Feed status · checked 2026-10-07
Chautauqua Area Regional Transit System (CARTS)
Based on the feed source on file; publisher ownership is not verified
Service mode Bus
unchanged since 2026-10-06
Cataloged in New York.
A data-quality and completeness lens to help an agency improve its GTFS feed. Not an official compliance determination from any transit program. New to this? How to read your scorecard. Interactive view of this scorecard. Rubric v1.4, validator 8.0.1.
Checked for changes 4 hours ago; last changed 92 days ago.
Measured 3 of 4 score categories from the feed URL on file (publisher not verified).
How we measured this
Confidence in this measurement: medium.
- Realtime quality was not measured this run. It does not count against the grade.
- The feed was downloaded from the configured feed URL. Publisher ownership of that URL is not verified.
Confidence describes how much the pipeline could measure this run, not the feed itself. It never changes the grade.
About this feed
Chautauqua Area Regional Transit System (CARTS)’s published feed lists 9 bus routes, 88 scheduled trips and 111 stops. The published file last changed on 2026-07-06.
Top things to fix
Set wheelchair_boarding to 1 (accessible) or 2 (not accessible) for every stop. A field survey can start with the busiest stops.Likely your team
111 of 111 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.
Fixing this covers all 111 stops in the feed.
⏱ A column in stops.txt; your scheduling software likely has it.worth about +25 points in its category
Set wheelchair_accessible on every trip. If every vehicle is accessible, this may be one default; otherwise use the value for each trip.Likely your export tool
88 of 88 trips don't say whether the vehicle is wheelchair accessible. Even with accessible stops, riders need to know the bus itself can take them.
Fixing this covers all 88 trips in the feed.
⏱ A default or per-trip field in your export.worth about +15 points in its category
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.
88 of 88 trips have no headsign, the text that tells riders where the bus 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.
Fixing this covers all 88 trips in the feed.
⏱ Usually one value per route pattern in your scheduling source.worth about +15 points in its category
Riders and need behind these fixes
- This feed carries no National Transit Database ID, so annual rider-trips are not known for it.
- New York as a whole measures moderate on transit need. That is a statewide reading, not one for this feed's service area. Source: US Census ACS 5-year 2022, statewide overlay, as of 2026-10-05.
These describe this feed only. They do not rank agencies, and they do not change the grade or the order of the fixes.
Finding handoff
Move one finding to a recheck
Select one finding. Copy the request, make the change in the feed-producing tool, then compare the next complete run.
- Finding
- Fix 01 in Top things to fix: its feed evidence and the requested change.
- Recheck
- Publish the changed feed at the same URL. On the next complete, comparable scorecard run, confirm that this finding is no longer reported.
Copy handoff text
- Finding
- Fix 02 in Top things to fix: its feed evidence and the requested change.
- Recheck
- Publish the changed feed at the same URL. On the next complete, comparable scorecard run, confirm that this finding is no longer reported.
Copy handoff text
- Finding
- Fix 03 in Top things to fix: its feed evidence and the requested change.
- Recheck
- Publish the changed feed at the same URL. On the next complete, comparable scorecard run, confirm that this finding is no longer reported.
Copy handoff text
How to make and check these changes
Check the result on the published feed. Read the guide, make the change in your tool, and use the next comparable run to see whether the finding is still reported. Only an action or ticket record can attribute who made the change.
Fix 01 · Read the fix guide for scorecard_wheelchair_boarding_unknown
Make the change. Make this change in whatever tool produces your feed, then re-export.
Check the result. The next scorecard run checks this finding again. If a comparable check no longer reports it, the feed's clearance log records that result. This confirms feed state, not who made the change. Self-check a feed before you publish.
Fix 02 · Read the fix guide for scorecard_wheelchair_accessible_unknown
Make the change. Make this change in whatever tool produces your feed, then re-export.
Check the result. The next scorecard run checks this finding again. If a comparable check no longer reports it, the feed's clearance log records that result. This confirms feed state, not who made the change. Self-check a feed before you publish.
