Open data has the power to help cities achieve their goals. How? By making public information resources accessible to everyone no matter what device they use, open data helps cities empower residents to make better decisions about safety, education and productivity.
To turn that goal into reality, city leaders and other government chief information officers can use consistent formats and systems to organize raw data.
For instance, cities can provide mass transit schedules in the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) format, which gives Bing Maps users the arrival time of the next bus, train or other mass transit service. This could translate to more people using mass transit and less urban congestion.
For more information about open data standards and more examples of how cities, businesses and other organizations can work together to provide information to the public, head over to the Microsoft in Government blog.
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Athima Chansanchai
Microsoft News Center Staff