Following the UK government’s recent announcement on the launch of the Bus Open Data Service, Transport for the North have confirmed the development of a new Fares Data Build Tool.
The innovation aims to help regional bus operators comply with upcoming national regulations requiring the ‘open’ publication of bus journey information, including fares data, from January 2021.
The Fares Data Build Tool will be free to use for bus operators and local transport authorities (LTAs) responsible for publishing this data.
Furthermore, the tool should make it easier for bus passengers to find out how much a journey will cost and compare options before they travel.
The Fares Data Build Tool is being developed in partnership with the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Bus Open Data programme and Traveline Information.
It is being delivered as part of Phase Two of Transport for the North’s £150m DfT-funded Integrated and Smart Travel programme.
Leeds-based software developers Infinity Works has been awarded the supplier contract following a procurement process.
Steve Howes, integrated and smart travel director at Transport for the North, said: “By helping operators and local authorities improve the provision of bus fares information, passengers will benefit from knowing more about how much their journey will cost and being able to more easily compare different options available to them.
“Combined with the Department for Transport and Transport for the North’s wider ‘smart’ initiatives, this will make planning journeys on public transport easier than ever and help make it the preferred choice for travel across our region.”
The tool is part of a wider digital transformation programme to make bus information available to journey planning app providers – such as Google, Moovit and Citymapper – and other open data developers who can deliver it to customers via existing platforms and innovative methods.
Transport for the North said market research identified the need for a tool to support bus operators who do not currently have adequate specialist software or technical capabilities to easily comply.
The proposed solution will be able to combine fares tables and rules with timetable data and output this in the emerging UK NeTEx profile.
This standardised NeTEx data will then allow users to match fare information to routes and determine the cost for any given journey.
Once created, the fares data will be published and accessible via both the DfT’s Bus Open Data Service and Transport for the North’s own regional Open Data Hub.
The Fares Data Build Tool will be delivered first in the North, but subject to a final decision from the DfT could be rolled out as a national solution.
Transport for the North and Infinity Works will work with both operators and LTAs throughout the development and testing of the tool.
Delivery is expected be completed by late 2020.
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