Transport Data Platforms and Databases

A Landscape Review for a Global Transport Intelligence System

Last updated: 2026-02-09 Status: Research document -- requires validation against live platform URLs Note: This document was compiled from knowledge available up to early 2025. Some platforms evolve rapidly; URLs and feature sets should be verified before integration planning.

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Table of Contents

1. Overview and Purpose
2. Platform Summaries at a Glance
3. OPSIS – Global Spatial Analysis of Infrastructure Networks
4. PortWatch / OxMarTrans – IMF Maritime Transport Monitoring
5. TDCI – Transport Data Collection Instruments
6. HVT – High Volume Transport Programme
7. RECAP – Research for Community Access Partnership
8. ATO – Africa Transport Observatory
9. ITF – International Transport Forum (OECD)
10. World Bank Transport Data
11. UNECE Transport Data Commons
12. ADB Transport Outlook – Asian Development Bank
13. The African Transport Systems Database
14. Transport Atlas (UN Resolution 2C Context)
15. SUM4ALL Global Tracking Framework
16. Cross-Platform Comparison Matrix
17. Recommendations for a Global Transport Intelligence System

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1. Overview and Purpose

This document provides a comprehensive review of twelve transport data platforms and databases that are relevant to the design and construction of a Global Intelligence System for Transport. Each platform is assessed across six dimensions:

• What it is and who operates it
• Data content -- what datasets and indicators are available
• Geographic coverage -- global, regional, or country-specific
• Data access -- APIs, bulk downloads, web interfaces, licensing
• Status -- active, in development, dormant, or archived
• Relevance -- how the platform could contribute to a unified global transport intelligence system

The platforms span the full spectrum from spatial/geospatial infrastructure data (OPSIS, African Transport Systems Database) to statistical observatories (ITF, ATO, UNECE TDC) to real-time monitoring (PortWatch) to research programmes that generate data as a by-product (HVT, RECAP).

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2. Platform Summaries at a Glance

#	Platform	Operator	Type	Coverage	Data Access	Status
1	OPSIS	Oxford / GIRI	Geospatial platform	Global	Web viewer, downloads	Active
2	PortWatch	IMF / Oxford	Real-time monitoring	Global (ports)	Web dashboard, API	Active
3	TDCI	SSATP / World Bank	Survey instruments	Sub-Saharan Africa	PDF/reports	Legacy/updated
4	HVT	FCDO (UK)	Research programme	LMICs (global)	Reports, datasets	Completed (2023)
5	RECAP	FCDO (UK)	Research programme	LMICs (rural)	Reports, datasets	Completed (2023)
6	ATO	African Union / SSATP	Statistical observatory	Africa (54 countries)	Web portal	In development
7	ITF	OECD	Statistics & policy	66+ member countries	Web, API, downloads	Active
8	WB Transport	World Bank	Multi-dataset	Global (focus LMICs)	Open Data API	Active
9	UNECE TDC	UNECE	Data commons	Global (UNECE focus)	Web portal	In development
10	ADB Transport	Asian Dev. Bank	Outlook / statistics	Asia-Pacific	Reports, downloads	Active
11	African Transport DB	Research team	Geospatial database	Africa	Scientific Data / Zenodo	Published
12	Transport Atlas	UN concept	Atlas/framework	Global	Conceptual	Proposed
13	SUM4ALL GTF	World Bank / SuM4All	Composite index & indicators	Global (183 countries)	Web dashboards, PDF	Active

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3. OPSIS – Global Spatial Analysis of Infrastructure Networks

Full details: OPSIS Platform Profile

What It Is

OPSIS (Open Platform for Systemic Infrastructure Spatial analysis) is an open-access web platform for visualising and analysing global infrastructure networks and their exposure to natural hazards and climate risks. It is part of the Global Infrastructure Resilience Initiative (GIRI), developed primarily by the Oxford Programme for Sustainable Infrastructure Systems (OPSIS) at the University of Oxford, in collaboration with the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) at the World Bank and other partners.

