National Transit Network Level of Service Data and Analysis
The General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) offers a robust and comprehensive data format that can be used to improve service planning, provide powerful tools for service evaluation, and ultimately increase ridership. For example, GTFS can provide numerous benefits beyond its immediate application as an itinerary planning tool. Its open-source architecture permits unfettered access to data, thus creating new opportunities for transit agencies to evaluate service and improve ridership experience. GTFS is widely utilized, and most transit customers are able to plan trips based on its data. Its broad acceptance and rich repository of data offers an opportunity to develop evaluations on a nationwide scale. The creation of a National Transit Network database based on the GTFS may lead to the development of national accessibility and mobility measures. The realization of a National Transit Network requires the evaluation of the GTFS. The GTFS was not designed as a National Transit Network database, nonetheless its rapid and popular adoption coupled with its robust information, provides an opportunity for the transit industry to leverage a uniform data format as the foundation of a National Transit Network that supports consistent and widespread transit service evaluation. The use and development of the GTFS was born out of a collaborative effort that engaged transit professionals and advocates, and underscores the potential GTFS has in standardizing transit performance reporting and evaluation. Consequently, this research promotes the utilization of GTFS by highlighting its benefits, developing a data schema unique for GTFS inventory, identifying measures relating to accessibility and mobility that are integral to gauging transit performance, and making recommendations for a newly formed National Transit Network. Research will also identify the data gaps and limitations currently faced by transit agencies, in order to better articulate the opportunities that overcome obstacles to streamlined information flows.
- Record URL:
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Completed
- Funding: $150000.00
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Contract Numbers:
DTRT12-G-UTC22
2117905019
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Sponsor Organizations:
Federal Transit Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Performing Organizations:
National Center for Transit Research
Center for Urban Transportation Research, University of South Florida
4202 East Fowler Avenue, CUT 100
Tampa, FL United States 33620 -
Principal Investigators:
Catala, Martin
- Start Date: 20120901
- Expected Completion Date: 0
- Actual Completion Date: 20160131
- Source Data: RiP Project 34067
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Accessibility; Databases; Level of service; Mobility; Ridership; Transit operating agencies
- Identifier Terms: General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS)
- Uncontrolled Terms: Service planning
- Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01525072
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: National Center for Transit Research
- Contract Numbers: DTRT12-G-UTC22, 2117905019
- Files: UTC, RIP
- Created Date: May 21 2014 1:00AM