Making high quality transport data accessible

Transport Data Commons aims to improve access, sharing and analysis of transportation data for a more sustainable future.

Currently working with 30+ organisations

Easy data discovery

At the Transport Data Commons, finding and accessing relevant transport-related data is a breeze, thanks to our user-friendly interface and robust search and categorisation system.

One-stop shop for transport data user and providers at the nexus to climate
Providing a space for storing, editing and accessing open transport data (starting with GHG related, national datasets)
Encouraging data standards, data cleaning and interoperability of existing databases
Enabling active collaboration of data providers and users

Ready for contributors

Adding data to the Transport Data Commons is a seamless process, empowering individuals and organisations to effortlessly contribute their transport-related datasets and join our collaborative platform.

Easy upload and download functions
Guidance documents and videos for data providers and users
Active community to discuss and improve transport data

How do TDC datasets work?

TDC hosts a diverse range of dataset types with differing variety of scope and standardisation, providing a comprehensive resource for analysing and addressing sustainable transportation challenges.

Public Data

Data from open public repositories collected and aggregated by TDC for ease of access.

Publicly available data
All in one place for ease of access
Community Data

Data sets submitted by individuals and organisation partners.

Moderated by TDC
Low submission threshold
Help with transition to TDC standard
TDC Formatted

Datasets that are already SDMX formatted or added via API and programmed SDMX converter.

No change of data, labels, categories, etc
No modification of data
No data quality check
TDC Harmonised

Data sets that have been formatted, validated, and derived from multiple sources by TDC.

Comprehensive source of data
Validated and harmonised by TDC
Based on transparent standards

Data Security

Rest assured, data posted to TDC is safeguarded with robust security measures to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information.

Data Standardisation

TDC utilises SDMX (Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange) to ensure standardised data formats and consistent metadata across datasets, promoting interoperability and facilitating effective data analysis and comparison.

Stay in control

You have the control to remove your uploaded data or decline any modifications to ensure the integrity and ownership of the data you contribute on TDC.

Enhance your data

TDC offers data curation services to help ensure the quality, accuracy, and relevance of your data, maximising its value and impact in the realm of sustainable transportation.

Partners review

Improved data is essential to support better informed decisions and deliver improved transport systems and operations

Marie Colson

Institute for Energy and Environment (IFEU)

I hope that in the next 5 years the Transport Data Commons will be the Google for Data

Wenxin Qiao

World Bank

The TDC is a huge opportunity to make data more accessible for everyone

Jacopo Tattini

Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission

FAQs

What is our background?

“If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it!”

This famous quote by Lord Kelvin (1824–1907) reflects the central principle for achieving sustainable mobility, and subsequently, the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. However, in most low- and middle-income countries, transport data is difficult to access (due to fragmented databases), the quality of the data is poor, or the data is not even collected at all. This is why international development organisations, alongside their partner governments, regularly need to commission experts and consultants to collect transport and emissions data. These great minds do a wonderful job of publishing studies and informing governments and policymakers.

What is the problem?

In many countries, statistical systems are not yet fully developed. As a result, most international organisations collect data for the specific objective and sub-sector together with their partner governments, resulting in a variety of indicators. In addition, information is usually published in PDFs and uploaded to different websites, or sometimes not made publicly available. This makes it difficult to cross-check data and compile consistent time series. Extensive resources are spent on extracting, adjusting, checking and using data, and sometimes efforts are duplicated. Finally, the results are published again in PDFs. A common, shared and frequently updated database for the transport sector is not publicly available—yet.

What could be a solution?

International development organisations, governments, cities, research and data managers and civil society would benefit from data that is accessible and regularly updated and verified. It is important that it is openly available and accessible. There should be a mutually beneficial exchange of information between those collecting and providing data. Our vision is to develop a common data platform where all participating organisations can both contribute and extract transport and emissions data for modelling greenhouse gas emissions and other impacts. Such a 'transport data commons' would create a shared value that the participating organisations could not achieve on their own. In the medium term, it would save money, reduce data gaps and improve the quality of modelling, evaluation, impact assessment and reporting of transport projects.

Who are we?

To start the conversation, GIZ used funds from a German government-funded project on transport MRV to host a co-creation workshop on the sidelines of the ITF Summit in May 2022. A diverse group of 25 people from 21 international organisations and initiatives, as well as representatives from civil society, attended the workshop and, using the design thinking methodology, created a shared vision for a Transport Data Community Initiative (TDCI). Building on this momentum, we then defined a course of action (see our FAQs). Since May 2022, the initiative has grown and welcomed additional partners (see Partners). Three working groups have been established, covering strategy, data architecture and user perspectives. The group coordinates its activities through regular virtual meetings of the full group.

Still have questions?