Google Transit XLS Tools

Several files have been added to the Forum's file area (GT_XLS_Tools20070717.zip) that are intended to help transit agencies manage Google Transit (GT) data in Excel. These tools are based on the Google Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) as of July 2007.

If you manage you GT data in another database these tools may still be helpful as you can easily import the .txt files using the GTFSImportExportFeedFiles XLS file.

Please contact me with bug reports and suggestions/requests for features - or discuss on the GT forum.

Bob Heitzman SLO County APCD rhei...@gmail.com

Here is the list of files as of 7/17/2007:

GTFSImportExportFeedFiles20070717.xls GTFS Excel Trips and Tricks.doc GTFSBuildStopTimes20070705.doc GTFSBuildStopTimes20070705.xls GTFS_KML_Import20070717.xls GTFS_DB20070607.mdb

GTFSImportExportFeedFiles20070717.xls This workbook includes several VBA macros that can import GT data from .txt files or other XLS workbooks that contain GT data. A macro is supplied to export the data from Excel to GTFS conforming .txt files. There is also a macro that will build shape records from other GT data to act as a starting point if you do not already have shape records.

It is best to make a copy of the XLS file place it in the directory with the feed files you are working with.

GTFS Excel Trips and Tricks.doc Notes on some techniques that will be helpful for manipulating data in Excel.

GTFSBuildStopTimes20070705.doc GTFSBuildStopTimes20070705.xls A tool that may help you generate stop_time records from schedule data in tabular format. If you have a lot of data in a well structured format the code can be modified to work with your data.

GTFS_KML_Import20070717.xls A tool that will import KML files and convert the point data to stop records and lines to shape records. If you have access to your transit routes in a GIS format it may be practical to export the data to KML format and use this tool to create the GT records. You can also export Google MyMaps or Google Earth maps to KML and import them. The resulting records can be copied and pasted into another XLS workbook containing your other GT data.

GTFS_DB20070607.mdb For those that may be considering using MS Access here are the GTFS sample files in Access tables. No other code or forms are provided, just the tables. An attempt was made to document the relationships between the tables. If you begin to work seriously with GT in Access please contact me with any corrections to the table relationships.

The draft pass at the table relationships appears below.(see downloaded version)