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Feed status · checked 2026-07-09
Merced County Transit (The Bus)
Based on the feed this agency publishes
unchanged since 2026-07-08
Ahead of 56% of all tracked agencies and 54% of mid-size agencies. Operates in California.
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 v1.1, validator 8.0.1.
Checked for changes 19 hours ago; last changed 19 hours ago.
Measured 3 of 4 score categories from the agency's own feed.
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 agency's own URL.
Confidence describes how much the pipeline could measure this run, not the feed itself. It never changes the grade.
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
361 of 361 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.
⏱ A column in stops.txt; your scheduling software likely has it.worth about +25 points
Set wheelchair_accessible on every trip (most small-agency fleets are 100% accessible, so this is often a single default).Likely your export tool
555 of 555 trips don't say whether the vehicle is wheelchair accessible. Even with accessible stops, riders need to know the bus itself can take them.
⏱ Often one default setting in your export.worth about +15 points
Agencies here usually clear this within about 1 week (based on 5 observed fixes).
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.
The feed contains no fare information. Riders see 'fare unknown' in trip planners and can't budget their trip; visitors are most affected.
⏱ A small file for most flat-fare systems.worth about +15 points
Close the loop on each fix. Read the guide, make the change in your tool, and let the next run verify it — the scorecard shows the fix; the agency publishes it.
Set wheelchair_boarding to 1 (accessible) or 2 (not accessible) for every stop. A field survey can start with the busiest stops. · Read the fix guide
Make the change. Make this change in whatever tool produces your feed, then re-export.
Prove it cleared. The next scorecard run re-checks this automatically and, once it is gone, mints a dated receipt. Self-check a feed before you publish.
Set wheelchair_accessible on every trip (most small-agency fleets are 100% accessible, so this is often a single default). · Read the fix guide
Make the change. Make this change in whatever tool produces your feed, then re-export.
Prove it cleared. The next scorecard run re-checks this automatically and, once it is gone, mints a dated receipt. Self-check a feed before you publish.
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. · Read the fix guide
Make the change. Make this change in whatever tool produces your feed, then re-export.
Prove it cleared. The next scorecard run re-checks this automatically and, once it is gone, mints a dated receipt. Self-check a feed before you publish.
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 8 kinds of issue across 68 instances (0 error, 61 warning, 7 informational).
Service data covers the next 26838 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.
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.
Skip to route and stop dataBasemap: OpenFreeMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors. Routes and stops: this agency's GTFS feed.
- UC (orange)
- L (blue)
- LB (green)
- M1 (orange)
- M2 (brown)
- M3 (yellow)
- M4 (brown)
- M5 (orange)
- M6 (yellow)
- M7 (brown)
- A2 (red)
- A1 (red)
- P (gray)
- T (white)
- W1 (gray)
| Route | Type | Line color |
|---|---|---|
| UC UC-UC Merced | Bus | orange |
| L L - Livingston Commuter | Bus | blue |
| LB LB - Los Banos Commuter | Bus | green |
| M1 M1 - Merced West | Bus | orange |
| M2 M2 - R Street Route | Bus | brown |
| M3 M3 - M Street Route | Bus | yellow |
| M4 M4 - G Street Route | Bus | brown |
| M5 M5 - Merced South-East | Bus | orange |
| M6 M6 - Olive Loops | Bus | yellow |
| M7 M7 - South G Street Route | Bus | brown |
| A2 A2 - Winton Way | Bus | red |
| A1 A1 - Atwater Loop | Bus | red |
| P P - Planada Commuter | Bus | gray |
| T T - Turlock Commuter | Bus | white |
| W1 W1 - Winton Commuter | Bus | gray |
This feed has 361 stops.
