Feed status · checked 2026-08-01
Metro Transit - City of Madison
Based on the feed this agency publishes
Service mode Bus
down 0.3 since 2026-07-31
Catalogued in Wisconsin.
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 v1.3, validator 8.0.1.
Checked for changes 3 hours ago; last changed 42 days ago.
Measured 4 of 4 score categories from the agency's own feed.
How we measured this
Confidence in this measurement: high.
- All four score categories were measured this run.
- Realtime was sampled in one bounded window of 9 snapshots.
- 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
Re-export with a validity window that reaches at least 60 days out.Likely your export tool
Service data runs out in 14 day(s). When the calendar runs out, trip planners stop showing this agency. Fixing it now is calmer than after riders notice.
⏱ One export setting.worth about +66 points in its category
Use mixed case for stop names and headsigns (e.g. 'Main St & 2nd Ave', not 'MAIN ST & 2ND AVE').Likely your export tool
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.
⏱ Often a bulk fix in your scheduling software.worth about +8 points in its category
Remove retired stops from the export, or add them back to the trips that should serve them.Likely your export tool
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.
⏱ A review pass in your scheduling software.worth about +6 points in its category
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.
- Feed evidence
- Service data runs out in 14 day(s).
- Next action
- Re-export with a validity window that reaches at least 60 days out.
- 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
- Feed evidence
- Some rider-facing names are in ALL CAPS or all lowercase.
- Next action
- Use mixed case for stop names and headsigns (e.g. 'Main St & 2nd Ave', not 'MAIN ST & 2ND AVE').
- 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
- Feed evidence
- Some stops exist in the feed but no trip ever stops at them.
- Next action
- Remove retired stops from the export, or add them back to the trips that should serve them.
- 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.
Re-export with a validity window that reaches at least 60 days out. · Read the fix guide
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. See this feed's finding-clearance log.
Use mixed case for stop names and headsigns (e.g. 'Main St & 2nd Ave', not 'MAIN ST & 2ND AVE'). · Read the fix guide
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. See this feed's finding-clearance log.
Remove retired stops from the export, or add them back to the trips that should serve them. · Read the fix guide
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. See this feed's finding-clearance log.
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 14 days.
- Published accessibility data
- Accessibility information is stated for 87.8% of stops and 100% of trips. This measures published data, not whether stops or vehicles are physically usable.
- Fare information
- Fare information is published using GTFS Fares v2.
- Realtime information
- Live-arrival data covered 100% of scheduled trips in the sampled window.
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.
Send the agency a note
Supporting this agency? Copy this and email it to them. It names what lapsed, why it matters to riders, and the one setting to change.
Score by category
The MobilityData validator flagged 6 kinds of issue across 3498 instances (0 error, 3478 warning, 20 informational).
Service data runs out in 14 day(s). Publish an updated feed soon or riders will lose trip planning.
88% of stops state wheelchair accessibility (88% marked accessible, 0% marked not accessible). This measures what the feed publishes, not whether a stop is physically usable. Fare data is published.
88% of stops state accessibility (88% marked accessible). Reflects what the feed states, not verified physical usability.
2 accessibility depth signals
13 route badge(s) pair a color and text color below the WCAG 4.5:1 contrast bar (28, 38, 55, 64, 65, 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.
This feed models stations or entrances but has no pathways.txt and levels.txt.
Consider: Add pathways.txt connecting entrances, platforms, and elevators, and levels.txt for each floor, so the step-free route is described.
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.
Fares are applied to trips.
Sampled 9 times: 3 of 3 configured feeds healthy; 100.0% of scheduled trips had live predictions; 100.0% of vehicles on their route; predictions ran a median of 27s behind schedule.
Routes and stops
Each route is drawn once, using the longest shape its trips follow; stops are the dots.
This feed has 1684 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.
