gtfs_natools

ArcGIS’s Network Analyst extension is of limited use for studying public transit. Its functionality is fairly automobile-oriented, and it cannot accommodate public transit schedule information in its calculations. Furthermore, network datasets that include transit information are difficult to find or create.

The General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) is a recently-developed data format for storing public transit routes, stops, and schedules. GTFS data is used in Google Maps transit trip planning. Many major public transit systems have made up-to-date GTFS data for their systems readily available for download.

This ArcToolbox tool allows Network Analyst to use GTFS data to calculate transit/walking service areas for user-selected times of day and days of the week. This tool greatly enhances Network Analyst's public transit capabilities.