List every stop
- Park & Ride @ Bellevue Ave
- Merced Flea Market (to transpo)
- Merced Flea Market (to Planada)
- Azusa Market (temporary stop - to LB)
- Azusa Market (temporary stop - to Merced)
- K St @ 23rd (northbound)
- M & A Market (westbound)
- M & A Market (eastbound)
- Loughborough Dr @ M St
- El Redondo Dr @ Jenner Dr (northbound)
- Village Terrace Landing Apts (southbound)
- Loughborough Dr & M St (westbound)
- Main St @ Davis St (southbound)
- Main St @ Crowell St (northbound)
- Gurr Rd @ Valley Dr (northbound)
- Gurr Rd @ Valley Dr (southbound)
- W 15th @ P St (westbound)
- Dollar General (northbound)
- DMV (eastbound)
- Meadows @ Olive (northbound)
- K St @ 24th St (southbound)
- Los Banos Community Center (Westbound)
- Castle H.S.A. (to Atwater/Winton)
- Castle Clinic (to Atwater/Winton)
- Castle H.S.A. (To Merced)
- Castle Clinic (to Merced)
- Foster Farms (To Livingston)
- Foster Farms (To Merced)
- Sunny View Apartments
- Food 4 /Dollar Tree (To Los Banos)
- Food 4 Less / Dollar Tree (To Merced
- Merced College (To UC Merced)
- G St @ Olive/Save Mart
- Mercy Medical Center
- Merced College
- Alexander @ Aspen
- Parsons @ Alexander
- Yosemite Av @ Dove
- Yosemite Av @ Paulson
- Mansionette @ Redwing/St Patricks
- Mansionette @ Kingfisher
- G St @ University/Tri College Center
- Yosemite Av @ Steamboat
- M St @ Yosemite Av
- R St @ Donna
- R St @ Buena Vista/Black Rascal Bike Path
- M St @ Fairfield
- 27th @ Green)
- 27th @ Parsons
- Stretch @ Parsons
- Stretch @ Green
- Santa Fe @ Reef Apts
- 26th @ Glen (westbound)
- 26th @ 7th/Hoover MS (westbound)
- M St @ Olive Tree Professional Center (northbound)
- M St @ CVRC
- Loughborough @ Target/Merced Mall (westbound)
- R St @ Olive (southbound)
- R St @ Olive (northbound)
- Merced County Probation (southbound)
- M St @ N. Bear Creek (southbound)
- 27th @ Glen
- 26th @ Glen (eastbound)
- Transpo (south/west)
- Transpo (north/east)
- Yosemite Pkwy @ Cypress (eastbound)
- Yosemite Pkwy @ Rose (eastbound)
- 21st & Yosemite Pkwy (westbound)
- 21st @ Cherry (westbound)
- 21st @ Orchard (westbound)
- Amtrak (westbound)
- G St @ 26th (northbound)
- G St @ Alpine (northbound)
- G St @ Alexander (northbound)
- G St @ Brookdale (northbound)
- G St @ El Portal (northbound)
- G St @ Donna (northbound)
- M St @ Donna (southbound)
- Loughborough Dr @ Laurel Glen Apts (westbound)
- Loughborough Dr @ Village Meadow Apt (westbound)
- Olive @ Food 4 Less (southbound)
- Devonwood Dr @ Dogwood (eastbound)
- Meadows Ave @ Olivewood (northbound)
- 18th @ P St (eastbound)
- 18th @ P St (westbound)
- 18th @ S St / EDD (westbound)
- R St @ 23rd
- Meadows @ Olivewood
- Devondwood @ Dogwood (westbound)
- Olive @ PetSmart
- Loughborough @village Meadow apts (eastbound)
- Loughborough @ Laurel Glen Apts (eastbound)
- M St @ Village Apts (northbound)
- M St @ Donna (northbound)
- G St @ Yosemite (southbound)
- G St @ Columbia (southbound)
- G St @ Brookdale (southbound)
- G St @ Merced High School North Campus
- G St @ Park Av
- G St @ N. Bear Creek Dr (southbound)
- 24th @ MLK/Amtrak (eastbound)
- 21st @ G St (eastbound)
- 21st @ Glen (eastbound)
- 21st @ Cherry (eastbound)
- 21st @ Yosemite Pkwy (eastbound)
- Yosemite Pkwy @ Murthella (westbound)
- Yosemite Pkwy @ Jean (westbound)
- Yosemite Pkwy @ Laurel (westbound)
- HSA
- Valley Community School (eastbound)
- West Av @ 4th (southbound)
- West Av @ 1st (southbound)
- Q St @ 3rd (northbound)
- 4th @ P St (eastbound)
- N St @ Childs (Golden Valley Health Centers)
- M St @ Childs (northbound)
- M St @ 8th (northbound)
- M St @ 13th/Sacred Heart (northbound)
- 15th @ O St (westbound)
- M St @ 19th (northbound)
- M St @ 22nd/County Offices (northbound)
- M St @ 26th (northbound)
- M St @ Villages Apts (southbound)
- M St @ 26th (southbound)
- M St @ 22nd/Merced County Offices (southbound)
- M St @ Main (southbound)
- M St @ 12th (southbound)
- M St @ 8th (southbound)
- M St @ Childs (southbound)
- Valley Community School (westbound)
- G St @ Gerard (northbound)
- G St @ Carmen (northbound)
- General Medicine Clinic 13 & D St (eastbound)
- G St @ East Campus (northbound)