• URL: https://global.infrastructureresilience.org/
• Operator: University of Oxford / GFDRR / World Bank
• Launched: Initial versions from ~2021; progressively expanded

Data Content

• Transport networks: Roads (including classification by type), railways, ports, airports, inland waterways
• Energy networks: Power plants, transmission lines, substations
• Water infrastructure: Dams, water treatment, distribution
• Telecommunications: Cell towers, fibre networks
• Hazard layers: Flood (fluvial, pluvial, coastal), cyclone, earthquake, landslide, drought
• Exposure/damage estimates: Modelled damage to infrastructure from natural hazards
• Criticality analysis: Network-level analysis of which infrastructure assets are most critical to service delivery

Geographic Coverage

• Global -- the platform aims for worldwide coverage of major infrastructure networks
• Resolution and completeness vary by region; tends to be more complete in countries with better OpenStreetMap or government data

Data Access

• Web viewer: Interactive map-based exploration at global.infrastructureresilience.org
• Data downloads: Underlying datasets are generally available through associated GitHub repositories and data repositories
• Code: Analysis pipelines are open-source (Python-based), available on GitHub under the nismod (National Infrastructure Systems Model) organisation
• Formats: GeoJSON, GeoPackage, GeoTIFF (for rasters), CSV
• License: Mostly open (Creative Commons / Open Data Commons), though some input datasets have their own restrictions

Current Status

Active and expanding. The platform continues to add countries, hazard scenarios, and analytical capabilities. It was prominently featured at COP and UNDRR Global Platform events.

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

OPSIS is arguably the most directly relevant platform for a spatial/geospatial layer of a global transport intelligence system. It already contains:

• Globally harmonised transport network geometries
• Hazard exposure analysis for transport assets
• Network criticality metrics
• Open-source analytical pipelines that could be extended

Key integration points:

• Transport network geometries as a base spatial layer
• Climate risk overlays for resilience planning
• Criticality analysis methodologies
• Open-source codebase (nismod/open-gira) for custom analysis

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4. PortWatch / OxMarTrans – IMF Maritime Transport Monitoring

Full details: PortWatch Platform Profile

What It Is

PortWatch is a real-time maritime trade and port disruption monitoring platform developed jointly by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Oxford Martin Programme on Future of Trade (OxMarTrans) at the University of Oxford. It tracks vessel movements and port activity globally, with a focus on detecting trade disruptions and estimating their economic impact.

• URL: https://portwatch.imf.org/
• Operator: IMF Research Department & University of Oxford
• Launched: 2022 (beta); progressively enhanced

Data Content

• Port-level trade activity: Vessel calls, cargo throughput estimates, turnaround times for 1,300+ ports globally
• Disruption detection: Automated identification of port closures or abnormal activity drops (e.g., from natural disasters, geopolitical events, COVID-type shocks)
• Trade flow estimates: Bilateral maritime trade flows based on AIS (Automatic Identification System) vessel tracking data
• Climate/hazard exposure: Cyclone tracks, flood zones, and other hazard layers overlaid on port infrastructure
• Economic impact estimates: Modelled GDP and trade impacts of port disruptions, using input-output models
• Historical data: Time series of port activity going back several years

Geographic Coverage

• Global: Covers approximately 1,300+ ports worldwide
• Vessel tracking data (AIS) provides near-global ocean coverage
• Strongest for major commercial ports; smaller ports may have gaps

Data Access

• Web dashboard: Interactive maps and charts at portwatch.imf.org
• API: RESTful API available for programmatic access to port activity data and disruption alerts (documentation available on the platform)
• Bulk downloads: Selected datasets available for download
• Formats: JSON (API), CSV (downloads)
• License: IMF terms of use; generally free for research and non-commercial use

Current Status

Active and regularly updated. The platform receives continuous AIS data feeds and is updated in near-real-time. New analytical features are being added regularly.

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

PortWatch is the leading open platform for maritime transport monitoring and is critical for:

• Real-time situational awareness of maritime trade disruptions
• Supply chain resilience analysis
• Climate risk assessment for port infrastructure
• Trade flow data that complements land-side transport data
• Economic impact modelling of transport disruptions

Key integration points:

• Port activity data as a real-time feed layer
• Disruption alerts for early warning systems
• Trade flow estimates to link maritime and overland logistics
• API integration for automated data ingestion

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5. TDCI – Transport Data Collection Instruments

What It Is

The Transport Data Collection Instruments (TDCI) are a set of standardised survey templates and methodologies developed under the Sub-Saharan Africa Transport Policy Program (SSATP), which is housed at the World Bank. The TDCI were designed to help African countries collect comparable, consistent transport sector data, covering roads, rail, ports, airports, inland waterways, and urban transport.

