GTFS and Third-Party Applications

Your GTFS populates a variety of applications, such as Google Maps, Apple Maps and Transit.

How Does My Data Get Updated?

When you make edits to your GTFS using GTFS Manager, your must Request Feed Export and Publish before those changes can appear in third party applications. Depending on whether Trillium Solutions is hosting your feed, or you have your own posted feed location, you may have to notify third parties, such as Google Maps, of your new feed. If Trillium Solutions is hosting your feed, we will handle new feed posting when requested, and handle inquiries from third parties about your feed.

What Other Changes Can I Get Made in Google Maps?

It depends. Your GTFS feed does allow you a great deal of control over things like stop locations and transit alignments, but other things, like walking directions to and from your bus stops, is outside the scope of your GTFS. In some cases, like removed stops still showing up in Google Maps, you can ask Trillium Staff to make a direct request of a stop removal, though sometimes the icons take longer to "disappear" from Google Maps.

Landmark/Location shows no available transit options

A landmark, like an airport, that is serviced in your feed but Google Maps does not indicate this is possible.

Landmark/Location shows incorrect closest transit option

A large location, like a university, that is serviced in your feed but Google Maps does not indicate the closest actual stop a rider should use.

How Can I Get My Agency to Show Higher Up in Results?

If your agency services an area that is also serviced by other agencies, Google Maps will seek out the quickest trip at the time of searching, regardless of walking, affordability, and sometimes number of transfers. If your agency allows for flag stops, there are options to increase your visibility on Google Maps by reducing the amount of recommended walking a rider would need to take to reach a designated stop.

How Can I Force Google Maps to Default to "Less Walking"?

Trillium Solutions offers a custom trip planner that can default to "less walking," which will return itineraries that will direct a rider to their closest bus stop, instead of what Google Maps considers "the fastest" routing (which may involve considerable walking.) If you are interested in including one of these trip planners on your website, please email support@trilliumtransit.com