Mobility Data Conference Recap

The 2024 International Mobility Data Summit brought together transit agencies, shared mobility providers, policymakers, programmers, and city officials, among others, on October 30th and 31st, 2024 in Montreal, Canada. This summit was the MobilityData organization’s second annual conference offering a variety of sessions including workshops, panel discussions, and fireside chats. This year’s event began with opening remarks by Eric Plosky, Executive Director of MobilityData, who spoke about the need for reliable, open, high-quality data and highlighted the increasing integration of transportation data standards like General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) and development of General Bikeshare Feed Specification (GBFS) across the globe.

The 200 or so attendees, representing a large international constituency, met to discuss data standardization opportunities, challenges, and the strategic role they play in developing integrated mobility solutions. 

GTFS and GBFS were at the forefront of this summit as these data standards play a critical role in the discoverability and use of fixed-route transit (GTFS) and bikeshare (GBFS). Within that context, SUMC observed some interesting themes on where the data standardization industry is headed. 

SUMC team members Francesca Lewis, Program Associate, and Al Benedict, Director of Accessibility Programs traveled to Montreal to attend the Summit. We were joined by Rik Opstelten, FTA Mobility Innovation Program Specialist, whose office supports SUMC’s technical assistance and knowledge-sharing activities.

The following insights draw on SUMC’s work in this space combined with what we learned at the summit.

Takeaways from the Mobility Data Summit

Collaboration Across Sectors and Learning from International Frameworks

One of the highlights of the Summit was the chance to collaborate and learn from international experts. A common theme at the summit was the important role of collaboration in advancing data standards, and in turn, supporting the interoperability that supports effective transit operations and improving the rider experience. The opportunity to exchange ideas with people from across the globe brought fresh perspectives and encouraged attendees to approach challenges in new ways. 

Most sessions seemed to represent an international perspective, as exemplified by the panel “Empowering Global Access: Promoting and Assessing Open Transport Data,” a discussion focused on exploring how open data can drive progress in cities and communities by fostering new solutions and “Global Strategies for Data-Driven Transit Projects Serving the Public Interest,” which offered a global perspective on leveraging transit data to support local governments in developing policies to promote social equity. To keep the conversations going, day two of the Summit was adjusted to allow more time for networking and informal chats, this extra time led to rich discussions among attendees eager to learn from each other. It is a reminder of how important it is to create collaboration spaces and keep those conversations going after an event ends. 

Rural Transportation Coordination Needs

Rik Opstelten (FTA) looking for the best route back to his hotel. Credit: SUMC.

Mobility data can play an important role in improving the discoverability and access to rural transportation. Many rural communities face common transportation challenges, such as limited transportation options and significant distances to essential services. Volunteer driver programs were featured for their role in supporting a cost-effective community-based transportation solution. For example, the Volunteer Transportation Center in New York developed the data platform, referred to as “VTO in a Box” that streamlines scheduling, tracks ridership patterns, and improves the efficiency of service delivery. The “in the box” solution is a tool that other communities can use to implement their volunteer transportation program. Our European colleagues have been working on initiatives that may also be applicable in the US regarding the coordination of multi-modal transportation services, including Demand Responsive Transportation (DRT) services like microtransit. Further research is needed to understand how these European data standards will translate to US applications, but the Transport Operator Messaging Protocol (TOMP-API) offers lessons about what could emerge as a promising standard for future Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platforms.

Together with open data initiatives and collaborative partnerships, these strategies are helping to bridge transportation gaps and make rural transit systems more accessible, efficient, and adaptable to the needs of residents.

Open Data for Popular Transportation 

Popular Transportation refers to local transportation services that are privately operated and serve the public in cities across the Global South. These services are not tied to government contracts. They go by many local names—like—tuk-tuks, jeepneys, boda bodas, minibus taxis, dollar vans, etc. They run on two-wheels, three-wheels, or four-wheels. They are pedal or motor-powered. They can even be electric. These systems are “homegrown, emergent, widespread, self-organizing, self-sustaining mobility” [See: The Global Network for Popular Transportation for additional information on popular transportation].

