Flexible trip planning How to make GTFS and online trip planners work for rural and flexible transit
Thomas Craig
[email protected] RTAP Omaha October 31, 2017
Timetables are tough step 1 (destination)
step 6
step 2
step 5
(my house)
(transfer timing point)
step 4 step 3 (transfer point)
(destination timing point)
(transfer timing point)
step 7 (origination)
TripTransit planners is areAwesome easy Google
Google Transit is Awesome apart from trip planning! “Blue Bus Icons”
Links to your website
And all you need is GTFS
But we already knew that • GTFS and Google Transit arrived over a decade ago. • Every city Omaha or larger in the US participates. • Thousands of cities and towns around the world do, too.
We also know the downsides • GTFS and Google Transit are woefully urban-focused • They make assumptions about schedules, frequency
• They ignore flexible transit features
What’s missing? • Trillium has gotten nearly 300 transit agencies in Google Maps • Nearly all operate ADA complementary paratransit (or have a partner who operates it) • Almost half of those operate flex routes or hail and ride • And all of these services are missing!
You deserve technology made for you and it’s just about ready
Defining some Google Transit is terms Awesome Google Maps: All of the software and data at maps.google.com
Google Transit: The transit trip planning and other transit-specific software in Google Maps Software: An application that accepts input (data, parameters) and produces output
Defining some Google Transit is terms Awesome Open Data: data in a format that anyone can use, shared in a way that anyone can access
Open Source: software under and open license, meaning that anyone can utilize, change, customize the software “source code” without paying licensing fees
Defining some Google Transit is terms Awesome GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification): fixed-route timetables in an “open data” specification. Note: must be shared to be fully open data. OTP (OpenTripPlanner): an “open source” software application similar to Google Transit
OSM (OpenStreetMap): an “open data” map
Defining some Google Transit is terms Awesome GTFS + OTP + OSM = a “Google Maps” that you can own, and have total control over (Already done for fixed route by TriMet, RTD, and others)
GTFS-flex is the answer
?
(diagram credit IBI Group)
gtfsflex.com for more info
GTFS-flex is the answer • Backwards compatibility
• Adds: • Flag stops (hail and ride) • Deviated-fixed • Dial-a-Ride • Flex-to-fixed connections
gtfsflex.com for more info
GTFS-flex ongoing prototyping • VTrans (Vermont) • ODOT (Oregon) • Denver RTD
gtfsflex.com for more info
VTrans and Trillium put in a MOD grant application • Adapt OpenTripPlanner to read GTFS-flex
• Host and deploy a statewide trip planner integrating all transit mode • Core technology extensible, customizable, freeto-use
And the FTA funded it! [begin demo]