Improving Access and Management of Public Transit ITS Data (2022)

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2022 T R A N S I T C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M TCRP RESEARCH REPORT 235 Subject Areas Public Transportation • Data and Information Technology Improving Access and Management of Public Transit ITS Data EBP Boston, MA IBI Group Boston, MA Foursquare ITP Washington, DC Research sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration in cooperation with the American Public Transportation Association

TCRP RESEARCH REPORT 235 Project G-18 ISSN 2572-3782 ISBN 978-0-309-68745-4 © 2022 by the National Academy of Sciences. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the graphical logo are trade- marks of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Authors herein are responsible for the authenticity of their materials and for obtaining written permissions from publishers or persons who own the copyright to any previously published or copyrighted material used herein. Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) grants permission to reproduce material in this publication for classroom and not-for-profit purposes. Permission is given with the understanding that none of the material will be used to imply TRB, AASHTO, APTA, FAA, FHWA, FTA, GHSA, or NHTSA endorsement of a particular product, method, or practice. It is expected that those reproducing the material in this document for educational and not-for-profit uses will give appropriate acknowledgment of the source of any reprinted or reproduced material. For other uses of the material, request permission from CRP. NOTICE The research report was reviewed by the technical panel and accepted for publication according to procedures established and overseen by the Transportation Research Board and approved by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this report are those of the researchers who performed the research and are not necessarily those of the Transporta- tion Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; or the program sponsors. The Transportation Research Board does not develop, issue, or publish standards or speci- fications. The Transportation Research Board manages applied research projects which provide the scientific foundation that may be used by Transportation Research Board sponsors, industry associations, or other organizations as the basis for revised practices, procedures, or specifications. The Transportation Research Board; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and the sponsors of the Transit Cooperative Research Program do not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers’ names or logos appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the object of the report. TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM The nation’s growth and the need to meet mobility, environmental, and energy objectives place demands on public transit systems. Cur- rent systems, some of which are old and in need of upgrading, must expand service area, increase service frequency, and improve efficiency to serve these demands. Research is necessary to solve operating prob- lems, adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and introduce innovations into the transit industry. The Transit Coopera- tive Research Program (TCRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the transit industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it. The need for TCRP was originally identified in TRB Special Report 213—Research for Public Transit: New Directions, published in 1987 and based on a study sponsored by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration—now the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). A report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Transportation 2000, also recognized the need for local, problem- solving research. TCRP, modeled after the successful National Coop- erative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), undertakes research and other technical activities in response to the needs of transit ser- vice providers. The scope of TCRP includes various transit research fields including planning, service configuration, equipment, facilities, operations, human resources, maintenance, policy, and administrative practices. TCRP was established under FTA sponsorship in July 1992. Pro- posed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, TCRP was authorized as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). On May 13, 1992, a memorandum agreement outlining TCRP operating procedures was executed by the three cooperating organi- zations: FTA; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, acting through the Transportation Research Board (TRB); and APTA. APTA is responsible for forming the independent govern- ing board, designated as the TCRP Oversight and Project Selection (TOPS) Commission. Research problem statements for TCRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the TOPS Commission to formulate the research program by identi- fying the highest priority projects. As part of the evaluation, the TOPS Commission defines funding levels and expected products. Once selected, each project is assigned to an expert panel appointed by TRB. The panels prepare project statements (requests for propos- als), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooperative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activities, TCRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation. Because research cannot have the desired effect if products fail to reach the intended audience, special emphasis is placed on disseminat- ing TCRP results to the intended users of the research: transit agen- cies, service providers, and suppliers. TRB provides a series of research reports, syntheses of transit practice, and other supporting material developed by TCRP research. APTA will arrange for workshops, train- ing aids, field visits, and other activities to ensure that results are imple- mented by urban and rural transit industry practitioners. TCRP provides a forum where transit agencies can cooperatively address common operational problems. TCRP results support and complement other ongoing transit research and training programs. Published research reports of the TRANSIT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM are available from Transportation Research Board Business Office 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 and can be ordered through the Internet by going to https://www.mytrb.org/MyTRB/Store/default.aspx Printed in the United States of America

e National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, non- governmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president. e National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. John L. Anderson is president. e National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president. e three Academies work together as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. e National Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine. Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org. e Transportation Research Board is one of seven major programs of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. e mission of the Transportation Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation improvements and innovation through trusted, timely, impartial, and evidence-based information exchange, research, and advice regarding all modes of transportation. e Board’s varied activities annually engage about 8,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest. e program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation. Learn more about the Transportation Research Board at www.TRB.org.

