screenshot.png
| caption = Screenshot of MapQuest in use
| url = {{url|mapquest.com}}
| type = [[Web mapping]]
| registration = Optional
| language = Multilingual
| launch_date = {{start date and age|1996|2|6}}
| current_status = Active
| parent = [[AOL]] (2000–2015)<br />[[Verizon Media]] (2016–2019)<br />[[System1]] (2019–present)
}}
'''MapQuest''' (formerly stylized as '''mapquest''') is an American free online [[web mapping]] service. It was launched in 1996 as the first commercial web mapping service.<ref name="auto">{{cite web| url=http://digital-archaeology.org/plotting-the-past/| title=Plotting the past| website=Digital Archaeology| first=Jim| last=Boulton| date=28 June 2016| access-date=15 February 2023}}</ref> MapQuest's competitors include [[Apple Maps]]; [[Here Technologies|Here]], a [[Economy of the Netherlands|Dutch]] mapping service; and [[Google Maps]].<ref>{{cite news| last=Harlan| first=Chico| title='Does MapQuest still exist?' Yes, it does, and it's a profitable business.| newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]| language=en| date=5 May 2015| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/does-mapquest-still-exist-as-a-matter-of-fact-it-does/2015/05/22/995d2532-fa5d-11e4-a13c-193b1241d51a_story.html| access-date=19 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.imarcgroup.com/top-digital-map-companies| title=Top 12 Digital Map Companies in the World | website=IMARC| date=7 June 2024}}</ref>

[[File:Mapquest logo (since 2010).svg|thumb|Logo used in 2017]]

==History==
[[File:Mapquest logo.svg|Former logo, phased out as part of website redesign on July 14, 2010|thumb]]
MapQuest's origins date to 1967 with the founding of Cartographic Services, a division of [[RR Donnelley|R.R. Donnelley & Sons]] in [[Chicago]], which moved to [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania]], in 1969. In the mid-1980s, R.R. Donnelley & Sons began generating maps and routes for customers, with cooperation by Barry Glick, a [[University at Buffalo]]. Glick had a PhD degree.<ref name="UB Alumni">{{cite web| url=https://www.buffalo.edu/leadership-searches/about-the-university/ub-alumni/alumni-around-the-world.html| title=Alumni Around the World| website=University at Buffalo| access-date=15 February 2023}}</ref> In 1994, it was spun off as GeoSystems Global Corporation. Much of the code was adapted for use on the internet to create the MapQuest web service in 1996. MapQuest's original services were mapping (referred to as "Interactive Atlas") and driving directions (called "TripQuest").<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.mapquest.com:80/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19971211230909/http://www.mapquest.com/| url-status=dead| archive-date=11 December 1997| title=Welcome To MapQuest!| date=11 December 1997| access-date=18 May 2012}}</ref>

Sensing the emerging demand for spatial applications on the Internet, and with crippling network latency in Lancaster, the executive team of Glick and Perry Evans moved MapQuest to the up-and-coming [[LoDo, Denver|LoDo]] area of [[Denver]].

The initial Denver team consisted of Evans, Simon Greenman, Chris Fanjoy, and Harry Grout. To make MapQuest a serious contender in the online spatial application market, a robust set of geographical tools was developed under Greenman's direction. Grout, who had spent time at [[Rand McNally]]; [[Etak]], a now defunct mapping company; and [[Navteq|Navigation Technologies Corporation]] (Navteq) building digital map data, was tasked with acquiring data and licensing arrangements. The initial team experienced rapid growth in the Denver office, and in a short time MapQuest became a well-known brand.

On 25 February 1999, MapQuest [[Initial public offering|went public]], trading on [[Nasdaq]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/73461/MapQuestcom+Starts+IPO+Journey.htm| title=MapQuest.com Starts IPO Journey| website=InternetNews| date=25 February 1999}}</ref> In December 1999, [[AOL|America Online]] (AOL) announced that it would acquire MapQuest for $1.1 billion. The deal closed in 2000.<ref name="auto"/> COO / CFO [[Jim Thomas (executive)|Jim Thomas]] managed the transactions.<ref>Howard, Mark R. (31 October 2011), [https://www.floridatrend.com/article/1153/xxx?page=2 "Economic Engine?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205182014/https://www.floridatrend.com/article/1153/xxx?page=2 |date=2022-12-05 }}. ''[[Florida Trend]]''. Retrieved 22 May 2022.</ref> For a time (until 2004),<ref>{{Cite news|first=Adena|last= Schutzberg|title=Google Integrates Keyhole into Google Maps |url=https://www.directionsmag.com/article/3268 |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Directions mag|date=April 10, 2005}}</ref> MapQuest included [[Satellite imagery|satellite images]] through a licensing deal with [[GlobeXplorer]], but later removed them because of the unorthodox business mechanics{{clarify|date=December 2013}} of the arrangement brokered by AOL. In September 2006, the website again began serving satellite imagery in a new beta program.