• Operator: SSATP / World Bank
• Origin: Developed in the early 2000s, updated periodically
• URL: Available through SSATP website (https://www.ssatp.org/)

Data Content

The TDCI are instruments (i.e., survey forms and methodologies), not a database per se. They define what data should be collected:

• Road sub-sector: Network length by classification, condition (IRI), traffic counts, road safety statistics, expenditure
• Rail sub-sector: Track length, rolling stock, freight/passenger volumes, operational statistics
• Maritime/port sub-sector: Port throughput (TEUs, tonnage), vessel calls, dwell times
• Aviation sub-sector: Passenger and cargo volumes, fleet data, airport capacity
• Inland waterways: Network length, vessel counts, cargo volumes
• Urban transport: Fleet size, route coverage, ridership, fare data
• Cross-cutting: Institutional data, financing, policy indicators

Geographic Coverage

• Sub-Saharan Africa primarily, though the methodology could be applied elsewhere
• Designed for use by national transport ministries and statistical agencies

Data Access

• Instrument documents: Available as PDFs/Word documents through SSATP
• Collected data: Held by individual countries; some aggregated through SSATP reports or the Africa Transport Observatory
• No centralised database of TDCI-collected data exists publicly (this is a key gap)

Current Status

Legacy instruments, partially superseded. The TDCI concept has been folded into the broader Africa Transport Observatory (ATO) initiative, which aims to create a centralised platform for the data that TDCI instruments were designed to collect.

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

The TDCI are relevant not as a data source but as a methodological template:

• They demonstrate what a standardised transport data collection framework looks like
• They identify the key indicators needed for transport sector monitoring
• The indicator set could inform the schema design of a global transport intelligence system
• Their adoption challenges (incomplete rollout, inconsistent use) provide lessons for any global data harmonisation effort

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6. HVT – High Volume Transport Programme

What It Is

The High Volume Transport (HVT) Applied Research Programme was a FCDO-funded (UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) research programme focused on improving transport in low- and middle-income countries. It concentrated on "high volume" corridors -- major roads, railways, and urban transport systems that carry the bulk of passenger and freight traffic.

• Operator: FCDO, managed by IMC Worldwide (now DT Global)
• URL: https://transport-links.com/hvt/ (archived)
• Duration: 2017--2023
• Budget: Approximately GBP 17.5 million

Data Content

HVT produced research outputs rather than operational databases, including:

• Road safety research: Crash data analysis, road safety audit methodologies, star rating data
• Climate resilience: Vulnerability assessments for transport corridors, climate adaptation case studies
• Urban transport: Bus system performance data, informal transport surveys, mobility data analysis
• Gender and inclusion: Transport accessibility studies, gender-disaggregated travel data
• Asset management: Road condition data, maintenance decision support tools
• Economic analysis: Transport cost studies, economic appraisal methodologies

Geographic Coverage

• Global focus on LMICs: Research conducted in countries across Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia
• Key country studies in Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and others

Data Access

• Reports and tools: Published on transport-links.com and through academic journals
• Datasets: Some research datasets deposited in the UK Data Archive or published as supplementary materials
• Tools: Several software tools developed (e.g., road safety tools, climate vulnerability tools)
• License: Generally open access for research outputs

Current Status

Completed (2023). The programme has ended, but outputs remain available through the transport-links.com archive and academic publications. Some tools continue to be used by partner organisations.

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

HVT's value lies in its research methodologies and datasets for LMICs:

• Road safety analysis frameworks applicable to countries with limited data
• Climate vulnerability assessment methods for transport infrastructure
• Urban transport data collection methodologies (particularly for informal transport)
• Evidence base for transport investment decisions in data-poor environments

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7. RECAP – Research for Community Access Partnership

What It Is

The Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP) was a FCDO-funded research programme focused on rural and low-volume road access in low-income countries. It was the counterpart to HVT, addressing the "last mile" connectivity challenge rather than high-volume corridors.

• Operator: FCDO, managed by Cardno (now DT Global)
• URL: https://transport-links.com/recap/ (archived)
• Duration: 2014--2023
• Budget: Approximately GBP 16 million
• Predecessor programmes: AFCAP (Africa Community Access Partnership), ASCAP (Asia Community Access Partnership)

Data Content

• Rural road inventories: Condition surveys, traffic counts on low-volume roads
• Rural Access Index (RAI): Methodological work on measuring the proportion of rural populations within 2 km of an all-season road -- a key SDG indicator (SDG 9.1.1)
• Rural transport services: Studies of intermediate means of transport, motorcycle taxis, boat transport
• Materials research: Local materials for road construction (e.g., marginal materials, recycled materials)
• Bridge/river crossing inventories: Data on rural connectivity gaps
• Climate vulnerability: Climate impact assessments on rural roads

Geographic Coverage

• Sub-Saharan Africa: Through AFCAP -- Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Ghana, Sierra Leone, DRC, South Sudan, and others
• South and Southeast Asia: Through ASCAP -- Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh

Data Access

• Reports: Published on transport-links.com
• RAI data: Some Rural Access Index data feeds into World Bank and UN statistics
• Research datasets: Selectively available through UK Data Archive
• Tools: Rural road investment prioritisation tools

Current Status

Completed (2023). Like HVT, the programme has concluded but outputs remain accessible. The Rural Access Index methodology continues to be used by the World Bank and UN for SDG monitoring.

