Verkehrsverbund Hegau-Bodensee (VHB)

2943 of 2948 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 for scorecard_wheelchair_boarding_unknown · See GTFS Schedule reference (opens the GTFS Schedule reference 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 for service_has_no_active_day_of_the_week · 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 for expired_calendar · 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 stops sit far from the route line, going by the feed's own distance values.

Trip planners may draw the route down the wrong path or point riders to the wrong boarding location.

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

149 of 19273 trips have no headsign, the text that tells riders where the transit vehicle is going. A trip counts when it has trip_headsign or a stop_headsign at every stop.

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

The feed contains route shapes no trip uses.

Harmless to riders, but it bloats the feed and suggests stale export data.

Fix: Turn on 'remove unused shapes' (or the like) in your export tool. (One setting.)

Finding code: unused_shape · Read the fix guide for unused_shape · 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 transit vehicle route through the wrong path or point riders to the wrong boarding location.

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 for stop_too_far_from_shape · 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 for fast_travel_between_far_stops · 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 for fast_travel_between_consecutive_stops · 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)

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)

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

feed_info.txt lists no contact email and no contact URL.

Without a contact, apps like Google Maps can't reach you when they find a problem in the feed.

Fix: Add feed_contact_email or feed_contact_url to feed_info.txt. (One field, set once in export settings.)

Finding code: missing_feed_contact_email_and_url · Read the fix guide for missing_feed_contact_email_and_url · 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)

Single shape point (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

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

Finding code: single_shape_point · 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 transit vehicle 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)

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

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 to link entrances, platforms, and elevators. Give each one a level. (Worth it for multi-level or large stations; flat stops don't need it.)

Finding code: scorecard_station_no_pathways · Read the fix guide for scorecard_station_no_pathways · See GTFS Schedule reference (opens the GTFS Schedule reference on an external site)

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

Platform without parent station (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

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

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

Some trip headsigns name a stop along the way, not the final destination.

The sign should tell riders where the transit vehicle ends up, so a midpoint name can send them the wrong way.

Fix: Set trip_headsign to the trip's last stop or its overall destination. (Usually a bulk edit in your scheduling software.)

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

Transfer distance above 2 km (flagged by the MobilityData validator).

See the linked rule for what this affects.

Fix: Review the rule documentation for 'transfer_distance_above_2_km' at https://gtfs-validator.mobilitydata.org/rules.html and check the flagged rows in your feed. (Varies.)

Finding code: transfer_distance_above_2_km · 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 for scorecard_no_feed_contact · See MobilityData GTFS Validator rules (opens the validator rules on an external site)