The vision of facilitating mobility in Costa Rica has led the Yo Viajo team to create a complete digital ecosystem. Beyond bus schedules, the initiative is promoting TicoMap, a platform designed specifically to connect users with local Costa Rican businesses. In this interview, the team explains how this new tool integrates with the popular Yo Viajo Bot and what plans they have to consolidate its impact in the coming days.
First, we wanted to find out where the people behind Yo Viajo come from: Dagoberto Medina, Kenyi Jiménez, and Betzi Medina. They are all from Costa Rica, specifically from rural areas, which has allowed them to experience firsthand how complicated public transportation can be, especially when there is no clear or up-to-date information.
Yo Viajo was born out of a very real need. The guys were in college, “many of us came from remote areas, and finding bus schedules was complicated: information was available in PDFs, images, or was simply out of date. Often, we didn’t even know the available routes well,” they said.
From there, they created Yo Viajo, with the goal of centralizing and making all that information accessible.
Over time, the project has evolved. Today, they have a significant active community, with more than 129,000 users in the last 28 days.
They are also continuing to work on a new initiative called TicoMap, which arose from an idea by Evan González, who identified the need for a platform focused on promoting 100% Costa Rican businesses.
The latest addition is Yo Viajo Bot, which brings all the information directly to WhatsApp, allowing for quick and natural queries. All of this is part of the same vision: to facilitate mobility and access to information in Costa Rica using technology.
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The project has been evolving for around 10 years, constantly growing and adapting to users’ needs.
What are your plans for YoViajo CR this year?
This year, the team said they are focused on strengthening the essentials: expanding coverage, especially in rural areas; improving schedule accuracy; evolving the bot to make it smarter; and promoting the development of TicoMap as a complement to the ecosystem. “We want to consolidate the platform before scaling more aggressively.”
Do you have an approximate count of the number of people who have connected?
As we mentioned, in the last 28 days, they have had approximately 129,000 active users, 80,000 new users, and more than 2.3 million interactions. In their opinion, all of this reflects constant use and a real need. The bot is in beta phase, but they are already seeing adoption, especially in more complex queries.
More details about the services offered by Yo Viajo and its platforms
Dagoberto, Kenyi, Betzi, and Evan, who provided the vision behind TicoMap, facilitate access to transportation information through their initiatives: bus schedules, routes, stops, and contextual information such as prices or route details. They also offer quick consultations via WhatsApp with the bot. Soon, with TicoMap, they also seek to connect users with local businesses. “Our focus is informational; we do not sell tickets,” they specified.
How Yo Viajo Bot works
Yo Viajo Bot works through WhatsApp. Users can write naturally, and the system interprets their query by combining programmed logic with artificial intelligence. It can respond with schedules, routes, stops, and information such as prices or departure points. It is designed to be simple and accessible to anyone.
Are you working for all areas of Costa Rica?
The team emphasized that they are in the process of expanding. “We have seen a lot of use in rural and remote areas, where information is more difficult to obtain. Our goal is to progressively cover the entire country, prioritizing these areas.”
Can you briefly describe the experience that people can have?
“Yo Viajo seeks to eliminate uncertainty. The experience is simple and fast: a person can find out how to get around in seconds, without having to search multiple sources. It is a tool designed for everyday use, which saves time and reduces the stress of traveling on public transportation,” they specified.
In the case of TicoMap, the goal is to promote and give visibility to local businesses, especially those created by Costa Ricans who work hard every day to get ahead. “We seek to promote local consumption, strengthen the connection with the country’s culture, and offer users relevant options according to their needs.”
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Finally, the team emphasized that Yo Viajo CR was created to solve a simple problem: knowing when the bus is coming without any hassle.
If you would like to learn more about Yo Viajo CR and its various platforms and services, you can follow them on social media: Instagram @yoviajocr, Facebook “Yo Viajo,” and their website https://yoviajocr.com/.
