No time attributes when using GTFS to Public Transit Model

[SimonBV]

Hello everyone - Currently trying to finish building a network for public transit using GTFS data. I have:

agency.txt

calendar.txt

calendar_dates.txt

routes.txt

shapes.txt

stop_times.txt

stops.txt

trips.txt

Which are all clean, and formatted correctly. The stop_times.txt file format specifically looks like this:

Building the network and everything is fine, but when I get to trying to setup the LineVariantElements edges to make use of the stop_times.txt it isn't an option. I had a peek into the attribute table of LineVariantElements and everything was built correctly according to the documentation. When configuring the new Network Dataset prior to building it I am unable to make use of the public transit data when building the cost for a new travel mode.

I came across "The GTFS To Public Transit Data Model tool incorrectly reports errors..." but that seemed to point in the direction of missing stop times which I don't have (I ran a quick parser to see if anything was blank). The other consideration was tab characters and invalid characters which I also don't have.

I'm wondering what is going wrong at this point, and am still actively going through trying a few different things. My alternative plan is to derive the trip times between stops manually and join that table to the LineVariantElement output in order to circumvent whatever is going on.

Thanks in advance!

[SimonBV · Accepted solution]

I found the solution, which is quite silly. Want to model in 3D? Nuh uh...

"Additionally, because the data model requires feature classes and tables with specific names, it's ...

Interpolate shape from a very detailed LIDAR? Better name it...oh wait, that feature class already exists. Turns out not all streets are made flat, and significant elevation changes are yet another increased impedance to factor in. Let this be a lesson to all, hardcoding your inputs is lazy and causes many headaches.

Current workaround:

1.  Ensure your feature dataset has a VCS enabled, and set your map to it as well.
2. Create your GTFS inputs as normal, letting the tool populate the Stops and LineVariantElements and associated tables.
3. On your streets feature class ensure you have the necessary fields for your analysis, that it's projected to your map
4. Interpolate shape as needed for the current Stops, LineVariantElements, and Streets and ensure the output is the feature dataclass. Name the outputs differently from what the Public Transit Evaluator expects.
5. Add those layers to your working map, and then Export the feature classes back into your feature dataset, and name the as the tool expects.

Now you have working z-values for your feature classes and they are in the approved format. I was seriously pulling my hair out for a while.