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

RECAP is critical for the rural accessibility dimension of a global transport system:

• The RAI methodology is the basis for SDG indicator 9.1.1 and is directly relevant to measuring transport access
• Rural road condition and inventory data fills gaps not covered by major geospatial databases
• Methodologies for data collection in extremely data-poor environments
• Evidence on transport services (not just infrastructure) in rural areas

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8. ATO – Africa Transport Observatory

What It Is

The Africa Transport Observatory (ATO) is a continental transport data platform being developed under the auspices of the African Union Commission (AUC) with support from the SSATP (World Bank) and other partners. It aims to be the central repository for transport statistics across all 54 African Union member states, covering all transport modes.

• Operator: African Union Commission, with SSATP/World Bank technical support
• URL: https://ato.africa/ (or via SSATP)
• Governance: Overseen by AU transport ministers and a technical committee

Data Content

The ATO is designed to collect and publish:

• Road transport: Network length, condition, traffic, safety, expenditure
• Rail transport: Network, operations, freight/passenger statistics
• Maritime/ports: Port throughput, vessel traffic, connectivity indices
• Aviation: Airport statistics, route connectivity, passenger/cargo volumes
• Inland waterways: Where applicable
• Urban transport: Emerging module
• Cross-cutting indicators: Transport costs, transit times along corridors, border crossing times
• Corridor monitoring: Performance metrics for key trade corridors (e.g., Northern Corridor, Maputo Corridor)

Geographic Coverage

• All 54 African Union member states
• Data completeness varies enormously by country and indicator

Data Access

• Web portal: Dashboard-style interface with maps and charts
• Country profiles: Summary statistics by country
• Data download: Limited download functionality in current versions
• No public API at present (as of early 2025)

Current Status

In development / partially operational. The ATO has been under development for several years. Some country data and corridor monitoring data is available, but coverage remains incomplete. Data quality and timeliness vary significantly. The platform depends on voluntary data submission by national agencies.

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

The ATO is the most ambitious continental transport data initiative for Africa:

• If successful, it would provide standardised transport statistics for the entire continent
• Corridor monitoring data is uniquely valuable for trade facilitation analysis
• The platform's challenges (data gaps, institutional capacity, sustainability) are instructive for any global-scale effort
• A global transport intelligence system should integrate with ATO rather than duplicate its coverage for Africa

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9. ITF – International Transport Forum (OECD)

What It Is

The International Transport Forum (ITF) is an intergovernmental organisation within the OECD family with 66 member countries. It serves as a think tank for transport policy and maintains one of the most comprehensive transport statistics databases for its member (primarily high-income) countries.

• Operator: OECD / ITF Secretariat (Paris)
• URL: https://www.itf-oecd.org/
• Statistics portal: https://stats.itf-oecd.org/
• Members: 66 countries (mostly OECD + selected others)

Data Content

The ITF statistics database includes:

• Freight transport: Tonne-kilometres by mode (road, rail, inland waterway, pipeline, sea, air)
• Passenger transport: Passenger-kilometres by mode
• Infrastructure: Road/rail/waterway network lengths and characteristics
• Road safety: Comprehensive road crash and fatality statistics (IRTAD database)
• Vehicle fleet: Vehicle registrations by type
• Investment and maintenance: Transport infrastructure spending
• CO2 emissions: Transport-related emissions by mode and country
• Urban mobility indicators: Emerging dataset
• Logistics performance: Trade facilitation indicators

Geographic Coverage

• 66 member countries: Primarily OECD nations plus Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Morocco, Tunisia, UAE, and others
• Additional data through partnerships for non-member countries
• IRTAD (road safety) covers ~40 countries with detailed data

Data Access

• Statistics portal: stats.itf-oecd.org with interactive query tools
• OECD.Stat API: SDMX-based API for programmatic access
• Bulk downloads: CSV and Excel downloads available
• Transport Outlook: Published every 2-3 years with projections to 2050
• Formats: SDMX, CSV, Excel
• License: OECD terms of use; generally open for non-commercial use

Current Status

Active and well-established. ITF statistics are updated annually. The Transport Outlook provides long-term projections. The ITF Summit (held annually) drives policy discussions.

