130 Million Reasons to Say Thanks to Wazers

For Wazer Appreciation Week, we’re celebrating our users — all 130 million and counting.

It’s Wazer Appreciation Week, which — you guessed it — is about appreciating Wazers. To kick things off, we put together a list of 130 million reasons to say “thank you” to our Community. And then Josh in IT told us a list this long might break the Internet, and not in a good way.

So, we compromised and went with 13. But truly, everyone in our Community deserves a special shoutout. From the Carpoolers taking cars off the road and the businesses letting us know where we can find coffee with minimal detour, to the partners using our alert data to fill potholes and drivers helping others see down the road (literally), every Wazer makes the road better. And that’s always worth being thankful for.

1. You’re the friendliest neighbors out there.

2. You make getting to work feel less like work.

We’ve seen Wazers turn their carpool crews into book clubs, fitness groups and recipe exchanges, but nothing beats the two Carpoolers who helped plan each other’s weddings. No word yet on whether this true story will be adapted into a quirky rom-com, but we’re standing by.

3. You help cities reinvent themselves.

Like the medieval port city of Ghent, Belgium, where you helped redraw the city map — including 14 permanent road closures, 80 directional road changes, and 1,800 traffic sign changes — for a greener, less traffic-filled city.

4. You’re in this with us.

Mauricio O., a volunteer Map Editor in Colombia, knows Waze isn’t Waze without the people all over the world who contribute to it every day.

5. You step up during a crisis.

Our CMO Erin Clift says it best: “Throughout the pandemic, our volunteer Map Editors have helped us add testing centers and food banks to the map. For the Community, stepping up to help isn’t a new thing. It’s always been the case and it’s always been incredible.”

6. You’re passionate about maps. Like really, really passionate.

In Brazil, Mike M., a volunteer Map Editor, proves time really does fly when you’re having fun.

7. You’re not afraid of some friendly competition.

8. You’ve always got the welcome mat out.

Cleiton C., a volunteer Map Editor in Brazil, explains why it’s so satisfying to be part of the editing community (they’re always looking for help!).

9. You let us know that we’re loved…by your dad.

10. You help every time you get behind the wheel.

You don’t have to edit the maps to play a role. Maria, a Map Editor in Italy, shares the Waze Community ethos:

11. You give us time back in our day to focus on what really matters.

Other uses for those twenty minutes Mike M. is helping you save? Reading a book, making dinner, sleeping, discovering a new hobby, trying to find something to watch that isn’t that weird new reality show where two people have to go on a first date entirely underwater.

12. You’re always dreaming up new ways to improve things.

You don’t hold back with feedback and not only do we appreciate it, we take it to heart.

13. You give us hope for the future.

We couldn’t have said it better, Noelle.

We could go on and come up with, oh, 129,999,987 more, but no matter how many ways we say it, we want to say “thanks.” Because without you, the Map Editors, the hazard reporters, the people who do everything they can to help other Wazers avoid traffic, and apparently lots of dads, Waze would be just another map. You make us a Community.