BlinkTag helps San Francisco Bay Ferry implement Transit Operational Data Standard (TODS)

The San Francisco Bay Ferry became the first transit agency to implement the Operational Data Standard (ODS) extension to GTFS. This extension allows information about personnel, scheduled maintenance, and non-revenue to be maintained along with an agencies existing GTFS information.

BlinkTag worked closely with the San Francisco Bay Ferry and Swiftly to create the first version of the ODS data to be included along with its GTFS data. The ODS data for the San Francisco Bay Ferry includes information about scheduled non-revenue ("deadhead") trips that typically occur at the beginning and end of blocks and also when a vessel is repositioning itself when changing routes.

“Not being able to track non-revenue trips represented a glaring omission in the operational data that our agency compiles and analyzes. Working with Cal-ITP and Swiftly to implement ODS, San Francisco Bay Ferry can now access operational data for its deadhead runs and integrate it with our larger ridership database.”
Mike Gougherty - Aug 22, 2023

Swiftly becomes the first consumer of the Operational Data Standard

In March 2023, Swiftly featured its work with WETA and BlinkTag to use ODS data alongside GTFS. BlinkTag produced the ODS data from WETA’s scheduling software, enabling Swiftly to report on non-revenue trips and help the ferry system evaluate schedule performance.