Find Anything Toolkit

Data and statistics are extremely important to transit management. There are several reasons why a rural transit manager may need to find data:

1. Understanding community demographics to plan new or expand existing transit services
2. Analyzing the performance of the transit system
3. Determining where passengers are going and for what purposes
4. Benchmarking the performance of the transit system among peers and similarly sized and/or geographically related agencies
5. Leveraging data to frame transit's community value
6. Sharing data with community partners and potential partners, including elected officials

Data for the six subject areas listed above are likely to be found in different sources. In this case, it is not a good idea to use any general Internet search engines. Data used for transit planning purposes should be accurate, from a credible source, up-to-date, and of the highest quality. The resources listed in this section of the Find Anything Toolkit will assist those looking for data to quickly zero in on what they need.

Demographic data on community members (age breakdown, language spoken, etc.) should be gathered from a wide variety of sources. Data can be gathered from, but should not be limited to:

• Local Departments of Commerce
• Economic Development Associations
• Divisions of Community and Regional Affairs
• U.S. Census Bureau
• University-generated population data
• Locally administered surveys

Searching Census Bureau data can be challenging and it is recommended to start with the drop-down menus on the home page to find to the most relevant data. For example, click on the Data and Maps button, and under data tools you will find a link to My Community Explorer, which is an easy way to find county-level data by clicking on an interactive map.

Performance measures are based on data obtained from multiple sources. Common data sources include driver logs, vehicle records, safety records, financial data, employee records, customer input, complaint records, and funding agencies. Rural systems can also use qualitative sources of data to evaluate performance. Riders can provide information on perceived service quality through contact with centralized dispatching, formal surveys, or informal information collected from drivers. Additional data sources may include feedback received from the transit agency website and transit agency social media post statistics and comments.

There are many excellent sources of data to help transit agencies understand the state of rural transit in America, as well as how their agency compares to peers.

The annual Small Urban and Rural Center on Mobility (SURCOM) Rural Transit Fact Book provides national level data, as well as statistics by state, FTA region, tribe, and mode, as well as other agency characteristics.

The Rural Integrated National Transit Database (iNTD) compiles multiple years of National Transit Database (NTD) data and allows users to retrieve and analyze data. This iNTD is part of the Florida Transit Information System, created by Florida International University for Florida DOT. The Rural Module is sponsored by National RTAP. It includes ready-made reports, the ability to search by individual variables, and a peer grouping function.

National RTAP publishes a biennial survey of rural and tribal transit managers. A summary of survey data is provided. The report summarizes types of services provided, funding sources, use of technology in operations and compliance, training requirements, and other topics. See the Planning and Evaluation section of the Transit Manager’s Toolkit for the most recent survey results.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) County Transportation Profiles includes county-level person trips by week and percent of resident workers who commute by public transportation.

The BTS National Transit Map is a national catalog of fixed-route transit service in America. A geospatial database is included that can be used to display transit agencies’ stops and routes.

The BTS Transportation Statistics Annual Report (TSAR) presents an overview of the U.S. transportation system and key indicators, including data on passenger travel, transportation and the economy, system reliability, safety, energy use, and transportation environmental impacts.

BTS also provides a National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD), with data on passenger connectivity, bikeshare, National Transit Map routes, and many additional topics.

Data specialists have spent years learning and applying the skills they need to work with datasets, but it is not an intuitive process, even for the most skilled of transit managers. The datasets listed on this page all have links to technical support professionals, who can help users with their data needs. Many of them also have recorded or live training webinars to assist users. 

While the datasets listed on this page will be helpful in getting started, there are many other specialized data products available. Contact the National RTAP Knowledge and Resource Manager, who can also assist users with how to find specific types of data. National RTAP’s eNews  regularly publishes a column on Databases and Tools, which summarizes new and updated datasets of interest to the rural transit industry. 

Another FTA technical assistance center, the National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT), can also assist users with transit data questions.

Updated February 27, 2023