- G St @ 21st (northbound)
- G St @ 23rd (northbound)
- G St @ N. Bear Creek Dr (northbound)
- G St @ Olive (northbound)
- G St @ Alexander (southbound)
- G St @ 26th (southbound)
- G St @ 23rd (southbound)
- G St @ 21st (southbound)
- G St @ 18th (southbound)
- 13th @ D St (westbound)
- G St @ Skylark (southbound)
- Carmen @ Las Brisas
- Gerard @ La Mesa
- Transpo (small)
- O St @ 15th (southbound)
- 13th @ G St (eastbound)
- Yosemite Pkwy @ Carol (eastbound)
- Childs @ Manzanita/Golden Valley HS (eastbound)
- Childs @ Watertown (eastbound)
- Gerard @ Coffee/Pioneer Elementary (westbound)
- Gerard @ Laughlin (westbound)
- Villa Estates MHP (westbound)
- Gerard @ Parsons/Cal Storage
- Parsons @ The Grove
- Parsons @ Childs/ Holiday Inn (northbound)
- Parsons @ Golden Valley HS (northbound)
- 13th @ G St (westbound)
- O St @ 15th (northbound)
- K St @ 23rd (southbound)
- Fulkerth Shopping Center
- Main @ C St/Livingston City Hall (southbound)
- 4th @ El Capitan (northbound)
- Center @ Walnut/Winton Library (southbound)
- Center @ Walnut/Winton Library (northbound)
- Winton @ Doris/Winton PO (southbound)
- Winton @ Fruitland/Atwater HS (southbound)
- Bellevue @ Winton / Jack in the Box (eastbound)
- Bellevue @ 5th (eastbound)
- Bellevue @ Redwood (eastbound)
- Bellevue @ Constitution Atwater Community Center (eastbound)
- Bellevue @ Bellevue Elementary (eastbound)
- Bellevue @ Secretariat (eastbound)
- Hwy 59 @ Riviera Holiday Mobile Estates (northbound)
- Beachwood @ Oakland (northbound)
- Buchach @ Bellevue (southbound)
- Bellevue @ Secretariat (westbound)
- Bellevue @ Bellevue Elementary (westbound)
- Bellevue @ Constitution/Osborn Park (westbound)
- Bellevue @ Brownell (westbound)
- Bellevue @ Redwood (westbound)
- Bellevue @ 5th (westbound)
- Bellevue @ Winton (westbound)
- Winton @ Bellevue/SaveMart (northbound)
- Winton @ Fruitland/Atwater HS (northbound)
- Winton @ Doris/Winton PO (northbound)
- Planada/Golden Valley Clinic (to Merced)
- Sutter @ El Mercado (to Merced)
- Jefferson @ Le Grand/Community Ctr
- Planada/Golden Valley Clinic (to Le Grand)
- K St @ 18th/ MCAG (northbound)
- K St @ 21st (northbound)
- UC Merced Parking Lot (Merced College)
- Yosemite Av @ Paulson (eastbound)
- Yosemite Av @ Parsons (eastbound)
- Yosemite Ave @ Perch (eastbound)
- Yosemite @ Perch (westbound)
- Yosemite Av @ Chapparal (westbound)
- Yosemite Av @ Parsons (westbound)
- Atwater Transpo (Clockwise)
- Myrtle @ California (eastbound)
- Winton @ Bellevue/Westwood Apartments (southbound)
- Winton @ Juniper/ St. Anthony (southbound)
- Winton @ Grove (southbound)
- Atwater Target
- Atwater Transpo (westbound)
- Atwater Target
- Winton @ Olive (northbound)
- Winton @ Grove (northbound)
- Winton @ Juniper/St. Anthony's (northbound)
- Winton @ Bellevue/ Westwood Apartments (northbound)
- Buhach @ 5th
- Buhach @ Castle Park
- Bellevue @ Atwater Plaza Shopping
- California @ Helton
- 8th St @ T St (westbound)
- 8th @ V St (westbound)
- V St @ 10th (northbound)
- 11th @ W St (westbound)
- Lopes @ Linda (eastbound)
- T St @ 3rd (southbound)
- R St @ Childs (northbound)
- R St @ 4th (northbound)
- R St @ 8th (northbound)
- R St @ 10th (southbound)
- Winton @ Olive (southbound)
- Buhach @ Bellevue (northbound)
- Le Grand @ Washington
- Los Banos Memorial Hospital (westbound)
- Merced College/Los Banos Campus
- Los Banos Memorial Hospital (eastbound)
- F St @ 4th/County Offices - Fairgrounds (eastbound)
- El Nido Grocery (northbound)
- El Nido Grocery (southbound)
- Loughborough @ Target/Mall (eastbound)
- Hwy 140 @ Dollar General (westbound)
- Atwater Transpo (Counter-Clockwise)
- Bellevue Rd @ Alabama Ave (eastbound)
- Bellevue Rd @ Brownell Ave (eastbound)
- Buhach Rd @ Castlewood Ave (southbound)
- Buhach Rd @ Avenue One (southbound)
- Broadway @ Capitol St (westbound)
- Broadway @ Castle St (westbound)
- Buhach Rd @ Garden (southbound)
- Winton Way @ Gertrude Ave (northbound)
- Winton Way @ Crawfort St (northbound)
- Winton Way @ Myrtle Ave (northbound)
- and 111 more (see the full list on the map or in the GeoJSON)
Over time
Overall score across the last 20 checks — unchanged since 2026-07-08.
