← All agencies

Fix: a recommended GTFS file is missing

Code: missing_recommended_file (MobilityData validator)

What this means

GTFS has required files and recommended ones. This finding means a recommended

file is absent from the feed. In practice it is almost always feed_info.txt,

the file that names the publisher and states the feed's validity dates.

Why it matters

feed_info.txt tells apps who publishes the feed, in what language, and when it

expires. Without it, no app can warn a rider that your data is going stale, and

a developer who finds a problem has no stated owner to contact. It is a small

file that does a lot of quiet work, which is why the spec recommends it even

though it is not strictly required.

How to fix it

Add the missing file. For feed_info.txt, include:

Most scheduling tools can write feed_info.txt from an export setting once you

enter the publisher details. If the finding names a different recommended file,

the same idea applies: look for the matching export option, or add the file to

the export.

How long it usually takes

A one-time setup in export settings. After the publisher details are entered the

file ships on every run.