Fix 03 · Read the fix guide for scorecard_missing_headsigns
Make the change. Make this change in whatever tool produces your feed, then re-export.
Check the result. The next scorecard run checks this finding again. If a comparable check no longer reports it, the feed's clearance log records that result. This confirms feed state, not who made the change. Self-check a feed before you publish.
Rider view: what this feed publishes
A quick read of rider-facing information in this feed.
- Schedule visibility
- The feed's last published service date is in 85 days.
- Published accessibility data
- Accessibility information is stated for 0% of stops and 0% of trips. This measures published data, not whether stops or vehicles are physically usable.
- Fare information
- No fare information is published in the feed.
- Realtime information
- Realtime-feed availability and live-arrival coverage are not known from this scorecard.
Important: This does not rate service reliability. Riders should confirm current service alerts, fares, and accessibility accommodations with the transit operator before traveling.
Send your vendor a fix request
You may not control the GTFS export yourself. Copy this and send it to whoever runs your scheduling software export. It names each fix with the validator notice and a guide link.
Score by category
The MobilityData validator flagged 9 kinds of issue across 294 instances (0 error, 291 warning, 3 informational).
Service data covers the next 85 days.
0% of stops state wheelchair accessibility (0% marked accessible, 0% marked not accessible). This measures what the feed publishes, not whether a stop is physically usable. Fare data is not published.
0% of stops state accessibility (0% marked accessible). Reflects what the feed states, not verified physical usability.
2 accessibility depth signals
4 route badge(s) pair a color and text color below the WCAG 4.5:1 contrast bar (Baker, North Main, Green, Red).
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.
58 stop name(s) use abbreviations or symbols a screen reader may mispronounce, with no spoken form set ("Prendergast & 8th", "Buffalo & Prendergast", "Lakeview & Falconer", and more).
Consider: Add tts_stop_name with the spoken form, e.g. 'Main Street and Second Avenue', for the affected stops.
Opportunities to strengthen the data, not deductions from the sub-score above. States what the second accessibility lens can check from the feed, not verified physical usability.
Not scored yet. Nothing here counts against the grade.
Routes and stops
Each route is drawn once, using the longest shape its trips follow; stops are the dots.
This feed has 111 stops.
The route and stop data is ready below. Load the map only when you want the geographic view. It uses additional data.
Basemap: OpenFreeMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors. Routes and stops: this agency's GTFS feed.
- Green (green)
- Baker (red)
- North Main (purple)
- Lakewood via Fairmount (teal)
- Falconer Route (yellow)
- Lakewood via Jones & Gifford (teal)
- Red (red)
- Southwest Express (white)
- Willard (green)
| Route | Type | Line color |
|---|---|---|
| Green Dunkirk City Route - Green | Bus | green |
| Baker City of Jamestown- Baker Route | Bus | red |
| North Main City of Jamestown- North Main Route | Bus | purple |
| Lakewood via Fairmount City of Jamestown- Lakewood via Fairmount | Bus | teal |
| Falconer Route Jamestown- Falconer Route | Bus | yellow |
| Lakewood via Jones & Gifford City of Jamestown- Lakewood via Jones & Gifford | Bus | teal |
| Red Dunkirk City - Red Route | Bus | red |
| Southwest Express City of Jamestown- Southwest Express | Bus | white |
| Willard City of Jamestown-Willard Route | Bus | green |
List every stop
- Kennedy Supermarket
- Portland Post Office
- Lakeside Community
- E 2nd & Roberts Rd.