Show the numbers
| Check | Score | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | 65.5 | first check |
| 2026-06-20 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-06-21 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-06-22 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-06-23 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-06-24 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-06-25 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-06-26 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-06-27 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-06-28 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-06-29 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-06-30 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-07-01 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-07-02 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-07-04 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-07-05 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-07-06 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-07-07 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-07-08 | 65.5 | no change |
| 2026-07-09 | 65.5 | no change |
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
- Warning555 instances
555 of 555 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 (most small-agency fleets are 100% accessible, so this is often a single default). (Often one default setting in your export.)
Agencies here usually clear this within about 1 week (based on 5 observed fixes).
Validator rule: scorecard_wheelchair_accessible_unknown · Read the fix guide · See GTFS Schedule reference (opens the GTFS Schedule reference on an external site)
- Warning361 instances
361 of 361 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)
- Warning34 instances
Trip distance exceeds shape distance below threshold (flagged by the MobilityData validator).
See the linked rule for what this affects.
Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'trip_distance_exceeds_shape_distance_below_threshold' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)
Validator rule: trip_distance_exceeds_shape_distance_below_threshold · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Warning15 instances
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)
- Warning8 instances
Leading or trailing whitespaces (flagged by the MobilityData validator).
See the linked rule for what this affects.
Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'leading_or_trailing_whitespaces' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)
Validator rule: leading_or_trailing_whitespaces · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Warning2 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)
- Warning1 instance
feed_info.txt does not state when this feed starts and ends.
Without stated dates, apps can't warn anyone before your data goes stale; it just disappears one day.
Fix: Fill in feed_start_date and feed_end_date in feed_info.txt. (Two fields, likely set once in your export settings.)
Validator rule: missing_feed_info_date · 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
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.)
Agencies here usually clear this within about 1 week (based on 16 observed fixes).
Validator rule: scorecard_missing_feed_info_dates · Read the fix guide · 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.)
Validator rule: scorecard_no_fare_data · Read the fix guide · See GTFS Best Practices (opens GTFS Best Practices on an external site)
- Info4 instances
Service extends far in the future (flagged by the MobilityData validator).
See the linked rule for what this affects.
Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'service_extends_far_in_the_future' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)
Validator rule: service_extends_far_in_the_future · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Info3 instances
Unknown file (flagged by the MobilityData validator).
See the linked rule for what this affects.
Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'unknown_file' 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: unknown_file · 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 (UC, LB, M1, M2, M3, 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.
312 stop name(s) use abbreviations or symbols a screen reader may mispronounce, with no spoken form set ("Park & Ride @ Bellevue Ave", "K St @ 23rd (northbound)", "M & A Market (westbound)", 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.
Trimmed surrounding whitespace 9 changes
For example: 'stop_name': 'Loughborough Dr @ M St ' -> 'Loughborough Dr @ M St'
Run it yourself on your own copy of the feed: scorecard autofix <feed.zip> --out corrected.zip
NTD certification readiness Ready
Published at a public URL, valid, and current: the three things the NTD GTFS requirement asks of a feed all hold here. Only your own D-10 certification makes 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 26838 days.
- agency_id matches your NTD ID Not checked yet
- Setting your GTFS agency_id to your five-digit NTD ID is an optional way to line a feed up with its National Transit Database record. FTA links the two on your P-50 form, so it is not a required feed change. We don't have your NTD ID on file, so this is not checked yet.