In 2004, MapQuest, [[where.com|uLocate]], [[Research in Motion]], and [[Nextel]] launched MapQuest Find Me, a buddy-finder service which worked on [[GPS]]-enabled mobile phones. MapQuest Find Me let users automatically find their location, access maps and directions and locate nearby points of interest, including airports, hotels, restaurants, banks and ATMs. Users also had the ability to set up alerts to be notified when network members arrive at or depart from a designated area. In 2005, the service became available on [[Sprint Nextel|Sprint]] (as a result of their merger with Nextel), and on [[Boost Mobile]] in 2006.

In July 2006, MapQuest created a beta version of a new feature with which users could build customized routes by adding additional stops, reordering stops along the way and avoiding any undesired turns or roads. Users could also write out the starting address.<ref>{{cite web| title=Maps and Geography Research Tools| url=https://www.einvestigator.com/mapquest/| website=eInvestigator| first=Michael| last=Kissiah| date=8 June 2022| access-date=15 February 2023}}</ref> In October 2006, MapQuest sold its publishing division to concentrate on its online and [[mobile service]]s.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.denverpost.com/2006/09/19/mapquest-selling-publishing-arm/| title=MapQuest selling publishing arm| first=Andy| last=Vuong| date=19 September 2006| newspaper=The Denver Post| access-date=15 February 2023}}</ref> In April 2007, MapQuest announced a partnership with [[General Motors]]' [[OnStar]] to allow OnStar subscribers to plan their driving routes on MapQuest.com and send their destination to OnStar's [[turn-by-turn navigation]] service. The OnStar Web Destination Entry pilot program began in the summer of 2007 with a select group of OnStar subscribers.<ref>{{cite news| title=GM's OnStar Joins MapQuest for Desktop Route Planning| url=https://www.cars.com/articles/gms-onstar-joins-mapquest-for-desktop-route-planning-1420663315646/| first=David| last=Thomas| date=26 April 2007| website=[[Cars.com]]| access-date=15 February 2023}}</ref>

Around 2008, the general public made a significant shift away from MapQuest to the much younger [[Google Maps]] service.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.businessinsider.com/mapquest-a-symbol-of-everything-thats-gone-wrong-2009-2|title=MapQuest: A Symbol Of Everything That's Gone Wrong| website=[[Business Insider]]| first=John| last=McKinley| date=15 February 2009| access-date=16 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sterling |first=Greg |date=2008-01-10 |title=Google Maps Gaining On Market Leader Mapquest |url=https://searchengineland.com/google-maps-gaining-on-market-leader-mapquest-13103 |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Search Engine Land |language=en}}</ref> In July 2010, MapQuest announced<ref>{{cite web| url=http://blog.mapquest.com/2010/07/09/mapquest-opens-up/| title=MapQuest Opens Up (MapQuest Blog)| website=MapQuest Blog| date=2010-07-09| access-date=2011-12-20| first=Deb| last=Tankersley| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712000422/http://blog.mapquest.com/2010/07/09/mapquest-opens-up/| archive-date=2010-07-12| url-status=dead| df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Ant |url=http://devblog.mapquest.com/2010/07/09/mapquest-opens-up-uk/ |title=MapQuest Opens Up – in the UK (MapQuest DevBlog) |website=MapQuest Devblog |date=2010-07-09 |access-date=2011-12-20 |archive-date=2012-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103044327/http://devblog.mapquest.com/2010/07/09/mapquest-opens-up-uk/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> plans to become the first major mapping site to embrace [[open data|open-source mapping data]], launching a new site<ref>{{cite web |url=http://open.mapquest.co.uk/ |title=MapQuest Open – Beta |website=Open MapQuest.co.uk |access-date=2011-12-20}}</ref> separate from its main site, entirely using data from the [[OpenStreetMap]] project.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/MapQuest| title=MapQuest - OpenStreetMap Wiki}}</ref> On 14 July 2010, MapQuest launched a simplified user interface and made the site more compact. MapQuest also introduced "My Maps" personalization, which enables the user to [[personalization|personalize]] the interface.

