Why is train data shared with the Belgian gov? - SDF Chatter
lemmy.sdf.org
In Belgium, the national train service runs a protectionist bot-hostile tor-hostile website that chains users to an enshitified js-plagued GUI webapp. You can only query one day and one destination at a time. It’s the typical shit-show that consumers give in to for this kind of website. HOWEVER, Belgium’s open data law requires the gov to share any data they get with the public. And for some reason the gov maintains a DB of the train routes and schedules – which means everyone gets the raw data as a bullshit-free CSV file (but sadly no prices, which fucks everything up as far as being able to avoid the enshitified web entirely). Does anyone know /why/ the gov gets that data? It would be useful to konw what law compels SNCB to share the info because I wonder if other data can be liberated through the same mechanism (such as bus routes, flights, rideshares, etc). My first thought was customs and immigration must have a need-to-know, but the dataset covers both directions and IIRC it only has good coverage of domestic routes not international (strange).

(cross-posted from !opendata)

In Belgium, the national train service runs a protectionist bot-hostile tor-hostile website that chains users to an enshitified js-plagued GUI webapp. You can only query one day and one destination at a time. It’s the typical shit-show that consumers give in to for this kind of website.

HOWEVER, Belgium’s open data law requires the gov to share any data they get with the public. And for some reason the gov maintains a DB of the train routes and schedules – which means everyone gets the raw data as a bullshit-free CSV file (but sadly no prices, which fucks everything up as far as being able to avoid the enshitified web entirely).

Does anyone know /why/ the gov gets that data? It would be useful to konw what law compels SNCB to share the info because I wonder if other data can be liberated through the same mechanism (such as bus routes, flights, rideshares, etc). My first thought was customs and immigration must have a need-to-know, but the dataset covers both directions and IIRC it only has good coverage of domestic routes not international (strange).

  • iii@mander.xyzEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    There used to be an amazing 3rd party NMBS/SNCB scheduler. So many people preferred it over the official one and they had it banned (1).

    I guess NMBS/SNCB must provide their schedule publicly because they share the rail system with other (freight) rail companies? In any case, this API is decent as well (2). I use it to give me near real time notifications of delays and to auto calculate when I’m due reimbursements for too many delays.

    • ciferecaNinjo@fedia.ioOP
      1·
      1 month ago

      The standaard.be site is a disaster for me… can’t reach the text. But I might to unjail that article (perhaps run whatever dodgy JS) at some point and translate it to english.

      I guess NMBS/SNCB must provide their schedule publicly because they share the rail system with other (freight) rail companies?

      The latest EU rail passenger rights legislation requires rail operators to share their schedule and price data with other rail operators and 3rd party ticket vendors, but they are allowed to charge a fee for the data.

      In any case, this API is decent as well (2).

      iRail is in fact an openknowledge.be project where they obtained rail data from the gov using Belgium’s open data law. They do not get price info which for me really reduces the utility of it. I seem to recall that not all routes end up in iRail. I wonder if that’s a result of some non-compliance somewhere… but it’s hard to know without knowing why they must share with the gov.