diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index b525edaba..19d91f679 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.github.ibi-group</groupId>
             <artifactId>gtfs-lib</artifactId>
-            <version>2bd924c6e5f5244a279c9d94298c14c0b3d47b35</version>
+            <version>e623aef54deba8c95d34e2f7c6760bc055612193</version>
             <!-- Latest dev-flex build on jitpack.io -->
             <!-- Exclusions added in order to silence SLF4J warnings about multiple bindings:
                 http://www.slf4j.org/codes.html#multiple_bindings
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/DataManager.java b/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/DataManager.java
index a201c2912..9c74f8527 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/DataManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/DataManager.java
@@ -210,12 +210,11 @@ static void registerRoutes() throws IOException {
             // NOTE: fare_attributes controller handles updates to nested table fare_rules.
             new EditorControllerImpl(EDITOR_API_PREFIX, Table.FARE_ATTRIBUTES, DataManager.GTFS_DATA_SOURCE);
             new EditorControllerImpl(EDITOR_API_PREFIX, Table.FEED_INFO, DataManager.GTFS_DATA_SOURCE);
-            // NOTE: AREA and STOP_AREAS are additions for GTFS Flex but belong to the Fares v2 specification:
-            new EditorControllerImpl(EDITOR_API_PREFIX, Table.STOP_AREAS, DataManager.GTFS_DATA_SOURCE);
-            new EditorControllerImpl(EDITOR_API_PREFIX, Table.AREA, DataManager.GTFS_DATA_SOURCE);
             // NOTE: Booking rules, locations and location shapes are GTFS Flex additions.
             new EditorControllerImpl(EDITOR_API_PREFIX, Table.BOOKING_RULES, DataManager.GTFS_DATA_SOURCE);
             new EditorControllerImpl(EDITOR_API_PREFIX, Table.LOCATIONS, DataManager.GTFS_DATA_SOURCE);
+            new EditorControllerImpl(EDITOR_API_PREFIX, Table.LOCATION_GROUP, DataManager.GTFS_DATA_SOURCE);
+            new EditorControllerImpl(EDITOR_API_PREFIX, Table.LOCATION_GROUP_STOPS, DataManager.GTFS_DATA_SOURCE);
             new EditorControllerImpl(EDITOR_API_PREFIX, Table.LOCATION_SHAPES, DataManager.GTFS_DATA_SOURCE);
             new EditorControllerImpl(EDITOR_API_PREFIX, Table.ROUTES, DataManager.GTFS_DATA_SOURCE);
             // NOTE: Patterns controller handles updates to nested tables shapes, pattern stops, and frequencies.
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/feedmerge/MergeFeedsResult.java b/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/feedmerge/MergeFeedsResult.java
index 46f980d09..b9f848b4c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/feedmerge/MergeFeedsResult.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/feedmerge/MergeFeedsResult.java
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public class MergeFeedsResult implements Serializable {
      * Track various table ids for resolving foreign references.
      */
     public Set<String> stopIds = new HashSet<>();
-    public Set<String> stopAreaIds = new HashSet<>();
+    public Set<String> locationGroupStopIds = new HashSet<>();
 
     /**
      * Track the set of route IDs to end up in the merged feed in order to determine which route_attributes
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/feedmerge/MergeLineContext.java b/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/feedmerge/MergeLineContext.java
index 15d9a77c2..c8ff7a1f9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/feedmerge/MergeLineContext.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/feedmerge/MergeLineContext.java
@@ -246,8 +246,8 @@ private void setForeignReferenceKeyValues() {
             case "stops":
                 mergeFeedsResult.stopIds.add(getIdWithScope(keyValue));
                 break;
-            case "stop_areas":
-                mergeFeedsResult.stopAreaIds.add(getIdWithScope(keyValue));
+            case "location_group_stops":
+                mergeFeedsResult.locationGroupStopIds.add(getIdWithScope(keyValue));
                 break;
             default:
                 // nothing.
@@ -272,16 +272,15 @@ private Table getReferenceTable(FieldContext fieldContext, Field field) {
                     getTableScopedValue(Table.CALENDAR_DATES, fieldContext.getValue())
                 );
             case STOP_TIMES_STOP_ID_KEY:
-                return ReferenceTableDiscovery.getStopTimeStopIdReferenceTable(
+                return ReferenceTableDiscovery.getStopTimeReferenceTable(
                     fieldContext.getValueToWrite(),
                     mergeFeedsResult,
                     feedMergeContext.locationIds
                 );
-            case STOP_AREA_STOP_ID_KEY:
-                return ReferenceTableDiscovery.getStopAreaAreaIdReferenceTable(
+            case LOCATION_GROUP_STOPS_STOP_ID_KEY:
+                return ReferenceTableDiscovery.getLocationGroupStopReferenceTable(
                     fieldContext.getValueToWrite(),
-                    mergeFeedsResult,
-                    feedMergeContext.locationIds
+                    mergeFeedsResult
                 );
             default:
                 return null;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/feedmerge/ReferenceTableDiscovery.java b/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/feedmerge/ReferenceTableDiscovery.java
index 00e5f9afe..1aa8ac4f5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/feedmerge/ReferenceTableDiscovery.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/feedmerge/ReferenceTableDiscovery.java
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ public enum ReferenceTableKey {
                 Table.SCHEDULE_EXCEPTIONS.name
             )
         ),
-        STOP_AREA_STOP_ID_KEY(
+        LOCATION_GROUP_STOPS_STOP_ID_KEY(
             String.join(
                 REF_TABLE_SEPARATOR,
-                Table.STOP_AREAS.name,
+                Table.LOCATION_GROUP_STOPS.name,
                 "stop_id",
                 Table.STOPS.name,
                 Table.LOCATIONS.name
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public enum ReferenceTableKey {
                 "stop_id",
                 Table.STOPS.name,
                 Table.LOCATIONS.name,
-                Table.STOP_AREAS.name
+                Table.LOCATION_GROUP_STOPS.name
             )
         );
 
