Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA)

What this grade measures

The quality of the schedule data in the feed scored here for trip-planning apps: whether riders using Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Transit see current, correct, and complete information. It measures the data feed, not service quality or operations.

Progress this period

Since the previous compatible check, 6 findings were no longer reported:

• 1 of 2322 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.
• This feed offers flexible service that riders book ahead, but it has no booking_rules.txt.
• Equal shape distance diff coordinates distance below threshold (flagged by the MobilityData validator).
• Some trip headsigns name a stop along the way, not the final destination.
• Some files contain columns that are not part of the GTFS spec.
• Some service dates fall outside the date window set in feed_info.txt.

This records feed state, not who made a change or why.

What needs attention next

Three improvements, in priority order, each sized so the board can see what it is approving:

1. Set wheelchair_boarding to 1 (accessible) or 2 (not accessible) for every stop. A field survey can start with the busiest stops.

   807 of 807 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 807 stops in the feed.

   Estimated effort: A column in stops.txt; your scheduling software likely has it.

2. Set wheelchair_accessible on every trip. If every vehicle is accessible, this may be one default; otherwise use the value for each trip.

   3026 of 3026 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 3,026 trips in the feed.

   Estimated effort: A default or per-trip field in your export.

3. Add feed_info.txt with feed_start_date and feed_end_date to your export.

   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.

   This one is about the feed as a whole, so there is no share of it to count.

   Estimated effort: Two fields, set once in export settings.

Trillium produces and hosts this feed as a service. These changes are made on their side: send the fix list to your Trillium contact and they apply it and republish.