EU project highlights pivotal role of data in multimodal transport systems

A four-year EU-funded project into how data innovation enhances multimodal passenger journeys has concluded that data is pivotal to well-functioning public transport systems and multimodality.

The DATA4PT project, launched in January 2020 by Brussels based UITP, the International Association of Public Transport, along with ITxPT, a Swedish based association promoting data accessibility and interoperability in mobility, was set up to assess the potential of simplifying and integrating multimodal travel by leveraging data.

The project concluded with a wrap event at the recent IT-TRANS Conference in Germany where stakeholders shared their successes in advancing data practices, improving operational efficiency and providing accurate passenger information.

Mohamed Mezghani, Secretary General of UITP, highlighted how over the past four years, DATA4PT has supported EU Member States in adopting harmonised European public data standards, such as Transmodel, NeTEx, and SIRI.

These standards, he said, facilitate seamless integration of travel information across services, operators, and countries. The project also provided technical support, guidelines, knowledge exchange events, training, and various tools to aid this transition.

Anastasia Founta, Technical Manager of DATA4PT, emphasised the impact of the Data Validation Tool, which ensures data conformity with the NeTEx standard. This tool, she said, has been instrumental in harmonising national datasets and preparing for EU-wide interoperability.

Petra Söderqvist, Policy Officer at the European Commission, highlighted the project's four pillars of knowledge, support, exchange, and long-term sustainability. “On an average working day, 185 million people travel with urban and suburban public transport services in the EU. It’s important that the right public transport data is available to them,” she said.

Furthermore she said that by applying standardised data exchange protocols, public transport authorities and operators can provide high-quality, dynamic passenger information and common standards, empowering them to control their data and develop national ticketing and MaaS projects.

UITP Secretary General Mohamed Mezghani added, “Successful conclusion of DATA4PT marks a significant step towards a seamless, data-driven, multimodal public transport ecosystem in Europe, setting the stage for continued innovation and sustainable mobility.”