Montgomery County Department of Transportation (Ride On)

What this grade measures

The quality of the schedule data this agency publishes 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

No newly cleared items this period. The score and trend above reflect where the feed stands today.

What needs attention next

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

1. Re-generate shape distances in your export; flag to your vendor if it persists.

   Some trips have stop times whose distances along the route go backwards. Apps can show buses jumping backwards or mis-order stops.

   Estimated effort: Usually an export-tool fix, not hand editing.

2. 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.

   Estimated effort: A small file for most flat-fare systems.

3. Use mixed case for stop names and headsigns (e.g. 'Main St & 2nd Ave', not 'MAIN ST & 2ND AVE').

   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.

   Estimated effort: Often a bulk fix in your scheduling software.

Where this agency stands

Ahead of 37% of all tracked agencies, and ahead of 49% of large agencies nationwide.