- Doughty & Lincoln
- D&F Plaza
- Central & Howard
- Resource Center
- Don's Motel
- 2nd & Swan
- Central & 6th
- Steger Apts
- Junction
- Riverwalk Medical Center
- Barrett & Newland
- Newland & Prospect
- Cole & Sampson
- Baker & Sprague
- Front & Hall
- Farm Fresh Foods
- 2nd & Foote
- 2nd & Buffalo
- 2nd & Hopkins
- Elmwood & S Work
- Methodist Gardens (OR)
- Falconer & Aldren
- JCC
- 2nd & Winsor
- 2nd & Tiffany
- MASON DR (OR)
- Trucklite/MRC
- Budget Inn
- Falconer & Tiffany
- Falconer & N Work
- Hallock & W 3rd st.
- Fairmount & McDaniel
- Chautauqua Mall
- Chautauqua & Summit
- Ellicott Shores
- TRC
- Washington & W 8TH
- 5th & Prendergast
- Lakeview & Falconer
- Thayer & Newton
- Hotchkiss & Clyde (OR)
- Buffalo & Prendergast
- Prendergast & 8th
- TOPS
- N Main & 10th
- 6th & Washington
- S Main & 3rd
- S Main & Harrison
- Arterial & Prather
- Southside Plaza
- Sherman & Prather
- Foote & Harrison
- Prendergast & 4th st
- 4th & Washington
- Jones Hill (OR)
- REM-Tronics
- Mayville County Office
- Bush Elementary
- S Main St & Newland Ave
- Riverside Medical Center (OR)
- Cherry Creek Sub Shop
- WCA
- Ellington Town Park (OR)
- Save-A-Lot
- Crane St. (OR)
- Home Depot/Bob Evans (OR)
- K-Mart (OR)
- Courtney Apts
- Tops Plaza
- Passages Resource Center
- Shirley Lane (OR)
- High Rise (OR)
- Walmart
- Dunkirk City Hall
- TJ Maxx Plaza/Aldi (OR)
- Fairmount & Big Tree (OR)
- Walmart
- Save-A-Lot (OR)
- Four Corners
- Fairmount & Lowe (OR)
- Dunkirk Senior Center (OR)
- Connections North/JCC (OR)
- Falconer HSBC (OR)
- Fredonia-Water Street
- Frewsburg Town Hall
- Ellington Town Park - Thornton Rd
- W 8th St & Jones and Gifford
- Pardee Ave & Willard St
- Fredonia-Water Street (OR)
- 3rd St & Washington St
- Westfield (Elm St Parking Lot)
- Conewango Good as New (OR)
- Conewango Good as New
- Cherry Creek Sub Shop (OR)
- Westfield (Elm St Parking Lot) (OR)
- Rogers Elementary
- Family Court (OR)
- Gateway Station
- Brocton Country Fair (OR)
- W 8th St & Jones and Gifford (OR)
- Sinclairville Post Office
- W 4th St & Cherry St
- Portland Post Office (OR)
- Brocton Country Fair
- Cole Ave & Foote Ave
- Allen St & Willard St
- Pine Bluff Trailer Park (OR)
Over time
Overall score across the last 2 checks — unchanged since 2026-10-06.
Show the numbers
| Check | Score | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-06 | 54.2 | first check |
| 2026-10-07 | 54.2 | no change |
What changed since your last check
- Correctness no change
- Freshness no change
- Rider experience no change
Feed history
Every check on record for this feed, grouped by the published file, newest first. A new file means the published zip changed. Grades from earlier rubric versions are shown with their rubric and are not comparable with today’s grade or the trend above.
| Checked | Published file | Service dates through | Grade at the time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-06 to 2026-10-07 (2 checks) | 8de0e0ceb668 | 2026-12-31 | Current rubric: see the trend above |
| 2026-08-06 to 2026-09-13 (4 checks) | 8de0e0ceb668 | 2026-12-31 | F, 54.2 under rubric 1.3, an earlier scoring contract; not comparable with today’s grade |
| 2026-07-06 to 2026-07-10 (5 checks) | 8de0e0ceb668 | 2026-12-31 | F, 54.2 under rubric 1.1, an earlier scoring contract; not comparable with today’s grade |
| 2026-06-19 to 2026-07-05 (16 checks) | d173ad173782 | 2026-12-31 | F, 46.3 under rubric 1.1, an earlier scoring contract; not comparable with today’s grade |
What changed in this feed
Overall grade and score held steady since 2026-10-06.