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

ITF provides the gold standard for transport statistics in high-income countries:

• Time-series data going back decades for OECD countries
• Standardised definitions and collection methodologies (the "International Transport Statistics" framework)
• The SDMX-based API enables automated data ingestion
• Transport Outlook projections are invaluable for forward-looking analysis
• IRTAD road safety data is the most authoritative cross-country crash database
• Gap: limited coverage of low-income countries

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10. World Bank Transport Data

What It Is

The World Bank maintains multiple transport-related datasets across its Open Data platform, project databases, and specialised programmes. This is not a single platform but a constellation of transport data resources held by the World Bank Group.

• Operator: World Bank Group
• URL (Open Data): https://data.worldbank.org/
• URL (Transport): https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/transport
• Logistics Performance Index: https://lpi.worldbank.org/

Data Content

Key transport-related datasets include:

• World Development Indicators (WDI): Basic transport indicators (road density, vehicle ownership, air transport, rail) for all countries
• Logistics Performance Index (LPI): Survey-based index of trade logistics performance (customs, infrastructure, tracking, timeliness) for 160 countries, published every 2 years
• Rural Access Index (RAI): Proportion of rural population within 2 km of all-season road (SDG 9.1.1)
• Doing Business / B-READY: Transport and trade facilitation indicators (trading across borders)
• Road safety data: Contributions to WHO Global Status Report
• Project-level data: Transport infrastructure project appraisals, implementation data, evaluations
• SSATP data: African transport statistics through the SSATP programme
• Climate and transport: Transport sector climate vulnerability data through GFDRR

Geographic Coverage

• Global: WDI covers 217 economies
• Strongest for developing countries where the World Bank has operational programmes

Data Access

• Open Data API: RESTful API (data.worldbank.org/api) with extensive documentation
• Bulk downloads: CSV, Excel, and API access for most datasets
• DataBank: Interactive query tool for WDI and other databases
• Microdata Library: Survey microdata (including transport surveys) available with varying access levels
• Formats: CSV, JSON, XML, Excel
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) for most datasets

Current Status

Active and continuously updated. The World Bank's open data commitment means most transport data is freely accessible. The LPI is updated biennially. WDI is updated annually.

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

The World Bank is the single most important institutional source of transport data for developing countries:

• Global coverage with standardised definitions
• Well-documented, mature API for data ingestion
• The LPI is the go-to measure of logistics performance
• Project-level data provides ground truth on infrastructure investments
• RAI data is the key rural accessibility metric
• Integration via the Open Data API would be straightforward

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11. UNECE Transport Data Commons

Full details: UNECE Transport Data Commons Profile

What It Is

The UNECE Transport Data Commons (TDC) is an emerging initiative by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Inland Transport Committee to create a shared, interoperable platform for transport data. It aims to go beyond traditional statistical databases by establishing common data standards, ontologies, and exchange protocols that would allow disparate transport data systems to interoperate.

• Operator: UNECE Inland Transport Committee (ITC)
• URL: https://unece.org/transport (general); TDC materials distributed through ITC working groups
• Governance: UNECE Working Party on Transport Statistics (WP.6) and related expert groups

Data Content

The TDC concept encompasses:

• Statistical data: Traditional transport statistics (freight, passenger, infrastructure, safety) already collected by UNECE through annual questionnaires
• Geospatial data: Transport network data with geographic references
• Real-time data: Aspirational -- integration of real-time traffic and logistics data
• Metadata standards: Common definitions, classifications, and quality frameworks
• Data exchange protocols: Standardised formats for data sharing between national and international systems

Existing UNECE transport statistics include:

• Annual road, rail, inland waterway, and pipeline statistics for 56 UNECE member states
• Road traffic accident statistics
• Census of Motor Traffic on Main International Traffic Arteries (E-road census)
• Transport of Dangerous Goods statistics
• Vehicle type approval data

Geographic Coverage

• 56 UNECE member states: Europe, Central Asia, North America (US, Canada)
• The TDC aspiration is to develop standards that could be adopted globally

Data Access

• UNECE Statistical Database: https://w3.unece.org/PXWeb/en -- traditional query interface
• Bulk downloads: Available for UNECE statistical publications
• TDC platform: Under development; not yet publicly available as an integrated platform
• Formats: PX (PC-Axis), CSV, Excel for current statistics
• Aspirational: SDMX, linked data, API access for the TDC

Current Status

In development. The TDC is a strategic initiative that has been discussed at UNECE ITC sessions since approximately 2020-2021. Conceptual frameworks and pilot activities exist, but a fully operational "data commons" platform is not yet available. The initiative is progressing through working group discussions and pilot projects.

