Licensing timetable data
Who wants to license the data?
- iPhone application developers
- suppliers of Navigational services
- suppliers of maps
- suppliers of desktop tools
- journey planner suppliers, to extend existing products to cover more areas
- land developers, for accessibility planning (go to National Repository)
Discussion about the licensing of public transport data
Proposed licence conditions
Discussion usually leads to Traveline looking for:
- The recipient will interpret the data correctly
- They will take updates
- They will not pass data to others without Traveline's consent
- whether the recipient can be given any data that has been derived from licences sources.
and the contractor wanting:
- data quality, to know that the data is accurate, in a recognised format, and any errors found will be corrected quickly
- that the data can be used in a particular way
- clarification of charges, if any
Issues
One fear of releasing data has been that those who receive it will pass it on to others. An alternative view is the fear that they will NOT pass it on, and keep any data improvements they make to the data, to themselves.
Bus service registration requires bus operators to share their data with the Traffic Commissioner and the relevant transport authorities. Bus operators are therefore accustomed to sharing their data, but the local authorities are not. The local authorities may be reluctant to share the data they received because to do so will erode their privileged position.
Local authorities have made available their family history data and as a result have generated interest in the records and innovative services which use the data.
Email comments, or requests for data licences, to
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© Traveline 2009, Last updated: 24 August 2009