C O O P E R A T I V E R E S E A R C H P R O G R A M S CRP STAFF FOR TCRP RESEARCH REPORT 235 Christopher J. Hedges, Director, Cooperative Research Programs Waseem Dekelbab, Deputy Director, Cooperative Research Programs Gwen Chisholm Smith, Manager, Transit Cooperative Research Program Larry D. Goldstein, Senior Program Officer (retired) Stephan A. Parker, Senior Program Officer Stephanie L. Campbell-Chamberlain, Program Coordinator Natalie Barnes, Director of Publications Heather DiAngelis, Associate Director of Publications TCRP PROJECT G-18 PANEL Field of Administration Catherine Vanderwaart, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Washington, DC (Chair) Brent Boyd, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, San Diego, CA Brendon Hemily, Hemily and Associates, Toronto, Canada Kate Ko, WSP, Washington, DC John Levin, Metro Transit, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minneapolis, MN Duana Love, TranSmart Technologies, Downers Grove, IL Sandra K. Martin-Boehm, Clark County Public Transportation Benefit Area, Vancouver, WA J. David Porter, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR Laura Kathleen Riegel, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Boston, MA Franklin L. Spielberg, Falls Church, VA Arianna Valle, FTA Liaison

TCRP Research Report 235: Improving Access and Management of Public Transit ITS Data proposes a structure for storing data from bus and rail intelligent transportation systems (ITS). It also describes how that data structure can facilitate a process by which transit agencies can receive ITS data from vendors, organize and validate it, and use it to calculate key performance indicators (KPIs) to improve transit system operations. To support that process, this report describes in detail procedures that transit agencies, researchers, and consultants can use to develop tools to transform, validate, and analyze ITS data using the data structure. The product of this research will be of interest to public transit agencies, local governments and planning agencies, service operators and sponsors, equipment manufac- turers, software vendors, and other stakeholders. With the proliferation of automated vehicle location (AVL), automated passenger counters (APCs), and automated fare collection (AFC), transit agencies are collecting increasingly gran- ular data on service performance, ridership, customer behavior, and financial recovery. Data from bus and rail ITS are a valuable resource for transit service planning and management. In particular, vehicle location and passenger activity data from AVL, APC and AFC systems can be used to provide essential insight into transit operations and to inform decision-making to increase the efficiency, productivity, and safety of transit service. There are, however, significant challenges for transit agencies in accessing and using this data. First and foremost among these challenges is the sheer volume and diversity of that data. Many agencies are not able to view or use all the data they collect; and, as a result, they may not be able to comprehend the value of the data available. Data validation and quality control, integration and matching across various data sets, and aggregating data are all difficult, as is developing the types of reports, tools, and analytics that contribute to informed decision- making. Even when transit agencies, researchers, and consultants do address these challenges, they often have difficulty sharing their work with their peers in the industry because the same types of data may be managed and interpreted differently among transit agencies. The result is that transit ITS data are rarely used to its full benefit. Creating a common approach to accessing and managing transit ITS data would facilitate the development and exchange of data management practices, of advanced reports and tools, and of new analytical tech- niques among transit agencies. It would also facilitate industrywide comparison of analytical and procedural outputs, enhancing efficiency in designing and implementing operational improvements. F O R E W O R D By Lawrence D. Goldstein Staff Officer (retired) Stephan A. Parker Staff Officer Transportation Research Board

Under TCRP Project G-18, the research team, led by EBP, focused on four core activi- ties: a review of the existing literature, reports, and data standards; 20 interviews conducted with transit agency staff, ITS vendors, and other stakeholders; a workshop with more than 50 attendees to collect input on the research approach; and testing workshops with 3 transit agencies to assess how the proposed data structure and tool requirements could support agency data management processes. Supplemental to the report are an Overview Presentation, a “How To” Presentation, and an Executive Summary on the benefits of the proposed data structure. The report and supplemental products are available from the National Academies Press website at NAP.edu by searching for TCRP Report 235: Improving Access and Management of Public Transit ITS Data.

1 Summary 7 Chapter 1 Introduction 7 1.1 Background 8 1.2 Research Process 11 Chapter 2 Research Findings, Objectives, and Approach 11 2.1 Research Findings 12 2.2 Objectives 13 2.3 Approach 15 Chapter 3 Roadmap 15 3.1 Event vs. Summary Data Files 16 3.2 Data Flow 17 3.3 Integration with GTFS 18 Chapter 4 Data Structure 18 4.1 Relationships Between Files 20 4.2 Files and Fields 38 Chapter 5 Tool Requirements 38 5.1 General Requirements 38 5.2 Format Validation Tool 40 5.3 Data Quality Tool 42 5.4 Data Transfer Tool 42 5.5 Data Analysis Tool 46 Chapter 6 Best Practices 46 6.1 Versioning Data 46 6.2 Uniting Data from Multiple ITS Sources 47 6.3 Integrating the Data Structure with GTFS 47 6.4 Cleaning Data 49 6.5 Maintaining Information on Different Types of Trips 49 6.6 Generating and Maintaining Unique Identifiers 49 6.7 Using Specific Fields 50 6.8 Using the Data Structure in Special Cases 51 6.9 Communicating and Using Results C O N T E N T S