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

The UNECE TDC is perhaps the most conceptually aligned initiative with a global transport intelligence system:

• It directly addresses data interoperability and standardisation
• The standards and ontologies being developed could form the backbone of a global system
• UNECE's convening power means standards have a path to adoption
• Existing UNECE statistics provide a solid foundation for European and Central Asian coverage
• Gap: the TDC is still early-stage and may take years to fully materialise

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12. ADB Transport Outlook – Asian Development Bank

What It Is

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) publishes transport data and analysis primarily through its Transport Sector Assessment, Strategy, and Road Map documents and the broader Asian Development Outlook publications. ADB also maintains project-level transport data and supports transport statistics development in its member countries.

• Operator: Asian Development Bank
• URL: https://www.adb.org/sectors/transport
• Data portal: https://data.adb.org/
• Key Statistics: https://kidb.adb.org/ (Key Indicators Database)

Data Content

• Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific: Transport-related indicators (road density, vehicle registration, freight, passengers) for ADB developing member countries
• Transport sector assessments: Country-level transport sector diagnostics with detailed data
• Project data: Transport infrastructure project information, financing, and evaluation
• Cross-border transport: Data on trade corridors (e.g., Greater Mekong Subregion, CAREC corridors)
• Urban transport: Data from urban transport projects and technical assistance
• Road safety: Regional road safety data and analysis
• Climate and transport: Climate risk assessments for transport infrastructure

Geographic Coverage

• Asia-Pacific: 49 ADB developing member countries across Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands
• Strongest coverage for countries with active ADB lending programmes

Data Access

• Key Indicators Database (KIDB): Online query tool with basic transport statistics
• ADB Data Library: Open data portal (data.adb.org) with downloadable datasets
• API: ADB Data API available for programmatic access
• Reports: Sector assessments, working papers, and technical reports freely available
• Formats: CSV, Excel, PDF
• License: Generally open access under ADB's open data policy

Current Status

Active. ADB regularly publishes transport sector data and analysis. The Key Indicators Database is updated annually. Transport sector assessments are produced for individual countries on a rolling basis.

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

ADB provides the best institutional coverage of Asian transport data:

• Key Indicators Database fills gaps for countries poorly covered by OECD/ITF statistics
• Corridor monitoring data (GMS, CAREC) provides trade facilitation metrics
• Project-level data gives ground truth on infrastructure investments in Asia
• Climate and transport analysis for the region

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13. The African Transport Systems Database

Full details: African Transport Systems Database Profile

What It Is

The African Transport Systems Database is a comprehensive geospatial database of transport infrastructure across Africa, published as a data descriptor in the journal Scientific Data (Nature). It provides harmonised, continent-wide data on road, rail, port, airport, and waterway infrastructure compiled from multiple sources including OpenStreetMap, government data, and satellite-derived datasets.

• Published in: Scientific Data (Nature Publishing Group)
• Authors: Research team associated with infrastructure/transport geography research (the specific author team should be verified from the publication)
• Data repository: Zenodo and/or figshare (open repository)
• Publication year: Circa 2023-2024

Data Content

• Road network: Classified road network (primary, secondary, tertiary, trunk) with attributes (surface type, condition where available, lanes)
• Rail network: Operational and non-operational rail lines with gauge and status
• Ports: Port locations with throughput data where available
• Airports: Airport locations with runway data and traffic statistics where available
• Inland waterways: Navigable waterway network
• Administrative boundaries: Linked to country and sub-national administrative units
• Accessibility metrics: Calculated travel time surfaces and accessibility indicators

Geographic Coverage

• All 54 African countries
• Resolution varies; road network data is most complete for primary and secondary roads
• Rural/tertiary road coverage depends heavily on OpenStreetMap completeness

Data Access

• Scientific Data paper: Peer-reviewed data descriptor with full methodology documentation
• Data repository: Open download from Zenodo/figshare
• Formats: GeoPackage, Shapefile, GeoJSON, CSV
• License: Open (typically CC BY 4.0)
• Code: Processing scripts typically available on GitHub

Current Status

Published and static. As a research publication, this is a snapshot dataset. It is not continuously updated, though the authors may publish updated versions. The value lies in the harmonisation and documentation effort.