- 28 (teal)
- 38 (teal)
- 55 (teal)
- 60 (purple)
- 61 (red)
- 62 (black)
- 63 (blue)
- 64 (gray)
- 65 (teal)
- 75 (teal)
- 80 (teal)
- 84 (teal)
- A (red)
- B (yellow)
- C (green)
- D (green)
- E (teal)
- F (green)
- G (green)
- H (green)
- J (teal)
- L (teal)
- O (teal)
- P (green)
- R (green)
- S (teal)
- W (teal)
| Route | Type | Line color |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Route 28 | Bus | teal |
| 38 Route 38 | Bus | teal |
| 55 Route 55 | Bus | teal |
| 60 East Washington Extras | Bus | purple |
| 61 Pflaum Extras | Bus | red |
| 62 Gammon Extras | Bus | black |
| 63 Regent Extras | Bus | blue |
| 64 Regent Extras | Bus | gray |
| 65 Route 65 | Bus | teal |
| 75 Route 75 | Bus | teal |
| 80 Route 80 | Bus | teal |
| 81 Route 81 | Bus | teal (no shape in feed) |
| 82 Route 82 | Bus | teal (no shape in feed) |
| 84 Route 84 | Bus | teal |
| A Rapid Route A | Bus | red |
| B Route B | Bus | yellow |
| C Route C | Bus | green |
| D Route D | Bus | green |
| E Route E | Bus | teal |
| F Route F | Bus | green |
| G Route G | Bus | green |
| H Route H | Bus | green |
| J Route J | Bus | teal |
| L Route L | Bus | teal |
| O Route O | Bus | teal |
| P Route P | Bus | green |
| R Route R | Bus | green |
| S Route S | Bus | teal |
| W Route W | Bus | teal |
List every stop
- Langdon at N Park
- S Gammon at Memorial High
- Mendota at Hoover
- E Verona at Maple Grove
- W Washington at S Fairchild
- Fish Hatchery at Ochalla
- Verona E at Atticus
- W Washington at N Bedford
- High Ridge at Cahill
- Todd at Pelham
- Fish Hatchery at Traceway
- Mendota at Duncan
- Fish Hatchery at Emil
- E Dayton at Wisconsin
- E Cheryl at Big Bluestem
- E Cheryl at Woods Hollow
- Fitchrona at Target
- Fitchrona at Hy-Vee
- Post at Leopold
- Todd at Post
- Mendota at Sycamore
- Todd at Beltline S
- Greenway at Coho
- McKee at Commerce Park
- E Cheryl at Woods Hollow
- Lacy at E Cheryl
- E Verona at S Main
- Verona E at Britta
- Coho at Post
- Verona W at Summit
- S Midvale at Cherokee
- E Cheryl at Syene
- Nakoma at Waban
- Nakoma at Seminole
- Sycamore at N Thompson
- S Midvale at Nakoma
- S Midvale at Nakoma
- Grandview at Beltline S
- Verona at Highway Ramp
- Greenway at Bryant
- Beltline S at Landmark
- Linden at N Charter
- Nakoma at Huron
- Northern Lights at Epic Staff C
- Beltline S at Grandview
- Beltline S at Whenona
- Lacy at Central Park
- Fish Hatchery at Greenway
- Verona E at Britta
- E Verona at Maple Grove
- Grandview at Kingston
- Rimrock at E Rusk
- Verona W at Summit
- McKee at Fitchrona
- Verona W at Beltline S
- Langdon at Wisconsin
- Red Arrow at Thurston
- Nakoma at Mohawk
- Fitchrona at McKee
- E Cheryl at Agrace
- Fish Hatchery at Post
- Post at Todd
- Beltline S at Seminole
- N Breese at Hoyt
- S Midvale at Cherokee
- Post at Coho
- Mid Town at Province Hill
- W Verona at West End
- High Point
- Westfield
- Grand Canyon
- Island
- Rosa
- Whitney-Mineral Point
- Regent-Whitney
- Eau Claire
- Midvale
- Shorewood
- University Bay
- Blair
- Paterson
- Baldwin
- First Street
- E Verona at Enterprise
- Fourth Street
- Marquette
- Melvin-Rethke
- Wright-Fair Oaks
- Fish Hatchery at Carver
- Beltline S at Seminole
- Todd at Pelham
- Erin at S Mills
- Post at Traceway
- W Badger at Overpass
- Fish Hatchery at Greenway
- E Verona at Enterprise
- Fish Hatchery at Traceway
- Todd at Greenway
- S Whitney at Kroncke
- S Whitney at Kroncke
- Allied at Thurston
- McKee at Fish Hatchery
- Beltline S at Underpass
- N Bassett at W Dayton
- Fish Hatchery at Caddis
- Beltline S at Underpass
- E Cheryl at Big Bluestem
- W Washington at S Bassett
- W Verona at N Main
- Greenway at Coho
- Verona W at Beltline S
- Fish Hatchery at Post
