The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced a new online tool, Transit Moves America, to increase transparency for commuters on public transportation.
Using data collected by the FTA through the National Transit Database, the dashboard will clearly display safety and security data on public transit systems across the country. The information will allow families, commuters and visitors a way to view safety, security and performance data so they can use the information to make their travel plans.
“FTA is raising the bar on transit agency performance. The Transit Moves America tool will help stakeholders see which transit agencies are enhancing safety and the customer experience and which ones are failing to deliver tangible improvements for their customers,” Federal Transit Administration’s Acting Deputy Administrator Matthew Cahill said. “This new dashboard brings key performance data out of obscure spreadsheets and puts it in the hands of American transit customers to make better-informed travel decisions.”
The dashboard will feature safety and security related data, refreshed monthly. Additionally, the dashboard will feature accessibility and efficiency data, updated annually; national averages related to safety and security data, as well as metrics for individual transit agencies; customizable data related to conditions on bus systems and train systems, and operating costs per passenger trip data for the 25 largest urban areas in the country.
Officials said the release of the new tool complements a Request for Information issued on June 4, seeking input from the transit industry and the public about how to assess the quality of public transportation service across five areas: safety and security; cleanliness; universal accessibility; real-time service data availability; and system reliability