Montgomery County Department of Transportation (Ride On)

Some trips have stop times whose distances along the route go backwards.

Apps can show buses jumping backwards or mis-order stops.

Fix: Re-generate shape distances in your export; flag to your vendor if it persists. (Usually an export-tool fix, not hand editing.)

Finding code: decreasing_or_equal_stop_time_distance · 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 · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

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 · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules 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 · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

90 of 17530 trips lack rider-facing destination or direction text.

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 · See GTFS Best Practices (opens GTFS Best Practices 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)

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 · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

Some stops sit far from the route line they belong to.

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

Fix: Check the flagged stops' coordinates and the route shape in your scheduling software; re-snap whichever is misplaced. (A few minutes per flagged stop.)

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

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 · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

On some trips the stops fall along the route line in a different order than the schedule lists.

Trip planners can draw the bus doubling back or skipping ahead, which confuses riders reading the map.

Fix: Check the stop order and the shape direction in your scheduling software; the shape is often drawn backwards. (A few minutes per flagged trip.)

Finding code: stops_match_shape_out_of_order · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

Some service calendars have no days of the week switched on.

Trips tied to these calendars never run; they are dead data that can mask real schedule problems.

Fix: Delete the empty calendars or set their service days. (A few minutes in your scheduling software.)

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

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)

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 · See GTFS Best Practices (opens GTFS Best Practices on an external site)

About 4576 stop names are written in ALL CAPS.

Mixed-case names are easier to read in apps and are read more naturally by screen readers.

Fix: Rename stops to mixed case where the language has letter case (for example, 'Central Station'). (Often a bulk fix in your scheduling software.)

Finding code: scorecard_stop_names_all_caps · Read the fix guide · See GTFS Best Practices (opens GTFS Best Practices on an external site)