- McKee at Commerce Park
- Beltline S at Whenona
- Lacy at S Fish Hatchery
- Verona at Highway Ramp
- Royal Wulff at High Ridge
- Fish Hatchery at Greenway
- Verona E at Atticus
- W Gorham at State
- Research Park at Lacy
- W Verona at West End
- Todd at Greenway
- Post at Traceway
- Fitchrona at King James
- Post at Leopold
- E Verona at Hometown
- Beltline S at Todd
- Fish Hatchery at Ochalla
- Fish Hatchery at Emil
- Nakoma at Seminole
- Red Arrow at Thurston
- Beltline S at Curry
- Linden at N Charter
- Greenway at Bryant
- Research Park at E Cheryl
- E Verona at Hometown
- N Lake at Langdon
- W Verona at Legion
- Grandview at Sandwood
- John Nolen at Lakeside
- S Park at W Olin
- Fish Hatchery at High Ridge
- Post at Todd
- Post at Coho
- Koster at Ardmore
- Beltline S at Landmark
- Lacy at Central Park
- E Cheryl at Agrace
- Fish Hatchery at McKee
- Fish Hatchery at W Badger
- W Dayton at N Orchard
- Northland at Mandrake
- Northport at Dryden
- W Washington at N Bassett
- N Sherman at Logan
- Troy at Forster
- Packers at International
- Northport at Troy
- W Washington at Regent
- N Sherman at Northport
- Northport at Dryden
- School at Fulton
- Troy at Goodland
- S Park at Fish Hatchery
- N Sherman at Schlimgen
- Troy at Green
- Observatory at N Charter
- Green at Meadow Ridge
- Packers at Manley
- Packers at Tennyson
- Havey at Kennedy
- Wheeler at Delaware
- Fish Hatchery at Cedar
- N Sherman at Farragut
- Linden at Babcock
- Packers at Elka
- Regent at S Breese
- Tennyson at N Sherman
- Northport at Warner Park
- Wheeler at Golf View
- Wheeler at Comanche
- N Sherman at Melrose
- Northport at N Sherman
- W Johnson at Wisconsin
- N Park at University
- N Sherman at Trailsway
- N Sherman at Melrose
- Delaware at Dakota
- N Breese at University
- Packers at Schlimgen
- N Sherman at Lake View
- Packers at Manley
- S Park at Regent
- Regent at N Mills
- Havey at School
- Troy at Lerdahl
- Packers at Scott
- N Bedford at W Mifflin
- Observatory at Liz Waters
- Pflaum at Lafollette High
- N Park at W Dayton
- School at Northland
- W Wilson at S Henry
- N Rusk at Nygard
- N Sherman at Trailsway
- Northport at Kennedy
- Linden at Henry
- Packers at Schlimgen
- N Sherman at Schlimgen
- Packers at Elka
- Troy at School
- Northport at Goodland
- S Park at Crosswalk
- N Sherman at Northside Town
- Delaware at Esch
- Packers at International
- Milwaukee at Leon
- Delaware at Tennessee
- N Sherman at Sunfield
- Northport at Warner Park
- W Badger at Cypress
- Kennedy at Havey
- N Broom at W Dayton
- Observatory at Bascom
- Williamson at Rogers
- W Dayton at N Mills
- Watts at S High Point
- Allen at Mendota
- Valley Ridge at South Ridge
- Fourier at Deming
- Old Sauk at Everglade
- E Johnson at N Ingersoll
- N High Point at Old Sauk
- Century at Marina
- Excelsior at Deming
- N High Point at Crosswalk
- S Gammon at Odana
- Old Sauk at Crestwood School
- Century at Allen
- Odana at Research Park
- Allen at Marshall Park
- Old Sauk at N Gammon
- Branch at Maywood
- S High Point at Tree
- Odana at Research Park
- Old Sauk at N High Point
- Park at Elmwood
- Watts at Commerce
- Watts at Walmart
- and 1434 more (see the full list on the map or in the GeoJSON)
Over time
Overall score across the last 4 checks — down 0.3 since 2026-07-31.
Show the numbers
| Check | Score | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-25 | 79.2 | first check |
| 2026-07-30 | 77.5 | down 1.7 |
| 2026-07-31 | 77.1 | down 0.4 |
| 2026-08-01 | 76.8 | down 0.3 |
What changed since your last check
- Correctness no change
- Freshness down 1.7
- Rider experience no change
- Realtime quality no change
Everything we checked
10 findings, ordered by severity.
