Terms of Use – STO’s open data and API key
The Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) provides developers (hereinafter also called “users”) with royalty-free non-exclusive access to its open data. It authorizes, for personal or commercial purposes, the use, reproduction, dissemination, application and inclusion of its open data in products, Internet services or mobile apps for the benefit of everyone around the world.
By accessing, downloading or using the STO’s open data, a developer declares that it has read and understood the obligations and conditions of these Terms of Use, which are also available in the downloadable ZIP file containing all of the GTFS files (GTFS.zip).
Copyright and non-exclusivity
The STO is and shall remain the owner of any rights, titles or interests of any nature in its open data, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, its rights to the intellectual property related to the information, including all copyrights.
By accessing, using, modifying or redistributing the STO's open data, a developer is granted non-exclusive, limited and revocable rights to use, reproduce and redistribute this information.
By accessing, using, modifying or redistributing the STO's open data, a developer acknowledges and agrees that it is not acquiring any rights as to the use of any official STO mark, such as the logo, or any copyrighted material, unless it has requested and obtained prior written authorization to do so from the STO.
Users must restrict themselves to using the open data as provided by the STO for integration into apps or other services. The STO cannot, under any circumstances, guarantee the validity of any information that may have been obtained by means other than through the open data provided for sharing with the public.
A developer must incorporate and display the STO's open data on a website, mobile site, mobile app or any online or other platform in such a way that it does not alter or dilute the reputation and renown of the STO or any of its trademarks, and must not present the data in such a way that can cause confusion, or discredit or disparage the reputation of the STO in the eyes of the public.
Displaying the STO's open data must not imply or give the impression that an organization or business is sponsored by, affiliated or associated with the STO. The STO reserves the right to demand that a developer remove STO information or post a cautionary note that the platform is not an official STO platform and is not endorsed by STO.
Should the STO observe any use of its open data or an API key that does not comply with these Terms of Use, the STO reserves the right to demand the immediate removal of that data from any app or service using its open data, or to terminate or suspend a developer's access to an API key without prior notice.
These Terms of Use may change over time, and if so, the STO will notify developers by means of a notice on its website on the page for downloading updates.
Access to the STO’s open data and mention of source
Users of the STO's open data acknowledge that it is in the STO's interests to ensure the validity of the open data and that the STO makes the necessary effort to maintain the validity of said open data.
The STO's planned open data is presented in standard GTFS (General Transit Feed Specification) format.
The STO's realtime open data is presented in standard GTFS-RT (General Transit Feed Specification Real Time) format, with the exception of the Custom TripUpdate.pb file, which is not consistent with the established standards. Its use requires adjustments and modifications to a developer’s app program to ensure that the information disseminated to customers is accurate.
The use of this Custom TripUpdate.pd file is therefore conditional on making the necessary changes in compliance with the Conditions d'utilisation et profil d'implémentation des flux GTFS-RT 2.0 de la STO document (available in French only). Should the user fail to do so, the STO reserves the right to cancel or suspend its access to an API key without prior notice. The STO shall not be held liable for any modification made by a developer related to the Conditions d’utilisation et profil d'implémentation des flux GTFS-RT 2.0 document provided by the STO.
This open data is offered with no guarantee against interruptions or failure, or that the information is free of irregularities, errors or bugs.
The STO reserves the right to modify, or temporarily or permanently discontinue access to all or part of the open data at any time and for whatever reason, with or without giving prior notice to this effect.
Users of the STO's open data agree that the STO cannot be held liable for any modification, suspension or cessation of access to or the availability of the open data. A developer who uses the STO's open data does so at its own risk and assumes all risk of errors or material damage to their computer systems.
Users of the STO's open data are required to state the source of the data posted and the date of the last update used, as follows:
“This service incorporates the open data provided by the Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO). The STO is not responsible for the accuracy of the information generated by this app. Last update: YYYY-MM-DD.”
The STO reserves the right to demand that this statement be removed if its use is deemed to be illegitimate or contrary to the public interest.
By making its open data public, the STO expects users to use the open data in accordance with good practices. The STO and its employees are not available for and cannot commit to offering support or guidance to users of its open data.
The STO recommends that, if needed, developers consult the many sources of information already available online regarding the use of GTFS files, such as:
https://developers.google.com/transit/gtfs/
The STO and its employees cannot be held responsible for any foreseeable or unforeseeable damage (including the loss of profits or opportunities) resulting from the use or the total or partial inability to use the STO’s open data.
Users of the STO's open data agree to indemnify and hold harmless the STO, its officers, directors and employees from and against all fines, suits, proceedings, claims, causes of action, demands or liabilities of any kind or of any nature arising out of or in connection with their use of STO's open data.
User data
Users of the STO’s open data undertake to not transfer, sell or commercialize user data. User data may not be publicly released without prior approval in writing by the STO. Such approval may be denied for any reason at the sole discretion of the STO.
Additional provisions – API key
Access to the API service is offered for free, on a limited and revocable basis. There is a limit of one API key per user.
Every API key carries a default limit on connections or calls, per day. Files are generated every 30 seconds, and are limited to 120 downloads every 10 minutes. That limit is for all files, not per file. If that limit is exceeded, access to the records may be withdrawn.
The purpose of that limit is to avoid any abuse or issue related to improper use or programming. The STO reserves the right to modify that limit without prior notice. Users may apply in writing to the STO to have the limit increased if demand exceeds the number of connections granted. The STO reserves the right to approve or deny any request at its sole discretion.
The STO is entitled to deny a user's application for an API key. The STO is also entitled to terminate or suspend a user's access to an API key without prior notice if it deems that the Terms of Use have not been met or will cause it harm, or for any of the following reasons, among others:
- hinder or disrupt STO services or servers;
- bypass or modify API keys;
- request access to an API account/key for other developers;
- transfer an API key to another user;
- unauthorized access to a registered API account;
- access to more than one API key, regardless of how it was achieved;
- identification of an API service user without its authorization; or
- transmission of malware connected to the API service.
Other provisions
The invalidity of any of the provisions in these Terms of Use will not in any way nullify these Terms of Use, which shall then be read as though the provision were not included.
The STO shall not be considered in default pursuant to these Terms of Use if performance, in whole or in part, is delayed or prevented as a result of force majeure or any other event that is beyond the STO's control.