The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched its Bus Open Data Service, aimed at enabling developers to use information from bus operators in travel apps and develop new products.
The plan was announced earlier this month, with the DfT emphasising that the platform will provide scope for developers to create new passenger information services, following the leads set by the opening up of public transport APIs in London and Bristol.
The Bus Open Data Service involves the use of the standard TransXChange format for data on routes and timetables, and the DfT is creating a new standard named NeTEx for fares and ticket data. It has also published guidance on finding and using the data, on publishing it and on implementation.
The launch of the service will be followed by new regulations requiring bus operators to provide timetable data by the end of 2020 and fare, ticket and location data by 2021.
Pioneering
Buses Minister Baroness Vere said: “This pioneering project will bring transparency to passengers, boosting bus use and helping the sector thrive – just one example of how government is harnessing technology to make journeys across the UK greener, easier, safer and more reliable.”
The DfT added that it aims to work with technology companies, app developers and information providers to encourage the development of new products designed to make the most of the data and help all bus users make informed choices.
Image: Geoff Sheppard, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
