National Transit Map

The National Transit Map (NTM) leverages voluntarily provided General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) schedule data for both fixed-guideway and fixed-route transit service. GTFS describes a transit agency’s scheduled operations by collecting data on stops, routes, and scheduled service for both fixed-guideway and fixed-route service. GTFS schedule data is not real-time (RT), but it has a real-time counterpart (GTFS-RT).

The Need for a National Transit Map

Almost all of the largest transit agencies already collect and make GTFS data available—either publicly through their website or directly to private companies. Despite the increasing use of GTFS data, there was no national transit map for transit agencies, advocates, and researchers to see the extent of the U.S. transit system.

A number of entities have aggregated portions of the nation’s GTFS data. Members of the transit community led the way in developing and hosting a number of GTFS websites, but the level of resources required to be comprehensive and fully sustainable over time can be challenging. One factor contributing to these gaps is the variety of restrictive terms that some transit agencies set on the use of their data. Until the NTM was established, if the public, planning agencies, researchers, or government agencies wanted to access this information for analytical purposes, they had to request the data from individual agencies on a case-by-case basis.

USDOT received significant feedback from the transportation data user and research community, which was asking for this sort of dataset to be made available for research and data analysis purposes. Recognizing the value of GTFS and the NTM, FTA is requiring National Transit Database (NTD) reporters to establish and submit a web-hosted GTFS dataset for their fixed route service in RY 2023 ( Notice July 7, 2022, Final Rule March 3, 2023).

Benefits of Open Transit Data

The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Synthesis 115: Open Data: Challenges and Opportunities for Transit Agencies reports the top five benefits of open transit data like GTFS are:

1. Increased awareness of services
2. Empowered customers
3. Encouraging innovation outside the agency
4. Improved perception of the agency
5. New opportunities for private businesses

GTFS schedule data provides significant value to transit customers, transportation planners, researchers, and other stakeholders. For example, GTFS data is used in the location affordability portal developed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and USDOT to examine the combined costs of housing and transportation across the country. GTFS is also used by researchers conducting connectivity analysis, such as the University of Minnesota Accessibility Observatory.

The National Transit Map (NTM) is a National Geospatial Data Asset within the National Transportation Atlas Database, a set of nationwide geographic databases of transportation facilities, networks, and associated infrastructure. It supports research, planning and analysis on the benefits of transit, such as the economic impacts of transit on a community’s economic development, or on reducing poverty in low-income neighborhoods. It is not intended to replace existing customer services available through transit agency websites and commercial trip planning service providers.

View and download National Transit Map data via the National Transportation Atlas Database.

• Agencies
  This dataset includes transit agencies that are participating in the NTM and authorize the U.S. Department of Transportation to use their publicly available General Transit Feed Specification data.
• Routes 
  This dataset shows a group of trips that are displayed to riders as a single service.
• Stops
  This dataset shows where vehicles pick up or drop off riders. It also defines stations and station entrances.
   

As a direct result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passage, FTA is changing its data reporting practices. On July 7, 2022, FTA posted a notice of upcoming changes to the National Transit Database (NTD). On March 3, 2023, FTA issued a final notice requiring NTD reporters to establish and submit a web-hosted General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) dataset for their fixed route service in Report Year 2023. This section describes the participation process that is active until FTA's requirement takes effect.

Voluntary Participation

Transit agencies use their existing Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Federal Access Control and Entry System (FACES) accounts to provide a link to their General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data. USDOT is not requiring transit agencies to produce any new GTFS or stop, route, and schedule data. Rather, transit agencies that already provide this information as open data will be able to participate with little effort. 

By registering their data, agencies authorize USDOT to use the data. To allow the use of the data, transit agencies must grant the USDOT a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States (CC-BY-3.0) license. The license gives USDOT the right to access and use the agency's transit data periodically. FTA transmits these links to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

BTS collects the data and combines them by pulling the data feeds, extracting data from the GTFS feeds, and translating and loading the data to the National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). BTS develops and publishes NTM updates to NTAD several times a year. The National Transit Map acknowledges the authorizing entities in the dataset metadata (Agencies, Routes, Stops) per the latest NTAD update.

For additional information, see the FAQs or email NationalTransitMap@dot.gov.

Requisites

• Only FTA National Transit Database (NTD) reporters can register for the National Transit Map (NTM).
• An agency’s user manager can assign the NTD reporter role to someone within an agency or;
• An NTD reporter may register on behalf of an agency. 
• Please email NationalTransitMap@dot.gov if the agency's user manager or NTD reporter is not known.

Registration Instructions

1. Federal Access Control and Entry System (FACES)

• Log into FACES using the agency's existing account.

2. Actions Tab

• Select Actions from the top banner.
• On the Actions page, select Register National Transit Map Data from the main content area.

3. National Transit Map Landing Page

• An overview of the National Transit Map (NTM) will load on the main content area.
• Select Continue on the bottom right of the main content area to proceed.

4. Provide Datasets

• The Provide Datasets page will load on the main content area.
• Select the appropriate NTD ID from the National Transit Database ID dropdown.
• Select Add Link on the bottom left of the main content area to provide a link to the agency's General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS). 
• Agencies may provide multiple data sets by selecting Add Link again.
• A superordinate agency may register a subordinate agency's data.
• After all data is entered, select Accept on the bottom right corner of the main content area.
• An agency does not have to agree to the terms and may decline to participate.

5a. Confirmation

• A summary of the data submitted will load on the main content area.
• Select Submit on the bottom right of the main content area to grant the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) a creative commons license. 

