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Open Transport Initiative launches open standard for transport interoperability

Posted: 3 January 2020 |

Since the launch of the initiative, there has been peer reviews, public workshops and presentations to ensure the standard covers the interests of all relevant parties as much as possible.

Open Transport launches open standard for transport account interoperability

The Open Transport Initiative has launched its first version of the Open Transport Application Programming Interface (API) specifications and has made them freely available for adoption. This is said to be the first time an open standard for transport customer account interoperability has been designed and made available in this way.

The initiative was started in early 2019 by Ideal Interface, a Glasgow-based consultancy, with The Open Transport Initiative becoming official in October 2019. 

The two specifications created and launched are:

Customer-account API

A standard way to facilitate peer-to-peer transport data sharing and account interoperability, allowing the customer to view all their transportation, mobility and associated data in one place.

Centralised Operator-info API

A centralised look-up for all transport operators and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platforms. This transport directory service will reportedly provide unique reference information about each mode of transport or mobility organisation, including any publicly available Customer-account API locations.

Similar vertical markets are also creating Open APIs and developing public technology standards. This is done to reportedly reduce duplication of effort, create consistency across different platforms and vendors, but also to foster innovation across a wider developer community. In making this innovation a completely open and free-to-use standard for the transport industry, it is hoped that this will increase its adoption.