Ottawa real-time transit data coming March 2012

SIDEBAR: If you have questions about developing with the OC Transpo real-time data, there is a discussion group.  ENDSIDEBAR

In a special meeting of Transit Commission in January 2012, Ottawa's transit agency OC Transpo was compelled to release real-time position (GPS) open data by March 22, 2012.

The recommendation is

That the Transit Commission direct staff to work with the Staff/Commissioner Working Group on Transit Technology to develop an OC Transpo Real-Time GPS Data Policy that is in accordance with existing policy and which includes, but is not limited to, an Application Programming Interface (API) Overview and Terms of Use for the consideration of the Transit Commission at its March meeting.

with further direction

Once developed, the IT Working Group will be recommending that the OC Transpo Real-Time GPS Data Policy be approved by the Commission, and that the Real Time GPS data feed be fully activated by March 22, 2012.

above from ACS2012-CMR-OTC-0003: OC Transpo Real-time GPS Data Policy.

The report and associated recommendations were CARRIED (approved) by the Transit Commission.  For those who don't think government can act quickly, it was just a week from OC Transpo announcing that they didn't want to release the data, to the meeting where they were required to release it.  Ottawa's councillors really stepped up and delivered.

There was lots of coverage of the Transit Commission decision:

• Reddit - OC Transpo to release bus-location data March 22
• YourOttawaRegion.com - OC Transpo set to release bus-location data March 22
• CBC News - OC Transpo reverses course, again set to release GPS info
• Metro News - Releasing GPS data earns OC Transpo points
• Ottawa Citizen - Open OC Transpo data, transit commission rules
• Centretown News - OC Transpo's GPS data to be made public