Optibus, the leading software platform for planning, scheduling, and operating public transportation, has launched a new offering - GTFS Services - alongside in-platform GTFS enhancements to help public transportation agencies deliver accurate, compliant data to passengers everywhere.
Service Information that passengers can trust
From the next bus arrival to the route that connects to work, school, or family, the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) is the digital language that communicates service information to trip planners like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and other third party applications used by passengers. When GTFS is inaccurate or incomplete, passengers lose confidence in public transportation. When it’s reliable, it builds the foundation for a quality passenger experience and increased ridership.
Recognized worldwide, GTFS serves as the de facto, voluntary standard for public transportation data, used on every continent. In the U.S., the Federal Transit Administration’s National Transit Database (NTD) guidelines have made high-quality GTFS a requirement for many agencies.
Two Powerful Ways to Manage GTFS
With Optibus’s end-to-end platform, GTFS is part of a unified workflow. Two flexible solutions are available:
- GTFS Services (Fully Managed): Agencies can outsource GTFS creation and management to Optibus’s expert team, enjoying fast turnaround times, ongoing support, and worry-free integration with all major transportation planning platforms. With GTFS Services, agencies get the most accurate and complete GTFS datasets on the market.
- GTFS in the Platform (Self-Managed): Agencies using Optibus Planning, Scheduling, or Strategic Planning can now generate and export high-quality GTFS directly from the platform. Built-in tools for efficient planning, data validation, and editing help to improve speed, reduce errors and manual work, create accurate, up-to-date feeds, and ensure information reaches passengers. Agencies can publish GTFS feeds from within the Optibus platform, with no external tools needed.
Trusted by the Industry
Optibus’s services and technology are behind GTFS for more than 400 agencies globally, including nine U.S. State Department of Transportation (DOT) projects (Oregon, Vermont, Iowa, Massachusetts, Colorado, Virginia, Washington, Minnesota, and Maine). Optibus’s GTFS feeds support over 200 million passenger queries per month and more than 90% of feeds receive first-pass approval from Google.
Aaron Antrim, Optibus Advisor and Founder of Trillium (acquired by Optibus), said:
“Optibus reliably delivers high-quality GTFS for more transit providers than any other organization today. Optibus customers have two great options – maintain GTFS with Optibus platform tools or fully offload it to our expert team. Both options are built on years of engagement in public transit, listening to our customers, and ensuring millions of passengers have access to clear, accurate service information that connects them to work, family, and their community.”
Amos Haggiag, CEO and Co-founder of Optibus, said:
“Passengers are at the heart of public transportation – and reliable GTFS data is the foundation of their experience. Our GTFS offerings support agencies of all scales with the flexibility, expertise, and tools needed to meet the needs of their organization, city, and passengers.”
About Optibus
Optibus is a unified software platform for public transportation planning, scheduling, rostering, operations, real-time control, and passenger information, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and optimization algorithms. In thousands of cities worldwide, transportation agencies and operators use Optibus to maximize the positive impact of public transportation on passengers and the planet, improve operational efficiency and service quality, promote transportation equity, reduce emissions and costs, and modernize operations. Learn more: www.optibus.com
Read More:
- E-book: How to Report GTFS Data To The US National Transit Database
- GTFS-Flex Officially Adopted Into GTFS
- GTFS-Fares: Giving Passengers Complete Information