5b. Opted out

• If an agency declined to participate, a Decline page will load in the main content area.
• From the Reason for not Participating dropdown, please select why the agency is opting out:
  • Cannot agree to terms,
  • Cannot provide open data, or
  • Do not have data to provide.

• Why was the NTM created?
  Almost all of the largest transit agencies already collect and make GTFS data available—either publicly through their website or directly to private companies. Despite the increasing use of GTFS data, there was no national transit map that transit agencies, advocates, and researchers could use to assess the extent of the United States transit system.
• When was the NTM established?
  In March 2016, the U.S. Transportation Secretary invited transit agencies to participate in the NTM. The first version of the NTM was released in September 2016.
• How often is NTM updated?
  As the NTM program matures, data will be released quarterly on NTAD,
• How do I download NTM data?
  NTM data is available for download on NTAD in multiple file formats.
• How should I use NTM data?
  NTM combines voluntarily provided GTFS data for both fixed-guideway and fixed-route transit service. It is a NGDA within NTAD that supports research and analysis on the benefits of transit. It is not intended for navigation or real-time trip planning or to replace existing customer services available through transit agency websites and commercial trip planning service providers.
• What agencies are participating in NTM?
  NTM maintains a Participating Agencies dataset with additional data inclusion details. NTM participating agencies are also listed in the NTAD metadata for each dataset.
• How do I register for NTM?
  Transit agencies register to participate in NTM by logging into FACES. BTS provides step-by-step instructions on how to participate and how to register.
• What other USDOT data can I use to conduct transit research?
  FTA's NTD is a longitudinal survey of reports from transit agencies all over the country. Transit agencies log into FACES with their NTD ID to file their reports. Researchers may find the NTD Agency Information and Agency Mode Service Files useful in conjunction with the NTM data. The NTD provides a glossary of terms.
• Will DOT fund GTFS conversion or is it the transit agency’s responsibility?
  Participation in the NTM is voluntary. If an agency does not already publish a GTFS feed, there is no requirement to start. Agencies wishing to develop GTFS feeds may be eligible for reimbursement under the Metropolitan Planning Program and the State Planning and Research Program, jointly administered by the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration.
• Does the USDOT have a list of vendors that could create GTFS feeds?
  USDOT does not offer a list of vendors. However, there are a number of resources available on the internet for transit agencies who wish to develop GTFS feeds or other machine readable schedule feeds. 
• How can I ask additional questions or connect with BTS?
  • ​T​​​he NTM Team is available at NationalTransitMap@dot.gov.
  • For questions about logging into FTA's FACES to register for the NTM, contact the FTA IT Help Desk at ftaithelpdesk@dot.gov.
  • For questions about the BTS Geospatial Portal where NTM data is hosted, contact the NTAD Team at ntad@dot.gov.
  • For questions about BTS publications and data products, contact the BTS National Transportation Library (NTL).

• BTS: The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), part of the USDOT, is the preeminent source of statistics on commercial aviation, multimodal freight activity, and transportation economics, and provides context to decision makers and the public for understanding statistics on transportation. It is one of more than a dozen principal federal statistical agencies. 
• CC-BY-3.0: To allow the use of their data, transit agencies grant the USDOT a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States (CC-BY-3.0) license. The license gives USDOT the right to access and use the agency's transit data periodically. 
• FACES: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) maintains several web-based software systems that reside on the same FTA platform which is accessed via the Federal Access Control and Entry System (FACES) website. The systems on this FTA platform include the National Transit Database (NTD). Transit agencies can register for the NTM by logging into FACES.
• FTA: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems, including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, trolleys and ferries. 
• GTFS: General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) defines how to store transit data about stops, routes, and schedules. There are two versions of GTFS: (1) static, and (2) real-time. NTM uses static GTFS data to support for the purpose of supporting research and analysis. Real-time GTFS requires an Automatic Vehicle Location system to allow public transportation agencies to provide real-time updates about their fleet. During NTM registration, transit agencies provide a uniform resource locator (URL) to their existing static GTFS feed. 
• NGDA: A National Geospatial Data Asset (NGDA) is defined as a geospatial dataset that has been designated by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Steering Committee and meets at least one of the following criteria: supports mission goals of multiple federal agencies, statutorily mandated, supports Presidential priorities as expressed by Executive Order, or by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Together, these NGDA Datasets comprise the A-16 NGDA Portfolio.
• NTAD: The National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD), published by BTS, is a set of nationwide geographic databases of transportation facilities, transportation networks, and associated infrastructure. NTM data is available for download from NTAD. 
• NTD: The National Transit Database (NTD) is the Nation’s primary source for information and statistics on the transit systems of the United States. 
• NTD ID: The NTD Identification Number (NTD ID) is a unique FTA-assigned number (NTD ID) that each transit agency must have before filing a report.
• NTM: The National Transit Map (NTM), distributed by BTS, is an ongoing effort to establish nationwide catalog of fixed-guideway and fixed-route transit service in America that is gleaned from publicly available information. It was initiated in 2016 and is a NGDA Dataset within NTAD that supports research and analysis on the benefits of transit.
• USDOT: The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) oversees and administers programs, policies, and regulations to keep the traveling public safe, secure, and mobile while ensuring that our transportation system contributes to the nation’s economic growth.

• T​​​he NTM Team is available at NationalTransitMap@dot.gov.
• For questions about logging into FTA's FACES to register for the NTM, contact the FTA IT Help Desk at ftaithelpdesk@dot.gov.
• For questions about the BTS Geospatial Portal where NTM data is hosted, contact the NTAD Team at ntad@dot.gov.
• For questions about BTS publications and data products, contact the BTS National Transportation Library (NTL).