Operational Data Standard ¶
This document is intended to provide information about the forthcoming Operational Data Standard (ODS) and the Operational Data Standard Working Group. The Operational Data Standard is intended to address the lack of a standard format for representing transit schedules used by drivers, dispatchers, and planners to carry out transit operations. Developing and supporting standards such as ODS are critical to implementing the Mobility Data Interoperability Principles (currently in public draft).
Version 1 of the Operational Data Standard is expected to be finalized by December 2021 following the process outlined below.
Purpose ¶
- Create common standard for transit operational data
- Improve efficiency in dispatching, planning, scheduling, driver shift management, and other back-end transit operations
- Reduce the burden of generating data for reporting (FTA and other)
Answers to some frequently asked questions
Process ¶
1. Convening + Scoping ¶
Summer 2021
| Meeting | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Working Group Meeting #1 | July 20, 2021 | Confirmation of need. |
| Stakeholder Scoping Meetings | Aug 2021 | Individual meetings with stakeholders to get detailed needs and scoping input. |
| Working Group Meeting #2 | Aug 2021 | Scope confirmation and process confirmation for spec development. |
2. Specification Development ¶
Thru 2021
| Meeting | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Working Group Meeting #3 - notes | Sept. 28, 2021 | Personnel Proposal |
| Working Group Meeting #4 | Oct. 19, 2021 | Facilities Proposal |
| Working Group Meeting #5 | Nov. 16 2021 | Runcutting, Layovers, + Deadheads Proposal |
| Working Group Meeting #6 - video | Dec. 21 2021 | Adoption of v1 |
3. Implementation ¶
2022
| Meeting | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Working Group Meeting #7 - video | Feb. 22 2022 | Discussion of Upcoming Implementation Steps |
Working group participants are committed to supporting the adopted ODS v1 specification. Depending on the organization, supporting the ODS v1 specification may entail developing software to produce or consume the specification, or, for transit agencies, encouraging vendors to support the specification through procurement requirements or other available methods.