Same feed file as 2026-10-06; the published zip did not change.
Subscribe to this feed’s changes (Atom) to hear about grade drops and export changes in a reader, with no sign-up.
Everything we checked
15 findings, ordered by severity.
Show every finding
- Warning233 instances
Some rows in stop_times.txt leave the timepoint column blank.
That column says whether a time is a real checkpoint or an estimate. Blank leaves apps guessing, and they may show your estimates as promises.
Fix: Set timepoint=1 on stops that are real time checks and 0 on the rest. If every published time is a scheduled one, mark them all 1. (Usually one export setting.)
Finding code: missing_timepoint_value · Read the fix guide for missing_timepoint_value · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Warning111 instances
111 of 111 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)
- Warning88 instances
88 of 88 trips don't say whether the vehicle is wheelchair accessible.
Even with accessible stops, riders need to know the bus 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)
- Warning88 instances
88 of 88 trips have no headsign, the text that tells riders where the bus 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)
- Warning26 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.)
Finding code: stop_without_stop_time · Read the fix guide for stop_without_stop_time · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Warning22 instances
On some trips the stop distances run a little past the end of the route line.
The stop and shape distance values don't quite line up, so any math that uses them can drift.
Fix: Re-generate shape_dist_traveled on export so stop and shape distances use the same units. (Usually an export-tool fix, not hand editing.)
Finding code: trip_distance_exceeds_shape_distance_below_threshold · Read the fix guide for trip_distance_exceeds_shape_distance_below_threshold · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Warning4 instances
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)
- Warning3 instances
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.)
Finding code: missing_recommended_field · Read the fix guide for missing_recommended_field · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Warning1 instance
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)
- Warning1 instance
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)
- Warning1 instance
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.)
Finding code: route_color_contrast · Read the fix guide for route_color_contrast · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Warning1 instance
feed_info.txt is missing its start/end dates
Apps and this scorecard can't warn anyone before the feed goes stale without stated validity dates.
Fix: Add feed_info.txt with feed_start_date and feed_end_date to your export. (Two fields, set once in export settings.)
Finding code: scorecard_missing_feed_info_dates · Read the fix guide for scorecard_missing_feed_info_dates · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Warning1 instance
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)
- Info3 instances
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)
- 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. 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)
NTD GTFS readiness Ready
Published at a public URL, valid, current, and identified with agency_id: the four feed checks for RY2026 all hold here. Only your own D-10 and P-50 filings make that official; this is a heads-up, not a determination.
- Published Ready
- Published at a public URL.
- Valid Ready
- Passes validation with no errors.
- Current Ready
- Service data covers the next 85 days.
- agency_id provided Ready
- agency.txt provides agency_id. For RY2026, keep one stable value for each NTD reporter represented in the feed and crosswalk each value on the P-50 form.
- agency_id equals your NTD ID (optional) Not checked yet
- This feed provides agency_id. For RY2026, keep one stable value for each NTD reporter represented in the feed and crosswalk it on the P-50 form. The value does not need to equal the five-digit NTD ID; we do not have that ID on file, so the optional equality comparison is not checked yet.
- shapes.txt covers your trips Ready
- All 88 trips have a shape in shapes.txt.
In plain words: if you report to the federal transit database, you have to publish a working, up-to-date feed, provide a stable agency_id for each represented reporter, and confirm the feed and P-50 crosswalk each year. This box is a heads-up; your filings are the official check.
A readiness signal mapping this feed to the FTA National Transit Database GTFS requirement (Report Year 2023 onward: a public, valid, current feed, certified annually on the D-10). For RY2026, each represented reporter needs a stable agency_id, unique within the feed and crosswalked to its five-digit NTD ID on P-50; the values do not need to be equal. FTA also requires shapes.txt in the published GTFS: Full Reporters from Report Year 2025, and Reduced, Rural, and Tribal Reporters from Report Year 2026. Not an official determination; your certification is the official check.