- shapes.txt covers your trips Ready
- All 555 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 and confirm it once a year. This box is a heads-up on whether yours looks ready; it is not the official sign-off.
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). Aligning agency_id with your NTD ID lets the feed line up with your NTD record; the July 2025 final rule links the two on the P-50 form rather than requiring that feed change, and 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
This feed is close to 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 26838 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.
Clears the Google and Apple Maps four-week coverage bar. This feed has 26838 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
A data-quality lens, not a compliance determination. Each category shows this feed's score and the standards it relates to: the FTA National Transit Database GTFS requirement, the MobilityData grading scheme, and the Google Transit gate. Read the full standards crosswalk.
In California, the published guideline is California Transit Data Guidelines. Caltrans' published quality guidelines and compliance checklist; this rubric is anchored to them.
California Minimum GTFS Guidelines checklist (4 of 6 measured items met)
The state's own Data Process Checklist, matched item by item to what this scorecard already measures. An item marked "not measured here" is real ground the checklist covers that this tool does not check; see the official checklist for the full picture.
- Meets Publish GTFS Schedule at a stable, automatically-fetchable URL
The published feed URL downloaded at the last check.
- Not measured here Implement required fields: Fares v2, text-to-speech stop names, shapes.txt, wheelchair_boarding, and Pathways where applicable
This scorecard measures wheelchair_boarding, shapes.txt coverage, fare data, and station pathways separately, below; it does not check the Fares v2 format specifically or text-to-speech stop names.
- Not measured here Achieve a passing score in every category of the MobilityData GTFS Grading Scheme v1
This scorecard automates a proxy for the Grading Scheme's rider-facing fields (see the standards crosswalk) rather than running the scheme itself, which grades by comparison to the real world by hand.
- Not measured here Publish changes to the base schedule at least one week ahead of every service change
This scorecard does not track a feed's publish history, so advance notice cannot be checked.
- Meets Produce no critical errors in the MobilityData GTFS Validator
Passes validation with no errors.
- Not measured here Publish Trip Updates, Vehicle Positions, and Alerts feeds
This scorecard checks realtime reachability and freshness overall; it does not check for all three feed types individually.
- Not measured here Update Trip Updates and Vehicle Positions at least every 20 seconds
This scorecard samples realtime freshness; it does not check this specific 20-second cadence.
- Not measured here Publish information for at least 99% of vehicles in service
This scorecard measures the share of scheduled trips represented in TripUpdates, a related but different figure than vehicle coverage.
- Not measured here Keep 100% of trip_ids consistent between Schedule and Realtime
This scorecard does not currently check trip_id consistency between the Schedule and Realtime feeds.
- Not measured here Produce no critical errors in the Center for Urban Transportation Research realtime validator
This scorecard does not run the CUTR realtime validator.
- Not measured here Publish accessible feed links on the agency or regional partner website
This scorecard does not check the agency's own website.
- Not measured here Register GTFS and GTFS-Realtime feeds with transit.land and the Mobility Database
This scorecard does not currently check aggregator registration for this section.
- Meets Designate a technical contact in feed_info.txt's feed_contact_email
feed_info.txt states a technical contact.
- Gap wheelchair_boarding stated on stops and trips
States wheelchair access on 0% of stops and 0% of trips.
- Meets shapes.txt with a shape for every trip
All 555 trips have a shape in shapes.txt.
- Gap Fare data published, or the service marked fare-free
No fare data is published.
- Correctness 69 / 100
- GTFS Schedule best practices, checked by the MobilityData validator. MobilityData grading: stop locations, route names and colors. Google Transit: a feed must pass validation to stay in Maps.
- Freshness 85 / 100
- The FTA National Transit Database expectation of a valid, current feed. Google Transit: an expired calendar drops the agency from Maps.
- Rider experience 45 / 100
- GTFS Best Practices for rider-facing fields. MobilityData grading: stop names and headsigns.
- Realtime quality Not yet published
- GTFS-Realtime best practices: a stable URL, high uptime, and frequent updates.
Cite this record
This page updates on every check. The record below does not: it is the dated file this grade came from, published at https://gtfsscorecard.org/data/artifacts/merced-county-transit-the-bus-3117/2026-07-09.json and never overwritten, pinning the grade, category scores, rubric version, validator version, and the scored feed's sha256 as they stood on 2026-07-09. Use it in a board packet, an NTD narrative, or a research citation instead of linking the live page, whose content will differ on your next visit.
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