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Transfers

Block transfers

Block transfer, also called in-seat transfer, is available when a set of trips meets the following conditions:

  1. The trips are consecutive.
  2. The same vehicle operates both trips.
  3. The trips are provisioned with the same block_id value in the trips.txt file in the transit feed.

Use block_id to enable block transfers

Block transfers can be made between consecutive trips on different routes or on the same route if the route is a loop line. Use the block_id field to specify which trips are in one block and where in-seat transfers are an available option.

For example, consider the following trips.txt and stop_times.txt values:

trips.txt

route_id trip_id block_id
RouteA RouteATrip1 Block1
RouteB RouteBTrip1 Block1

stop_times.txt

trip_id arrival_time departure_time stop_id stop_sequence
RouteATrip1 12:00:00 12:01:00 A 1
RouteATrip1 12:05:00 12:06:00 B 2
RouteATrip1 12:15:00 C 3
RouteBTrip1 12:18:00 C 1
RouteBTrip1 12:22:00 12:23:00 D 2
RouteBTrip1 12:30:00 E 3

In this example:

  • A user who searches for a route from stop A to stop E is directed to embark at stop A at 12:00 on Route A and to stay on the vehicle when it reaches stop C after the end of RouteATrip1. This is because the same vehicle services RouteBTrip1 for Route B.
  • Passengers on RouteATrip1 who want to continue on to a stop on RouteBTrip1 can stay on the vehicle for this transfer.
  • Passengers of other trips on other vehicles along these same routes don't have this option because they use different vehicles for each trip.

Block transfer in a loop line

In a loop line, the first stop and the last stop of a trip are the same and have the same stop_id. Provided that consecutive loop trips have the same block_id, block or in-seat transfer is enabled, which lets passengers of the first trip remain on the vehicle when it continues on the next loop.