Bus Open Data Service (London)

433575 of 488995 trips don't say whether the vehicle is wheelchair accessible.

Even with accessible stops, riders need to know the transit vehicle itself can take them.

Fix: Set wheelchair_accessible on every trip. If every vehicle is accessible, this may be one default; otherwise use the value for each trip. (A default or per-trip field in your export.)

Finding code: scorecard_wheelchair_accessible_unknown · Read the fix guide for scorecard_wheelchair_accessible_unknown · See GTFS Schedule reference (opens the GTFS Schedule reference on an external site)

278817 of 488995 trips have no headsign, the text that tells riders where the transit vehicle is going. A trip counts when it has trip_headsign or a stop_headsign at every stop.

When a route has multiple directions or patterns, the route name alone may not tell riders which service is coming.

Fix: Add the destination, direction, or 'via' label riders actually see to trip_headsign. Do not copy the route name. If the label changes during the trip, use stop_headsign. (Usually one value per route pattern in your scheduling source.)

Finding code: scorecard_missing_headsigns · Read the fix guide for scorecard_missing_headsigns · See GTFS Best Practices (opens GTFS Best Practices on an external site)

24526 of 24526 stops don't say whether a wheelchair user can board there.

Riders who use wheelchairs can't plan a trip when accessibility is marked 'unknown'; apps show no information at all.

Fix: Set wheelchair_boarding to 1 (accessible) or 2 (not accessible) for every stop. A field survey can start with the busiest stops. (A column in stops.txt; your scheduling software likely has it.)

Finding code: scorecard_wheelchair_boarding_unknown · Read the fix guide for scorecard_wheelchair_boarding_unknown · See GTFS Schedule reference (opens the GTFS Schedule reference on an external site)

Some scheduled trips move faster between stops than a transit vehicle can.

Usually a typo'd stop time; riders get arrival times no transit vehicle can meet.

Fix: Check the flagged stop times for transposed minutes. (A few minutes per flagged trip.)

Finding code: fast_travel_between_consecutive_stops · Read the fix guide for fast_travel_between_consecutive_stops · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

Missing bike allowance (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'missing_bike_allowance' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

Finding code: missing_bike_allowance · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

Unexpected enum value (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'unexpected_enum_value' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

Finding code: unexpected_enum_value · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

Two or more routes share the same name.

Riders can't tell the routes apart in apps.

Fix: Give each route a distinct short or long name. (One field per route.)

Finding code: duplicate_route_name · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

Between two distant stops, the times imply a speed no transit vehicle reaches.

A rider gets a trip plan that cannot happen. Live systems then report delays that are not real.

Fix: Check the two stop times for a wrong digit first. Then check whether a stop sits at the wrong coordinates, or a stop between them is missing. (Minutes per flagged trip once you open it.)

Finding code: fast_travel_between_far_stops · Read the fix guide for fast_travel_between_far_stops · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

Some rider-facing names are in ALL CAPS or all lowercase.

ALL-CAPS stop and headsign names are harder to read in apps and are read awkwardly by screen readers.

Fix: Use mixed case for stop names and headsigns (e.g. 'Main St & 2nd Ave', not 'MAIN ST & 2ND AVE'). (Often a bulk fix in your scheduling software.)

Finding code: mixed_case_recommended_field · Read the fix guide for mixed_case_recommended_field · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

Route short name too long (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'route_short_name_too_long' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

Finding code: route_short_name_too_long · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

feed_info.txt lists no contact email and no contact URL.

Without a contact, apps like Google Maps can't reach you when they find a problem in the feed.

Fix: Add feed_contact_email or feed_contact_url to feed_info.txt. (One field, set once in export settings.)

Finding code: missing_feed_contact_email_and_url · Read the fix guide for missing_feed_contact_email_and_url · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

The feed contains no fare information.

Riders see 'fare unknown' in trip planners and can't budget their trip; visitors are most affected.

Fix: Add fare_attributes.txt (or Fares v2 files) with your fare structure. If your service is fare-free, ask to have it marked fare-free instead. (A small file for most flat-fare systems.)

Finding code: scorecard_no_fare_data · Read the fix guide for scorecard_no_fare_data · See GTFS Best Practices (opens GTFS Best Practices on an external site)

This feed models stations or entrances but has no pathways.txt.

Trip planners can't guide riders through the station, and there is no step-free route information for wheelchair users.

Fix: Add pathways.txt to link entrances, platforms, and elevators. Give each one a level. (Worth it for multi-level or large stations; flat stops don't need it.)

Finding code: scorecard_station_no_pathways · Read the fix guide for scorecard_station_no_pathways · See GTFS Schedule reference (opens the GTFS Schedule reference on an external site)

Unsorted stop times (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'unsorted_stop_times' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

Finding code: unsorted_stop_times · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

Platform without parent station (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'platform_without_parent_station' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

Finding code: platform_without_parent_station · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

The feed has a stretch of two weeks or more with no service running.

A long gap can mean dates were left out of the calendar. Apps then show no trips on those days.

Fix: Check whether the gap is real, like a seasonal break; if not, add the missing dates to the calendar. (A review of your calendar dates.)

Finding code: big_gap_in_service · Read the fix guide for big_gap_in_service · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

Some files contain columns that are not part of the GTFS spec.

Harmless to riders, but apps ignore these columns and they can hide typos in real column names.

Fix: Check the flagged column names for misspellings of standard GTFS fields; remove them if they are vendor extras. (A quick look at the flagged files.)

Finding code: unknown_column · Read the fix guide for unknown_column · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

Feed valid beyond total service window (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'feed_valid_beyond_total_service_window' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

Finding code: feed_valid_beyond_total_service_window · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

Unused station (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'unused_station' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

Finding code: unused_station · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

feed_info.txt has no technical contact (feed_contact_email or feed_contact_url).

App makers and state data programs have nobody to email when they spot a problem. Small errors then sit in the feed for months.

Fix: Add feed_contact_email to feed_info.txt. (One field.)

Finding code: scorecard_no_feed_contact · Read the fix guide for scorecard_no_feed_contact · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)