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Observation definitions

Please find the definitions for the observations below.

View Department for Transport's TransXChange Schema Guide

Critical observations (9)

These observations are considered critical in terms of data quality. An operator should aim to have zero critical observations in their data.

Timing

First stop is not a timing point

This observation identifies journeys where the first stop is not set to be a timing point.

Impacts

A timing point is a designated stop where the bus has been registered to depart from at a specific time. The Traffic Commissioner requires registered services have the first and last stop designated as timing points. These points are where the service punctuality is monitored and is often used to generate ‘shortened’ timetables.

If the first and last stops are not timing points, the printed timetables may not display correctly and will reduce the quality of information available to passengers.

Last stop is not a timing point

This observation identifies journeys where the last stop is not set to be a timing point.

Impacts

A timing point is a designated stop where the bus has been registered to depart from at a specific time. The Traffic Commissioner requires registered services have the first and last stop designated as timing points. These points are where the service punctuality is monitored and is often used to generate ‘shortened’ timetables.

If the first and last stops are not timing points, the printed timetables may not display correctly and will reduce the quality of information available to passengers.

Stop

First stop is set down only

This observation identifies journeys where the first stop is designated as set down only, meaning the bus is not scheduled to pick up passengers at the first stop.

Impacts

Journey planners may not be able to show journeys with this stop correctly to passengers, disrupting their journeys.

Incorrect stop type

This observation identifies the use of stops that are not designated as bus stops within NaPTAN. Expected stop types are BCT, BCQ, BCE, BST or BCS.

BCT	On-street Bus / Coach / Tram Stop
TXR	Taxi Rank (head of)
STR	Shared Taxi Rank (head of)
AIR	Airport Entrance
GAT	Airport Interchange Area
FTD	Ferry Terminal / Dock Entrance
FBT	Ferry or Port Berth
FER	Ferry or Port Interchange Area
RSE	Rail Station Entrance
RLY	Railway Interchange Area
RPL	Railway Platform
TMU	Tram / Metro / Underground Entrance
MET	Underground or Metro Interchange Area
PLT	Underground or Metro platform
BCE	Bus / Coach Station Entrance
BST	Bus Coach Station Access Area
BCS	Bus / Coach bay / stand / stance within Bus / Coach Stations
BCQ	Bus Coach Station Variable Bay
LCE	Lift or Cable Car Entrance
LCB	Lift or Cable Car Access Area
LPL	Lift or Cable Car Platform

Impacts

An incorrect stop type suggests that the stop being used is not intended for buses. This can impede the ability of passengers to be able to find the correct location to board services, particularly when planning multimodal journeys.

Last stop is pick up only

This observation identifies journeys where the last stop is designated as pick up only, meaning the bus is not scheduled to set down passengers at the last stop.

Impacts

Journey planners may not be able to show journeys with this stop correctly to passengers, disrupting their journeys.

Data set

Incorrect NOC

This observation identifies where the National Operator Code (NOC) used in the data is not registered to your BODS Organisation profile.

Impacts

NOCs are used by data consumers to know which operator is running the service, and to match the data with bus location and fares data. This ability improves the quality of information available to passengers.

Cancelled service incorrectly appearing as active

This observation identifies services that have been cancelled or is not registered with the responsible local bus registrations authority, but the published data indicate that they are running.

Impacts

Services that are no longer running will appear on journey planning apps causing major disruption to passengers and impacting passenger satisfaction. Operators must ensure the published data accurately reflects the status of their registered services.

Incorrect licence number

This observation identifies where licence numbers used in the data is not registered to your BODS Organisation profile.

Impacts

Licence numbers are used by data consumers to know which operator is running the service, and to match the data with bus location and fares data. This ability improves the quality of information available to passengers.

Journey

Missing journey code

This observation identifies vehicle journeys that are missing a journey code

Impacts

Journey code is unique identifier of a vehicle journey. Without this, journey planners will not be able to match the timetables data to the equivalent location data for that service to provide passengers with predicted or calculated arrival time of a bus at a stop.

Advisory observations (8)

These observations are considered advisory in terms of data quality and suggest there may be an issue in the data. Please review the issues and make the necessary corrections to resolve these if required.

Journey

Duplicate journey code

This observation identifies where there are more than one vehicle journey for the same bus service that operate on the same day(s) and have the same journey code.

Impacts

Journey code is unique identifier of a vehicle journey. Without this, journey planners will not be able to match the timetables data to the equivalent location data for that service to provide passengers with predicted or calculated arrival time of a bus at a stop.

Missing bus working number

This observation identifies if the service is valid within the next 14 days, and when it is valid it contains a bus workings number.

Impacts

Bus workings number, known as ‘BlockNumber’ in TransXChange, is most frequently populated using running board information. It is a unique identifier (usually a simple number) that is used for all journeys an individual bus is scheduled to work.

This is important to enable cross journey predictions for passengers, meaning if a vehicle is running late on one journey, the subsequent journeys are likely to be delayed as well.

Duplicate journeys

COMING SOON

This observation identifies where journeys for the same service that have the same operating profile, departure times and route.

Impacts

It is important to ensure that the timetables information provided is accurate to improve passengers satisfaction.

Stop

Stop not found in NaPTAN

This observation identifies the use of stops that are not registered with NaPTAN.

Impacts

NaPTAN provides a source for key stop information across different transport types to support consumers to provide accurate stop information to passengers.

It is important for the public transport ecosystem to work together to ensure the stop data inputted is correctly detailed and can be referenced to the NaPTAN database.

Data set

Serviced organisation data is out of date

COMING SOON

This observation identifies services that have journeys operating during serviced organisation working days that have expired.

Impacts

Serviced organisations hold dates for when organisations, such as schools, are open and closed. If the date has expired, the services will not appear on downstream journey planning apps, impacting the reliability of the data for passengers. Operators must ensure the data provides up-to-date information for passengers.

Service number does not match registration

COMING SOON

This observation identifies services published with a service number that does not match the bus registrations data.

Impacts

The service number is found in the ‘LineName’ field in TransXChange and contains the public-facing name of the service.

Data consumers will display the ‘LineName’ on the front of the bus. Incorrect or abbreviated use of service numbers in the data will cause confusion for passengers. It is important that the published service number is accurate and consistent to provide reliable information to passengers.

Missing data

COMING SOON

This observation identifies services that have gaps or not providing data for at least 42 days ahead of today’s date. This does not include services that are due to be cancelled with the registrations authority within the next 42 days.

Impacts

Failure to provide timetables information for future dates will impact passenger’s ability to plan their journeys in advance.

Timing

No timing point for more than 15 minutes

This observation identifies journeys where the interval between a pair of consecutive timing points is more than 15 minutes.

Impacts

Timing points are stops along a bus route where the bus is scheduled to arrive at a specific time.

It is recommended by the Traffic Commissioner that services have a stop at least every 15 minutes. It is important to ensure the departure times on published timetables is correct to avoid disruption to passengers.