Transport for NSW (Greater Sydney)

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

Apps can show transit vehicles 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)

Number out of range (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'number_out_of_range' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

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

Block trips with overlapping stop times (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'block_trips_with_overlapping_stop_times' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

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

Point near origin (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'point_near_origin' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

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

168344 of 171070 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)

Unexpected enum value (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'unexpected_enum_value' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

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

Missing bike allowance (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'missing_bike_allowance' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

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

Some scheduled trips move faster between stops than a transit vehicle can.

Usually a typo'd stop time; riders get arrival times no transit vehicle 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 exist in the feed but no trip ever stops at them.

Riders may walk to a stop where no transit vehicle 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)

346 of 205298 trips have no headsign, the text that tells riders where the transit vehicle is going.

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 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 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)

Between two distant stops, the times imply a speed no transit vehicle reaches.

A rider gets a trip plan that cannot happen. Live systems then report delays that are not real.

Fix: Check the two stop times for a wrong digit first. Then check whether a stop sits at the wrong coordinates, or a stop between them is missing. (Minutes per flagged trip once you open it.)

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

Some values have extra spaces at the start or end.

A stray space can break a match, so a stop or route may fail to link across files.

Fix: Trim leading and trailing spaces on export. The scorecard's auto-fixed copy already does this. (Usually one export setting.)

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

Stop has too many matches for shape (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'stop_has_too_many_matches_for_shape' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

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

Two or more routes share the same name.

Riders can't tell the routes apart in apps.

Fix: Give each route a distinct short or long name. (One field per route.)

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

Equal shape distance diff coordinates distance below threshold (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'equal_shape_distance_diff_coordinates_distance_below_threshold' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

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

Some route lines list the same point twice in a row.

Repeated points don't hurt riders, but they can skew distance math and hint at a shaky export.

Fix: Turn on shape cleanup in your export tool, or drop the repeated points from shapes.txt. (Usually one export setting.)

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

A file GTFS asks for (usually feed_info.txt) is missing.

feed_info.txt tells apps who publishes the feed and when it expires; without it nobody is warned before data goes stale.

Fix: Add feed_info.txt with publisher name, URL, language, and feed_start_date/feed_end_date. (One small file, set once in export settings.)

Finding code: missing_recommended_file · Read the fix guide · 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)

Many of the feed's trips don't run at all in the next 7 days.

It usually means old service periods are still in the export, making the feed bigger and harder to check.

Fix: Trim past service periods the next time you export. (One setting in most export tools.)

Finding code: trip_coverage_not_active_for_next7_days · Read the fix guide · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)

feed_info.txt is missing its start/end dates (the file itself is absent)

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.)

Finding code: scorecard_missing_feed_info_dates · 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)

This feed maps paths inside its stations. It includes step-free routes with an elevator.

Riders can be routed through the station, and wheelchair users can see whether a step-free route exists.

Fix: No action needed. (None.)

Finding code: scorecard_station_pathways

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)

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)

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)

feed_info.txt has no technical contact (feed_contact_email or feed_contact_url).

App makers and state data programs have nobody to email when they spot a problem. Small errors then sit in the feed for months.

Fix: Add feed_contact_email to feed_info.txt. (One field.)

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