Francesca Lewis (SUMC) outside the summit space. Credit: SUMC

The increasing need for data standards in popular transportation was discussed at the summit. Open data standards are useful for consumers as they support transparency and access on the operational side for planning and the delivery of services. While integrating GTFS is key to data integration, the push for open data goes beyond technical integration and highlights the need for further policy changes to support transparency and data sharing, which are essential for making transportation more sustainable across the world. GTFS-Flex provides ways of describing DRT services under GTFS, which in its original form only handles fixed-route transit. Standards like GTFS-Flex are particularly valuable for popular transportation, as they can accommodate the inherent flexibility of these services. Implementing data standards in popular transport is a critical step in mapping these networks and formalizing their role as essential community services. This not only makes services easier to use for riders but also improves safety and operational efficiency for service providers. GTFS-Flex also plays an important role in rural or less dense communities in the US, where DRT services are more prevalent and it is often difficult for riders to discover what transportation services are available. Even with the development of GTFS-Flex to better describe DRT services on an operational level, there is currently a gap in where and how those services show up on trip planning platforms, like Google or Apple Maps. Future policy discussions could make the case to expedite their inclusion in these popular trip-planning platforms, providing important information to riders to better understand their transportation options.

Parking

Parking-related topics were discussed at a number of sessions, with the sentiment that parking may be the number one influence on a user’s mode choice. Notable examples of innovative solutions being implemented in cities include the host City of Montreal, which recently developed a nonprofit division to operate parking management and enforcement, including a special task force dedicated to addressing disruptions caused by vehicles obstructing bike lanes. Montreal also highlighted its parking management app, which currently serves 750,000 users. In the future, the city hopes to transform the app into a mobility management platform. The app would not only track parking availability and payment but also serve as a tool to create a digital inventory of the city’s curbside space. Continuing to look ahead, Montreal has ambitious plans to transform 150 parking lots into mobility hubs over the next 25 years, incorporating a range of services, infrastructure, and amenities, such as off-street EV fast-charging stations, to support the city’s evolving transportation needs.

Inclusive and Equitable Transportation

“Highlights from Nationally Funded Mobility Data Projects” SUMC’s Al Benedict presenting on Women Centered Mobility Hub Design. Credit: MobilityData

Another theme that emerged repeatedly was the role of data standardization in advancing mobility solutions that are both inclusive and equitable. Practitioners are thinking about how to tailor transportation services to better meet the needs of women, mothers, caregivers, and other historically underserved groups, as these populations face greater barriers to accessing safe and reliable transportation. At the conference, SUMC presented its work with Living Cities to develop a design framework for mobility hubs for women and caregivers. While the project is still in progress, early findings suggest designing mobility hubs that prioritize the specific needs of women and caregivers can significantly improve the quality of services offered and increase multimodal transportation serving many vulnerable users. This work underscores the potential for mobility hubs to work better for historically underserved groups by fostering more inclusive, efficient, and user-centered mobility solutions. Additionally, organizations are adopting community-based approaches to make use of data standards, such as leveraging GTFS to create localized datasets using OpenStreetMap. These efforts are complemented by the development of training materials designed to equip planners and transit agency staff with the skills needed for effective data updates and maintenance. This approach can empower communities and improve data accuracy by ensuring it better reflects the actual conditions on the ground.

Conclusion

City of Montreal Skyline from the top of Mount Royal Park. Credit: SUMC.

The 2024 International Mobility Data Summit offered an important space to bring together diverse stakeholders and discuss the role of data in creating more efficient, sustainable, and equitable transportation systems. The summit underscored the critical need for collaboration, innovation, and standardization. As we look toward the future, insights and connections made at this event will likely play a role in shaping future mobility data interoperability solutions. The SUMC team looks forward to next year’s summit!

For more information on open data and data interoperability, read SUMC’s white paper, The Path to Mobility Interoperability. It features a logic model developed by SUMC’s Specs to Standards Working Group in coordination with the Mobility Data Interoperability Principles, demonstrating the value of data standards in shared mobility. The model outlines key steps the industry must take to achieve interoperability. Policymakers, transit officials, and mobility providers can use the Logic Model to chart a path toward interoperability and the available resources and tools necessary to address challenges and gaps in the process. 

To stay informed about future events and developments in the mobility space, be sure to subscribe to SUMC’s Mobility Hub Newsletter.