Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA)

Top things to fix

Score by category

Over time

Overall score across the last 20 checks — unchanged since 2026-07-08.

What changed since your last check

• Correctness— no change
• Freshness— no change
• Rider experience— no change

What changed in this feed

Overall grade and score held steady since 2026-07-08.

Same feed file as 2026-07-08; the published zip did not change.

Subscribe to this feed’s changes (Atom) to hear about grade drops in a reader, with no sign-up.

Everything we checked

• Error1 instance

  Equal shape distance diff coordinates (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

  See the linked rule for what this affects.

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

  Validator rule: equal_shape_distance_diff_coordinates · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

• Error1 instance

  Service data ended 691 day(s) ago.

  When the calendar runs out, trip planners stop showing this agency even though the buses are still running. Riders are told the service does not exist.

  Fix: Re-export the feed with a calendar that reaches further out, and set feed_info feed_end_date past your next service change. (Usually one export setting; export on a schedule so it never lapses again.)

  Agencies here usually clear this within about 1 week (based on 18 observed fixes).

  Validator rule: scorecard_feed_expired · Read the fix guide · See GTFS Best Practices (opens GTFS Best Practices on an external site)

• Warning1746 instances

  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.)

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

• Warning78 instances

  Some scheduled trips move faster between stops than a bus can.

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

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

  Agencies here usually clear this within about 2 weeks (based on 6 observed fixes).

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

• Warning53 instances

  Some stops exist in the feed but no trip ever stops at them.

  Riders may walk to a stop where no bus is scheduled to arrive.

  Fix: Remove retired stops from the export, or add them back to the trips that should serve them. (A review pass in your scheduling software.)

  Agencies here usually clear this within about 1 week (based on 11 observed fixes).

  Validator rule: stop_without_stop_time · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

• Warning27 instances

  27 of 1237 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.)

  Validator rule: scorecard_wheelchair_boarding_unknown · Read the fix guide · See GTFS Schedule reference (opens the GTFS Schedule reference on an external site)

• Warning11 instances

  Some route colors don't contrast with their text color.

  Route badges get hard to read, most of all for riders with low vision.

  Fix: Pick a darker/lighter route_text_color for the flagged routes. (One field per route.)

  Validator rule: route_color_contrast · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

• Warning10 instances

  Stop has too many matches for shape (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

  See the linked rule for what this affects.

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

  Validator rule: stop_has_too_many_matches_for_shape · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

• Warning7 instances

  Equal shape distance same coordinates (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

  See the linked rule for what this affects.

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

  Validator rule: equal_shape_distance_same_coordinates · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

• Warning7 instances

  The feed contains route shapes no trip uses.

  Harmless to riders, but it bloats the feed and suggests stale export data.

  Fix: Turn on 'remove unused shapes' (or the like) in your export tool. (One setting.)

  Validator rule: unused_shape · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

• Warning3 instances

  Some service calendars in the feed have already ended.

  Expired calendars are dead weight and can hide real schedule problems from your staff and vendors.

  Fix: Remove past service periods the next time you export the feed. (One setting in most export tools.)

  Agencies here usually clear this within about 1 week (based on 61 observed fixes).

  Validator rule: expired_calendar · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

• Warning1 instance

  This feed's service calendar runs out within the next 7 days.

  When the calendar ends, Google Maps and other trip planners drop your agency entirely. Riders see no service at all.

  Fix: Export and publish an updated GTFS feed that covers at least the next 30 days of service. (Usually a re-export from your scheduling software.)

  Agencies here usually clear this within about 1 week (based on 16 observed fixes).

  Validator rule: feed_expiration_date7_days · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

• Warning1 instance

  Missing feed contact email and url (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

  See the linked rule for what this affects.

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

  Agencies here usually clear this within about 1 week (based on 6 observed fixes).

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

• Warning1 instance

  Some files leave out fields that GTFS asks for but does not require.

  Recommended fields like agency_phone or stop descriptions make the feed more useful to riders and trip planners.

  Fix: Review the flagged fields and fill in the ones your riders would use. (A field at a time; not urgent.)

  Agencies here usually clear this within about 2 weeks (based on 8 observed fixes).

  Validator rule: missing_recommended_field · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

• Warning1 instance

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

  See the linked rule for what this affects.

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

  Validator rule: route_long_name_contains_short_name · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

• Warning1 instance

  Many of the feed's trips don't run at all in the next 7 days.

  It usually means old service periods are still in the export, making the feed bigger and harder to check.

  Fix: Trim past service periods the next time you export. (One setting in most export tools.)

  Agencies here usually clear this within about 1 week (based on 31 observed fixes).

  Validator rule: trip_coverage_not_active_for_next7_days · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

• Info839 instances

  About 839 stop names are written in ALL CAPS.

  Mixed-case names are easier to read in apps and are read more naturally by screen readers.

  Fix: Rename stops to mixed case (e.g. 'Main St & 2nd Ave'). (Often a bulk fix in your scheduling software.)

  Validator rule: scorecard_stop_names_all_caps · Read the fix guide · See GTFS Best Practices (opens GTFS Best Practices on an external site)

• Info1 instance

  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 with your feed, so problems linger.

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

  Agencies here usually clear this within about 1 week (based on 10 observed fixes).

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

Beyond the grade

Opportunities that do not change your grade today: fare detail, on-demand service, and deeper accessibility data.

• 11 route badge(s) pair a color and text color below the WCAG 4.5:1 contrast bar (13, 21, 28, 2A, 3, and more).

  Consider: Adjust route_color or route_text_color so each pair clears 4.5:1. Often switching the text between black and white is enough.

• 1202 stop name(s) use abbreviations or symbols a screen reader may mispronounce, with no spoken form set ("MARKET + FAMILY DOLLAR", "MARKET + 11TH", "MARKET + 12TH", and more).

  Consider: Add tts_stop_name with the spoken form, e.g. 'Main Street and Second Avenue', for the affected stops.

Some fixes we can make for you

These are the safe mechanical fixes, applied to a copy of your feed. They change only what is certain and leave everything else untouched. Review the diff before you publish.

• Recased shouting stop names 839 changes

  For example: MARKET + FAMILY DOLLAR -> Market + Family Dollar

Download corrected feed