Crawford Area Transportation Authority (CATA)

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.)

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)

869 of 869 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)

279 of 279 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 stops sit far from the route line, going by the feed's own distance values.

Trip planners may draw the route down the wrong streets or point riders to the wrong corner.

Fix: Check the flagged stops' shape_dist_traveled against the route shape, and re-generate it on export if they disagree. (Usually an export-tool fix, not hand editing.)

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

Some route long names repeat the route's short name inside them.

Apps show both names together, so riders see the number twice, like '5 5 Downtown'.

Fix: Drop the short name from route_long_name and keep the long name descriptive, like 'Downtown via 5th Ave'. (One field per flagged route.)

Finding code: route_long_name_contains_short_name · 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)

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)

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)

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)

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)