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

This database is uniquely valuable for African transport infrastructure:

• Provides a single, harmonised, quality-controlled geospatial dataset for the entire continent
• Peer-reviewed methodology ensures data quality documentation
• Open license enables unrestricted use
• Could serve as the baseline Africa layer in a global transport system
• Complements OPSIS (which has global coverage but may differ in African detail)
• Limitation: static snapshot requires periodic updating

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14. Transport Atlas (UN Resolution 2C Context)

What It Is

The Transport Atlas concept emerges from discussions around UN General Assembly Resolution 78/2C (and related resolutions) on sustainable transport, which called for improved global transport data and analytics. The idea is to create a comprehensive, UN-backed atlas of global transport systems that would support monitoring of transport-related SDGs and inform policy decisions.

• Context: UN General Assembly resolutions on sustainable transport
• Lead agencies: UN DESA, UNECE, regional commissions, potentially UN-Habitat for urban transport
• Status: Conceptual / early planning stage

Data Content (Aspirational)

The Transport Atlas concept envisions:

• Global transport network maps: Comprehensive geospatial data on all modes
• Transport performance indicators: Standardised metrics across countries
• SDG monitoring data: Particularly SDG 9.1.1 (Rural Access Index), SDG 11.2 (public transport access), SDG 3.6 (road safety)
• Climate and transport: Emissions data and climate vulnerability assessments
• Transport connectivity indices: Measures of how well countries and regions are connected

Geographic Coverage

• Global -- all UN member states (aspirational)

Data Access

• Not yet available as a platform
• Would likely build on existing UN data systems (UNECE statistics, UN SDG databases, regional commission data)

Current Status

Proposed / conceptual. The Transport Atlas does not yet exist as an operational platform. It is a policy aspiration that has been discussed in UN forums. Its realisation depends on political commitment, funding, and institutional coordination among UN agencies.

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

The Transport Atlas represents the political and institutional aspiration that a global transport intelligence system could help realise:

• It signals demand from the international community for better global transport data
• A bottom-up technical effort (building a global transport intelligence system) could provide the data infrastructure that a top-down policy initiative (Transport Atlas) needs
• Aligning with the Transport Atlas concept could provide political support and institutional buy-in for a technical platform

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15. SUM4ALL Global Tracking Framework

What It Is

The Global Tracking Framework for Transport (GTF) is the first-ever global repository of transport data and indicators, maintained by the Sustainable Mobility for All (SuM4All) partnership — a consortium of 55+ international transport organisations convened by the World Bank. It provides 60+ indicators across 183 countries, organised around four policy goals (Universal Access, Efficiency, Safety, Green Mobility), and produces the Global Sustainable Mobility Index (GSMI) — a composite score for cross-country benchmarking.

• URL: https://sum4all.org/global-tracking-framework
• Online tool: https://sum4all.org/online-tool (Policy Decision-Making Tool 3.0)
• World Bank portal: https://datatopics.worldbank.org/sum4all/
• Operator: World Bank Group / SuM4All partnership
• Launched: 2017 (GTF 1.0); current: GTF 3.0 (2022)

Data Content

• 7 principal indicators mapped to 4 policy goals (Rural Access Index, LPI, road mortality, transport GHG)
• 53 supporting indicators covering all transport modes (road, rail, air, maritime)
• GSMI composite score ranking 183 countries on transport sustainability
• Country dashboards with sustainability gap analysis per goal
• Upstream data from: World Bank WDI, WHO, IEA, UNCTAD, ILO, WEF, ITDP, Climate Watch

Geographic Coverage

• 183 countries — near-global coverage
• Completeness depends on upstream source reporting; LMIC gaps mirror World Bank/WHO/IEA gaps

Data Access

• Web dashboards and PDF reports (no public API, no bulk CSV/JSON download)
• Most underlying indicators accessible via upstream APIs already documented in the Data Access Audit
• Indicator-to-source mapping: GTF Sources PDF

Current Status

Active. GTF 3.0 published in 2022 with 16 new indicators added. Regularly updated with new data. GSMI covers 183 countries (up from fewer in earlier versions).