Show every finding
- Warning3454 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.)
Finding code: mixed_case_recommended_field · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Warning206 instances
206 of 1684 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 · See GTFS Schedule reference (opens the GTFS Schedule reference on an external site)
- Warning21 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 · 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.)
Finding code: expired_calendar · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Warning1 instance
Service data runs out in 14 day(s).
When the calendar runs out, trip planners stop showing this agency. Fixing it now is calmer than after riders notice.
Fix: Re-export with a validity window that reaches at least 60 days out. (One export setting.)
Finding code: scorecard_feed_expiring_soon · Read the fix guide · See GTFS Best Practices (opens GTFS Best Practices on an external site)
- Warning1 instance
This feed models stations or entrances but has no pathways.txt.
Trip planners can't guide riders through the station, and there is no step-free route information for wheelchair users.
Fix: Add pathways.txt connecting entrances, platforms, and any elevators, with a level for each. (Worth it for multi-level or large stations; flat stops don't need it.)
Finding code: scorecard_station_no_pathways · Read the fix guide · See GTFS Schedule reference (opens the GTFS Schedule reference on an external site)
- Warning1 instance
Realtime data was up to 77 seconds old when sampled.
Stale positions and predictions are worse than none: riders watch a bus that already left.
Fix: Ask your AVL vendor to publish updates at least every 20 seconds (the Caltrans guideline). (A vendor configuration question.)
Finding code: scorecard_rt_stale
- Info14 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 · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Info5 instances
The feed includes a file that is not part of the GTFS spec.
Apps ignore files they don't know, and a stray file can hide a misspelled standard file name.
Fix: Check the flagged file name for a typo of a standard GTFS file. Remove it if it is a vendor extra. (A quick look at the flagged file.)
Finding code: unknown_file · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
- Info1 instance
The feed has a stretch of two weeks or more with no service running.
A long gap can mean dates were left out of the calendar. Apps then show no trips on those days.
Fix: Check whether the gap is real, like a seasonal break; if not, add the missing dates to the calendar. (A review of your calendar dates.)
Finding code: big_gap_in_service · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)
NTD GTFS readiness Needs attention
This feed is close to NTD-ready. Service data runs out in 14 days; renew before you certify.
- Published Ready
- Published at a public URL.
- Valid Ready
- Passes validation with no errors.
- Current Needs attention
- Service data runs out in 14 days; renew before you certify.
- 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) Different (allowed)
- Your feed's agency_id is 1; your National Transit Database ID is 50005. A feed that serves several agencies (a shared regional feed) can legitimately carry more than one agency_id. The values do not need to equal the five-digit NTD ID, so this difference is allowed and carries no score. Confirm that P-50 crosswalks agency_id 1 to NTD ID 50005, and keep the feed value stable. Do not change it solely to make the two values equal.
- shapes.txt covers your trips Ready
- All 6331 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
This feed is close to the conformance mark. Service data runs out in 14 days; renew to qualify. States wheelchair access on 88% of stops and 100% of trips; the mark needs 90% of each.
- Valid Met
- Passes validation with no errors.
- Current Not yet
- Service data runs out in 14 days; renew to qualify.
- Accessible Not yet
- States wheelchair access on 88% of stops and 100% 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.
- 21 of 1665 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.
Realtime reliability
The realtime feed responded on 100.0% of 200 checks over the last 34 days, with 26s median lag.
Sampled on a schedule between full scores, so this tracks uptime and freshness over time rather than at a single moment.
Live predictions vs schedule
Arrival predictions ran a median 27s late versus the schedule, and stayed within 77s nine times in ten. They were on time (about a minute early to five late) 100.0% of the time. 100.0% of reported vehicle positions sat on or near the published route shape.
From the last full realtime sample: how far live arrival predictions sat from the schedule, and whether vehicle positions fell on the route. These feed the realtime score; they change no other category.
At risk for the Google and Apple Maps four-week coverage bar. This feed has 13 days of service left. Maps needs at least four weeks (28 days) of upcoming service, so your agency will fall out of trip planners soon. Re-export with a longer calendar.
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 80 / 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 23 / 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 97 / 100
- GTFS Best Practices for rider-facing fields. MobilityData grading covers stop names and headsigns.
- Realtime quality 99 / 100
- GTFS-Realtime best practices: a stable URL, high uptime, and frequent updates.
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