The Department for Transport (DfT) intends to develop the Bus Open Data Service (BODS) in England into what it calls “a complete digital service for buses” that will capture service registrations and digitalisation of BSOG.
DfT says that such an expansion of BODS forms part of a commitment in the National Bus Strategy for England to review the service registration process, which has not changed in principle for over 30 years. That leaves it “poorly aligned with modern practice on data handling” and as something that “takes no account of the significant recent progress on bus open data.”
Incorporation of the registration process into BODS would allow operators to share service information with DfT only once, and also permit local transport authorities (LTAs) to utilise BODS data “to transform transport network planning activities.”
To collect stakeholders’ views on the purpose” of the service registration system in England, including its role where LTAs have a wider remit, DfT is currently conducting an online survey. It runs is open until 28 February and responses will be used to prepare recommendations for ministers.
Other work involving BODS in 2022 will see a focus on the launch of a predictions service. Guidance on matching timetable and location data was given to application developers in 2021, but DfT says that by providing a unified predictions service, “we can offer passengers more accurate and high-quality information about the arrival times of their bus.”
The developments form part of wider plans from DfT’s Open Buses team that will also see it work towards including bus services in rail journey planners and extending the PlusBus rail journey add-on ticket to digital format.
PlusBus currently is paper based, something that DfT says “has always limited its use for travel to the [rail] station of origin.” Addition of digital PlusBus tickets is viewed as something that has “much potential” to increase integration between bus and rail services.