In July 2012, Brian McMahon became the CEO and GM of MapQuest. In May 2015, with the purchase of AOL by [[Verizon Communications]], MapQuest came under the ownership of Verizon.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.denverpost.com/2015/10/19/mapquest-gets-a-new-look-after-verizon-takes-over/| title=MapQuest gets a new look after Verizon takes over| first=Tamara| last=Chuang| newspaper=[[The Denver Post]]| date=19 October 2015}}</ref> On 11 July 2016, MapQuest discontinued its open tile API,<ref>{{cite web| url=https://lwn.net/Articles/695337/| title=GNOME Maps and the tile problem| date=2016-07-27| first=Nathan| last=Willis| magazine=[[LWN.net]]| df=dmy-all| access-date=15 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://devblog.mapquest.com/2016/06/15/modernization-of-mapquest-results-in-changes-to-open-tile-access/| title=Modernization of MapQuest results in changes to direct tile access| date=2016-06-15| df=dmy-all| access-date=2016-07-30| archive-date=2016-08-19| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819232942/http://devblog.mapquest.com/2016/06/15/modernization-of-mapquest-results-in-changes-to-open-tile-access/| url-status=dead}}</ref> and users such as [[GNOME Maps]] were switched to a temporarily free tier of the [[Mapbox]] tileserver,<ref>{{cite web| url=https://mail.gnome.org/archives/maps-list/2016-July/msg00017.html| title=Tiles and Mapbox| first=Mattias| last=Bengtsson| website=[[GNOME Project]]| date=20 July 2016}}</ref> while considering alternatives.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=764841| title=Bug 764841 – Stop Using MapQuest Tile Server| website=GNOME Project| date=10 April 2016}}</ref> In 2019, Verizon Media sold Mapquest to [[System1]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://boingboing.net/2019/10/10/do-webrings-next.html |title=Verizon dumps another Oath property for peanuts: RIP, Mapquest |website=[[Boing Boing]] |first=Cory |last=Doctrow |date=10 October 2019 |access-date=15 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sterling |first=Greg |date=2019-10-04 |title=A eulogy for Mapquest |url=https://searchengineland.com/a-eulogy-for-mapquest-322945 |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Search Engine Land |language=en}}</ref>

In early 2025, after an [[Executive Order 14172|executive order by President Donald Trump]] renaming the [[Gulf of Mexico]] to the "Gulf of America," MapQuest gained attention for its satirical response. Through its official [[Bluesky]] account, MapQuest announced that they would not change the name of the gulf on their map. They later announced [https://gulfof.mapquest.com "Name Your Own Gulf,"] a website allowing someone to generate an image of a map saying "Gulf of" something, which received attention on social media and was featured on several news outlets.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.comicsands.com/mapquest-tool-trolls-trump| title=MapQuest Trolls Trump's Gulf Renaming Effort| website=Comic Sands| date=February 2025}}</ref>

==Services and programs==
From 2014, MapQuest uses some of [[TomTom]]'s services for its mapping system.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://corporate.tomtom.com/static-files/ae0350eb-a41b-4d8f-9845-271857d7cd53|access-date=29 April 2024|title=TomTom Powers MapQuest's Core Map Data with New Partnership|date=19 June 2014|format=pdf|author=TomTom Corporate}}</ref> MapQuest provides some extent of street-level detail or driving directions for a variety of countries. Users can check if their country is available using a dropdown menu on the MapQuest home page.

The company offers a free [[mobile app]] for Android and iOS that features [[point of interest|POI]] search, voice-guided navigation, [[Traffic reporting|real-time traffic]] and other features. MapQuest also offers a mobile-friendly website. MapQuest has several travel products and also includes a feature to let users compare nearby gas prices, similar to the service offered by [[GasBuddy]]. However, this feature is only available in the United States. MapQuest's [[Point of interest|POI]] data helps the service differentiate itself from other wayfinding software by guiding users directly to the entrances of businesses and destinations, rather than to general street addresses.

==See also==
* [[List of online map services]]
* [[Comparison of web map services]]
* [[Computer cartography]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|auto=yes}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/MapQuest MapQuest – OpenStreetMap Wiki]
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{{OpenStreetMap}}

[[Category:1967 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:2019 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:American travel websites]]
[[Category:Companies based in Denver]]
[[Category:Companies based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 1996]]
[[Category:Map companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Transport companies established in 1967]]
[[Category:Web Map Services]]
[[Category:Web mapping]]