More developers will be able to get their hands on real-time public transport data under an initiative announced today by the NSW government.
Real-time train, bus, ferry and light rail data and some travel pattern data drawn from the Opal card system will be made available through an 'Open Data Hub', the state's transport minister, Andrew Constance, announced today.
"We're inviting the app development community to shape a new Open Data Hub, informing how it will work and what kind of data is available to create the apps customers want," the minister said in a statement.
The state has previously released real-time data to select developers as well as made static timetable data available for use in third-party applications.
"We have more than 2000 subscribers registered for static timetable data on the existing Transport Data Exchange (TDX), but this data and the infrastructure that holds it was built for our operators and planners," Constance said.
"This has held us back and only allowed us to provide static timetable data to TDX subscribers – that is until now.
"With this investment we're taking the next leap forward by opening up our data channels for the wider app development community and for customers."
The hub is intended to go live next year and the state government has invited developers to register their interest in helping to shape it.
"To make sure we get the execution right, we’re asking for advice from app developers to tell us what data should be made available and help build the new Open Data Hub," Constance said.
NSW has a policy of "open by default" for government data. The government in 2013 launched its open data policy.
"There is a presumption in favour of the disclosure of government information unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure," the policy states.