Conformance mark Not yet
One requirement remains for this feed to earn the conformance mark. States wheelchair access on 0% of stops and 0% of trips; the mark needs 90% of each.
- Valid Met
- Passes validation with no errors.
- Current Met
- Service data covers the next 85 days.
- Accessible Not yet
- States wheelchair access on 0% of stops and 0% of trips; the mark needs 90% of each.
In plain words: earn this mark when your feed passes validation, has not expired, and says whether nearly every stop and trip is wheelchair accessible.
A pass credential for a feed that is valid, current, and states wheelchair access on nearly every stop and trip. Accessibility here measures what the feed publishes, not whether a stop is physically usable. How the conformance mark works.
Can riders use it?
Checks beyond structural validation: places where the feed is valid but a rider still could not travel.
- 26 of 111 boardable stops are never served by any trip. Riders see these stops in apps and on the map but can never catch anything there, which erodes trust in the data. Remove stops no route serves, or add the trips that should call at them.
These do not change the grade. They catch trips with no rideable leg and stops no trip serves, the kind of gap a trip planner trips over.
Clears the Google and Apple Maps four-week coverage bar. This feed has 85 days of service ahead, clearing the four-week (28-day) window Maps asks for. No validator errors either, so riders keep seeing this agency in their trip planners; warnings lower the grade here but do not remove a feed from Maps.
How this agency maps to the standards
The scorecard is a data-quality lens, not a compliance determination. Its universal references describe good GTFS and useful rider information. Useful references here are GTFS Schedule Best Practices, GTFS-Realtime Best Practices, MobilityData grading scheme, Google Transit publication guidance, FTA National Transit Database GTFS requirement. Read the full standards crosswalk.
- Correctness 60 / 100
- GTFS Schedule best practices, checked by the MobilityData validator. MobilityData grading covers stop locations, route names, and colors. Google Transit requires a feed to pass validation for publication. FTA NTD readiness also checks that the published feed is valid.
- Freshness 85 / 100
- GTFS Schedule best practices call for a dataset that stays current. An expired calendar can remove service from Google Transit and other rider trip planners. FTA NTD readiness also checks that the published feed is current.
- Rider experience 22 / 100
- GTFS Best Practices for rider-facing fields. MobilityData grading covers stop names and headsigns.
- Realtime quality Not yet published
- GTFS-Realtime best practices: a stable URL, high uptime, and frequent updates.
Part of the New York portfolio: the same scorecards for every feed we track in that group, on one free page.
For programs that support several agencies
This scorecard and the board one-pager for Chautauqua Area Regional Transit System (CARTS) are free, and they stay free. If you support several agencies, as a state program, a technical-assistance center, a feed vendor, or a consultancy, you can buy the program report bundle. It puts this agency's board report in one archive with the reports for the other agencies you support, and each cover carries your program's name, logo, and accent color.
The report for Chautauqua Area Regional Transit System (CARTS) uses the same numbers as this page: grade F (54.2 out of 100) as of the check on 2026-10-07, its category scores, its top fixes, and its score at each check.
One bundle, up to 25 agencies: $149, paid once, delivered within 2 business days or refunded. Other plans, including a monthly refresh, are on the bundle page.
See a sample bundle report: a real agency's current grade, with placeholder branding.
A purchase buys no influence over grades, methodology, or which agencies are listed. The grade on this page comes from the check on 2026-10-07, scored with rubric v1.4 and MobilityData gtfs-validator 8.0.1. Based on the feed source on file; publisher ownership is not verified. Read how the grade is calculated.
Similar feeds in New York
Other scorecards in New York, starting with the same kind of service at a similar size. Listed for comparison, not ranked.
Cite this record
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