[Talk-transit] Revisiting the use of ref in bus stops

[Kevin Dalley]

I am using GO-Sync, gtfs-osm-sync, to synchronize data for AC  Transit.

For AC Transit, the gtfs_id, or stop_code, can be used to identify the
stop. That's the number on the sign, and can be as a phone code.

For example,

stop code is 56669

stop_name is: "MacArthur Blvd:Randolph Av"

stop name does not appear on the sign, though variations of this name
appear on the schedule, usually with a "&" rather than ":".

stop_code does appear on sign.

I agree with previous users that, at least for AC Transit, stop_code
should translated to "ref", which a defined meaning for bus_stop.
GO-Sync does not do this, though it would be easy to patch my version,
at least for AC Transit.

and use stop_name as name, which is what GO-Sync does.

Are there recent thoughts on this issue?