BTS is now using data.bts.gov to ensure that our data is usable, shareable, accessible, and discoverable. We expect this platform will help people use our data in ways that were not possible before.

We expect to update the data regularly. We also expect to grow the data catalog, add informative stories, and create new visualizations. So, please return to the site often to see what's new. 

What is the BTS approach to Open Data?

For data to be truly open, BTS believes it should be:

Discoverable

If you know what you are looking for, and BTS has it, you should be able to find it easily.  We also want you to find data you might not have known about that is relevant to the data you were looking for. Interested in freight crossing the border from Canada? You might also be interested in freight crossing the border from Mexico. Or, you might be interested in passenger traffic from Canada. We want to let you find both and decide for yourself what's interesting.

Accessible

If you can download data in different open, structured data formats that work with your favorite data tool, that's accessible data. 

Usable

If a dataset features metadata (e.g. definitions of variables, subject tags, ownership information, etc.) presenting a complete description of its contents, that helps make it usable and helps support any insights you draw from the data.

Shareable

Finally, if you can work with someone else, through sharing or collaboration, the data has another element of open-ness. The more you can share your work on a set of data with others, the more feedback you can get from other practitioners to improve your work. The ability to share the value you create using a BTS dataset opens up new benefits from BTS data that others can enjoy. That's a win for you, for BTS, and for the community.

What platform is BTS using for open data?

Socrata is the platform powering the open data project on data.bts.gov. It offers features that support our open data criteria. Some users might treat the platform as a simple data catalog, easily searchable through metadata and offering an easy download function. Others might take advantage of the ability to visualize and interact easily with the data or tell stories with multiple visualizations. You can save what you develop through an account on the platform, and your visualizations can automatically update whenever BTS updates the data driving those visualizations.

Socrata should enable data enthusiasts to join BTS and produce insights into transportation that help individuals, communities, cities, counties, states, and the nation.

BTS encourages you to get started today at data.bts.gov.