In the UK the transport & mobility sector is now the largest emitter of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs). Helpfully though, individuals and businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the emissions generated by their travels and are motivated to minimise these footprints to help reach the Net Zero target by 2050 – the date set in The Paris Agreement when all greenhouse gas emissions will be equal to the emissions removed from the atmosphere.
https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement
Data is key to good decision-making for reaching NetZero. But currently, finding and accessing the data is hard. Consumers and businesses generate a wealth of useful personal transport and mobility data as they move about their lives or work. This includes information about products purchased (tickets acquired), journeys undertaken (routes taken, journey durations, travel dates/times), and travel cost management practices (discounts and off-peak travel strategies). But powerful barriers – technical, legal, commercial – prevent this customer account data from being shared, leaving it under-exploited and often hidden from view.
The UK Government has understood this and coined the term ‘Smart Data’ to refer to the secure sharing of account data with named / authorised third-party providers, upon the customer’s request. The concept started with Open Banking, but a wider adoption of Smart Data is now being implemented, with initiatives such as Open Finance, Open Energy and even Open Telecoms being planned. The UK Government has also formed a Smart Data Council to extend the benefits of Smart Data to new sectors.
The Open Transport Initiative therefore wants to see Smart Data being adopted and implemented for account data sharing across the transport & mobility sector too. With the aim of helping individuals and businesses to further reduce their impact on the planet and transition to a more sustainable future.
Open Transport - Transport & Mobility Data Interoperability 