Relevance to Global Transport Intelligence

The GTF is uniquely valuable as a framework and benchmarking tool:

• Provides a ready-made taxonomy (4 goals) for organising transport indicators
• GSMI enables cross-country comparison that no other source offers
• Its indicator selection serves as a curated "what matters" list for transport policy
• Identifies several upstream sources not yet in our audit (UNCTAD, IEA, WEF, ITDP)
• The 4-goal structure could inform how we organise data in the intelligence system
• Limitation: no programmatic access — replication from upstream APIs is the preferred integration path

Full dataset profile: sum4all-gtf.md

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16. Cross-Platform Comparison Matrix

By Data Type

Data Type	OPSIS	PortWatch	ITF	WB	UNECE	ADB	ATO	AfricanDB	SUM4ALL
Road network geometry	Yes	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	--
Rail network geometry	Yes	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	--
Port locations/data	Yes	Yes	Partial	Partial	Partial	Partial	Partial	Yes	Partial
Airport data	Yes	--	Partial	Partial	Partial	Partial	Partial	Yes	Partial
Freight statistics	--	Yes	Yes	Partial	Yes	Partial	Partial	--	Partial
Passenger statistics	--	--	Yes	Partial	Yes	Partial	Partial	--	Partial
Road safety	--	--	Yes	Partial	Yes	Partial	Partial	--	Yes
Climate/hazard risk	Yes	Yes	--	Partial	--	Partial	--	--	Partial
Real-time monitoring	--	Yes	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Logistics performance	--	Partial	Partial	Yes (LPI)	--	Partial	Partial	--	Yes
Investment/spending	--	--	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Partial	--	Partial
Composite index/ranking	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes (GSMI)

By Technical Capability

Capability	OPSIS	PortWatch	ITF	WB	UNECE	ADB	ATO	AfricanDB	SUM4ALL
Public API	Partial	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	N/A	No
Bulk download	Yes	Partial	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Limited	Yes	No
Open license	Yes	Restricted	Restricted	CC BY 4.0	Open	Open	TBD	CC BY 4.0	WB terms
Machine-readable	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Partial	Yes	Limited	Yes	No
Real-time updates	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Open-source code	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	Partial	No

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17. Recommendations for a Global Transport Intelligence System

Tier 1: Core Data Sources (integrate first)

1. OPSIS / open-gira -- Use as the foundational geospatial layer for transport networks globally. Leverage the open-source analysis codebase.
2. PortWatch -- Integrate as the maritime monitoring layer, providing real-time port activity and trade flow data.
3. World Bank Open Data -- Use the API to ingest key transport indicators (WDI, LPI, RAI) for all countries.
4. ITF Statistics -- Integrate via SDMX API for high-quality time-series data for OECD+ countries.

Tier 2: Regional Enrichment (add for depth)

5. African Transport Systems Database -- Use as the detailed Africa layer, complementing OPSIS.

6. ADB Key Indicators -- Fill Asia-Pacific gaps in ITF coverage.

7. ATO -- Monitor and integrate as the platform matures; valuable for African corridor data.

8. UNECE Statistics -- Use existing statistics for Europe/Central Asia; watch TDC development.

9. SUM4ALL GTF -- Adopt the 4-goal taxonomy and GSMI methodology; replicate from upstream APIs rather than scraping. Use as the reference framework for indicator selection and country benchmarking.

Tier 3: Methodological and Conceptual (inform design)

9. TDCI -- Use indicator framework to inform the global system's schema design.
10. HVT / RECAP -- Draw on research datasets and methodologies, particularly for data-poor environments and rural access.
11. Transport Atlas -- Align with the UN vision to build institutional support.
12. UNECE TDC -- Adopt emerging standards and ontologies as they are published.

Key Gaps to Address

• Real-time road transport data: No platform provides global real-time road traffic data (PortWatch does this for maritime)
• Urban transport / public transit: Weak coverage across all platforms; consider GTFS aggregators (e.g., Transitland, OpenMobilityData)
• Freight logistics (overland): Limited data on trucking, warehousing, last-mile delivery
• Transport services (vs. infrastructure): Most platforms focus on physical assets; service frequency, reliability, and cost data is scarce
• Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Central Asia: Systematic coverage gaps across most platforms

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This document serves as a foundation for designing data integration strategies for a Global Transport Intelligence System. Each platform profile should be validated against current platform URLs and documentation before integration work begins.

AIS Data Providers --> Raw vessel positions (billions of points)
        |
        v
  Port boundary matching --> Vessel enters/exits port polygons
        |
        v
  Vessel classification --> Type, size, cargo estimation
        |
        v
  Trade flow estimation --> Origin-destination pairs, bilateral trade
        |
        v
  Anomaly detection --> Disruption alerts, deviation from baselines
        |
        v
  Economic modelling --> GDP/trade impact estimates
        |
        v
  PortWatch Dashboard --> Web interface and API