SOLUTION SPOTLIGHT
Untangling the National Transportation Atlas Database
CLIENT
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
SERVICES
Data systems management, user experience (UX), data lifecycle optimization, quality assurance
OUTCOMES
MacroSys helped BTS strengthen the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of NTAD.
90+
Datasets organized
80+
Intermodal Layers integrated
SOLUTION SPOTLIGHT
Shaping the Story of Transportation at BTS
CLIENT
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
SERVICES
Strategic communications, speech writing, content management, outreach
OUTCOMES
By using data to tell a story, MacroSys helped BTS deliver speeches and outreach that resonated with audiences and built trust in the agency.
THANKS SO MUCH. THIS HAS BEEN (BY FAR) THE BEST TECH SUPPORT I'VE EVER ENCOUNTERED.
— CTPP user
Untangling a Nationwide Transportation Data Web
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) publishes the National Transportation Atlas Database (NTAD). NTAD is a nationwide collection of maps and data on transportation networks like highways, railways, waterways, and airports. It also contains critical spatial information on bridges and intermodal terminals. It can function as an early warning system, showing natural hazards in our transportation infrastructure.
Without NTAD, transportation planners would not have the reliable data they need for analysis and decision-making across government and industries.
The challenge is that NTAD’s 90+ datasets come from a slew of federal agencies, and these agencies rely on diverse state, regional, local, and private sources. The result was inconsistent standards yielding inconsistent data quality. BTS needed help creating a strong quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program to ensure NTAD’s critical data are reliable for the nation’s transportation planning and private-sector projects.
Putting NTAD Data to the Test
To meet BTS’s need, MacroSys leaned on clear protocols and outputs to untangle the web of data. Our team developed rigorous QA/QC processes for datasets such as Intercity Bus Atlas Routes and Stops and the General Transit Feed Specification.
We worked closely with BTS to create assessment categories, scoring methods, and standardized outputs. The process reviewed each geospatial dataset for integrity, completeness, and compliance with BTS standards across key areas. Analysts carefully examined every NTAD dataset using defined criteria and tools like Esri’s Generate Near Table and Get Unique Values functions.
Boosting Data from Good to Great
MacroSys developed a solution that strengthened the accuracy and consistency of NTAD datasets, making them more reliable and easier to use. Our efforts with dataset managers resulted in an improved system of data collection, integration, cleaning, and management practices. Our customer can now more easily spot problems, remain proactive on data issues, and improve processes for the future.
MacroSys put NTAD datasets to the test, and transportation planners can now look at information that’s more accurate, consistent, and reliable than ever before. NTAD continues to be a trusted national resource that helps agencies, planners, and stakeholders make the best transportation decisions for America.
