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.