Development of a Common Framework for Analysing Public Transport Smart Card Data

The data generated in public transport systems have proven to be of great importance in improving knowledge of public transport systems, being very valuable in promoting the sustainability of public transport through rational management. However, the analysis of this data involves numerous tasks, so...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Benito Zaragozí, Sergio Trilles, Aaron Gutiérrez, Daniel Miravet
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/19/6083
_version_ 1797516665701793792
author Benito Zaragozí
Sergio Trilles
Aaron Gutiérrez
Daniel Miravet
author_facet Benito Zaragozí
Sergio Trilles
Aaron Gutiérrez
Daniel Miravet
author_sort Benito Zaragozí
collection DOAJ
description The data generated in public transport systems have proven to be of great importance in improving knowledge of public transport systems, being very valuable in promoting the sustainability of public transport through rational management. However, the analysis of this data involves numerous tasks, so that when the value of analysing the data is finally verified, the effort has already been very great. The management and analysis of the collected data face some difficulties. This is the case of the data collected by the current automated fare collection systems. These systems do not follow any open standards and are not usually designed with a multipurpose nature, so they do not facilitate the data analysis workflow (i.e., acquisition, storage, quality control, integration and quantitative analysis). Intending to reduce this workload, we propose a conceptual framework for analysing data from automated fare collection systems in mobility studies. The main components of this framework are (1) a simple data model, (2) scripts for creating and querying the database and (3) a system for reusing the most useful queries. This framework has been tested in a real public transport consortium in a Spanish region shaped by tourism. The outcomes of this research work could be reused and applied, with a lower initial effort, in other areas that have data recorded by an automated fare collection system but are not sure if it is worth investing in exploiting the data. After this experience, we consider that, even with the legal limitations applicable to the analysis of this type of data, the use of open standards by automated fare collection systems would facilitate the use of this type of data to its full potential. Meanwhile, the use of a common framework may be enough to start analysing the data.
first_indexed 2024-03-10T07:04:04Z
format Article
id doaj.art-a70f2d9576074058a5b0c5c62d8e7087
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1996-1073
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-10T07:04:04Z
publishDate 2021-09-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Energies
spelling doaj.art-a70f2d9576074058a5b0c5c62d8e70872023-11-22T15:59:00ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-09-011419608310.3390/en14196083Development of a Common Framework for Analysing Public Transport Smart Card DataBenito Zaragozí0Sergio Trilles1Aaron Gutiérrez2Daniel Miravet3Departament de Geografia, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, C/Joanot Martorell, 43480 Vilaseca, SpainInstitute of New Imaging Technologies (INIT), Universitat Jaume I, Av. Vicente Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castelló de la Plana, SpainDepartament de Geografia, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, C/Joanot Martorell, 43480 Vilaseca, SpainConsortium of Public Transport of Camp de Tarragona, C/d’Anselm Clavé 1, 43004 Tarragona, SpainThe data generated in public transport systems have proven to be of great importance in improving knowledge of public transport systems, being very valuable in promoting the sustainability of public transport through rational management. However, the analysis of this data involves numerous tasks, so that when the value of analysing the data is finally verified, the effort has already been very great. The management and analysis of the collected data face some difficulties. This is the case of the data collected by the current automated fare collection systems. These systems do not follow any open standards and are not usually designed with a multipurpose nature, so they do not facilitate the data analysis workflow (i.e., acquisition, storage, quality control, integration and quantitative analysis). Intending to reduce this workload, we propose a conceptual framework for analysing data from automated fare collection systems in mobility studies. The main components of this framework are (1) a simple data model, (2) scripts for creating and querying the database and (3) a system for reusing the most useful queries. This framework has been tested in a real public transport consortium in a Spanish region shaped by tourism. The outcomes of this research work could be reused and applied, with a lower initial effort, in other areas that have data recorded by an automated fare collection system but are not sure if it is worth investing in exploiting the data. After this experience, we consider that, even with the legal limitations applicable to the analysis of this type of data, the use of open standards by automated fare collection systems would facilitate the use of this type of data to its full potential. Meanwhile, the use of a common framework may be enough to start analysing the data.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/19/6083public transportsmart card datageodatabaseopen science
spellingShingle Benito Zaragozí
Sergio Trilles
Aaron Gutiérrez
Daniel Miravet
Development of a Common Framework for Analysing Public Transport Smart Card Data
Energies
public transport
smart card data
geodatabase
open science
title Development of a Common Framework for Analysing Public Transport Smart Card Data
title_full Development of a Common Framework for Analysing Public Transport Smart Card Data
title_fullStr Development of a Common Framework for Analysing Public Transport Smart Card Data
title_full_unstemmed Development of a Common Framework for Analysing Public Transport Smart Card Data
title_short Development of a Common Framework for Analysing Public Transport Smart Card Data
title_sort development of a common framework for analysing public transport smart card data
topic public transport
smart card data
geodatabase
open science
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/19/6083
work_keys_str_mv AT benitozaragozi developmentofacommonframeworkforanalysingpublictransportsmartcarddata
AT sergiotrilles developmentofacommonframeworkforanalysingpublictransportsmartcarddata
AT aarongutierrez developmentofacommonframeworkforanalysingpublictransportsmartcarddata
AT danielmiravet developmentofacommonframeworkforanalysingpublictransportsmartcarddata