CUTR Webcast Recording: Opening the Door to Multimodal Applications: Creation, Maintenance and Application of GTFS Data

February 2, 2017, 12:00PM (ET)

Opening the Door to Multimodal Applications: Creation, Maintenance and Application of GTFS Data

The General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) describes fixed-route public transportation service to facilitate integration of transit information into various applications. This webcast will provide an overview of the opportunities to use GTFS for many different types of information services for the general public as well as internal agency operations. Many opportunities exist to create new services based on GTFS data — either to provide transit information through a greater range of delivery formats (e.g., new mobile transit applications), or to provide new ways of understanding and using transit information (e.g., for planning and analysis purposes). For transit agencies that are not openly sharing their data, this webcast will inform decisions on prioritizing and justifying investments in open data initiatives surrounding GTFS. For transit agencies that already provide open access to their GTFS data, this webcast will assist the agency in maximizing their investment in GTFS data by showcasing examples of many new types of applications that utilize the same GTFS data they are already producing. For Departments of Transportation, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, and other intermodal agencies, this webcast will assist them in understanding the current state-of-the-art in public transportation information and will help them integrate this data into intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and multimodal traveler information systems. In addition to a survey of practice, this webcast will discuss cutting edge new data formats and initiatives in the GTFS ecosystem, including GTFS best practices, GTFS-realtime, and GTFS-flex for deviated route services. Download Handout

Presenters: Sean Barbeau, Ph.D., Principal Mobile Software Architect for R&D, Center for Urban Transportation Research; and Aaron Antrim, Founding Principal, Trillium Solutions

Dr. Sean J. Barbeau is the Principal Mobile Software Architect for R&D at the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida. Dr. Barbeau has been working on intelligent, location-aware mobile apps for the past 10 years. He has over 40 peer-reviewed papers and conference presentations and 16 patented inventions in this area. Dr. Barbeau holds a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science from USF as well as a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from USF.

Aaron Antrim is the founding principal of Trillium Solutions, a firm which currently manages GTFS for approximately 200 transit agencies. A long-time cyclist and transit rider, Aaron’s core interest is making sustainable transportation easier to understand and use. His work at Trillium reflects his passion for using modern technology and clear communication to make transportation sustainable.

Aaron’s experience with technology includes 12 years as a web developer for private and government clients. His eight years of experience in transportation encompasses fixed-route public transit, demand-response transportation, private transportation, and active transportation modes.

Originally from Northern California, Aaron now calls Portland, Oregon his home. He enjoys traveling throughout world and experiencing diverse transportation systems. Bike touring and backpacking are some of his favorite ways to see new places.