Fix: stops do not state wheelchair accessibility

Published: 3 July 2026. Last reviewed: 3 July 2026.

Code: scorecard_wheelchair_boarding_unknown

What this means

Your stops.txt does not set wheelchair_boarding for some or all stops, so the feed says "unknown" for whether a wheelchair user can board there. Unknown is the default when the field is left blank.

Why it matters

A rider who uses a wheelchair cannot plan a trip when accessibility is unknown. Trip planners do not guess; they show no information, which reads as "do not rely on this stop." Populating the field is a direct accessibility improvement, and it is often the single biggest gap in an otherwise good small-agency feed.

How to fix it

Set wheelchair_boarding on every stop to 1 (accessible) or 2 (not accessible). 0 or blank means unknown, which is what you are trying to move away from.

• In most scheduling tools this is a per-stop attribute in the stop editor, sometimes labeled "ADA accessible" or "wheelchair boarding". Look for a stop attributes or amenities panel.
• If your tool exports GTFS but has no field for it, you can set it in the source data the export reads from, or as a post-export step on stops.txt.
• You do not need a perfect survey to start. Set the stops you know, begin with the busiest ones, and fill the rest over time. Partial real data beats blanket "unknown".

How long it usually takes

Minutes to flip the field once you know the values. The real work is the field knowledge, which a small agency usually already has for its top stops.

Authoritative rule

The linked GTFS Schedule reference defines the field or data this scorecard finding checks. Read the relevant GTFS Schedule reference section. (opens on an external site)