@@ -112,25 +112,23 @@ public static Table getTripServiceIdReferenceTable(
     }
 
     /**
-     * Define the reference table for a stop area's area id. This will either be a stop or location.
+     * Define the reference table for a location group stop: stop id. This will either be a stop or null.
      */
-    public static Table getStopAreaAreaIdReferenceTable(
+    public static Table getLocationGroupStopReferenceTable(
         String fieldValue,
-        MergeFeedsResult mergeFeedsResult,
-        Set<String> locationIds
+        MergeFeedsResult mergeFeedsResult
     ) {
         if (mergeFeedsResult.stopIds.contains(fieldValue)) {
             return Table.STOPS;
-        } else if (locationIds.contains(fieldValue)) {
-            return Table.LOCATIONS;
         }
         return null;
     }
 
     /**
-     * Define the reference table for a stop time's stop id. This will either be a stop, location or stop area.
+     * Define the reference table for a stop time's stop id. This will either be a stop, location or location group.
+     * TODO: In later PR's this will be redundant as a stop time: stop id will only reference a stop.
      */
-    public static Table getStopTimeStopIdReferenceTable(
+    public static Table getStopTimeReferenceTable(
         String fieldValue,
         MergeFeedsResult mergeFeedsResult,
         Set<String> locationIds
@@ -139,8 +137,8 @@ public static Table getStopTimeStopIdReferenceTable(
             return Table.STOPS;
         } else if (locationIds.contains(fieldValue)) {
             return Table.LOCATIONS;
-        } else if (mergeFeedsResult.stopAreaIds.contains(fieldValue)) {
-            return Table.STOP_AREAS;
+        } else if (mergeFeedsResult.locationGroupStopIds.contains(fieldValue)) {
+            return Table.LOCATION_GROUP_STOPS;
         }
         return null;
     }
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/FlexMergeFeedsJobTest.java b/src/test/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/FlexMergeFeedsJobTest.java
index eb021c3b2..99dfc6ec3 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/FlexMergeFeedsJobTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/conveyal/datatools/manager/jobs/FlexMergeFeedsJobTest.java
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ void canMergeRegional() throws SQLException {
 
         // Ensure the feed has the row counts we expect.
         assertRowCount(r1.agency, r2.agency, merged.agency, "Agency");
-        assertRowCount(r1.area, r2.area, merged.area, "Area");
         assertRowCount(r1.attributions, r2.attributions, merged.attributions, "Attributions");
         assertRowCount(r1.bookingRules, r2.bookingRules, merged.bookingRules, "Booking rules");
         assertRowCount(r1.calendar, r2.calendar, merged.calendar, "Calendar");
@@ -106,11 +105,12 @@ void canMergeRegional() throws SQLException {
         assertRowCount(r1.fareRules, r2.fareRules, merged.fareRules, "Fare rules");
         assertRowCount(r1.frequencies, r2.frequencies, merged.frequencies, "Frequencies");
         assertRowCount(r1.locations, r2.locations, merged.locations, "Locations");
+        assertRowCount(r1.locationGroup, r2.locationGroup, merged.locationGroup, "Location Groups");
+        assertRowCount(r1.locationGroupStops, r2.locationGroupStops, merged.locationGroupStops, "Location Group Stops");
         assertRowCount(r1.locationShapes, r2.locationShapes, merged.locationShapes, "Location shapes");
         assertRowCount(r1.routes, r2.routes, merged.routes, "Routes");
         assertRowCount(r1.shapes, r2.shapes, merged.shapes, "Shapes");
         assertRowCount(r1.stops, r2.stops, merged.stops, "Stops");
-        assertRowCount(r1.stopAreas, r2.stopAreas, merged.stopAreas, "Stop areas");
         assertRowCount(r1.stopTimes, r2.stopTimes, merged.stopTimes, "Stop times");
         assertRowCount(r1.trips, r2.trips, merged.trips, "Trips");
         assertRowCount(r1.translations, r2.translations, merged.translations, "Translations");
diff --git a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-for-field-normalizing/areas.txt b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-for-field-normalizing/areas.txt
index 6eefe8872..7e2111957 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-for-field-normalizing/areas.txt
+++ b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-for-field-normalizing/areas.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 area_id,area_name
-Area One,"This is area one"
+Area One,"This is locationGroup one"
diff --git a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/areas.txt b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/areas.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 3f8aefce7..000000000
--- a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/areas.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-area_id,area_name
-1,"Area referencing a stop"
-2,"Area referencing a location"
-3,"Multi areas"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/location_group_stops.txt b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/location_group_stops.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f964d1401
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/location_group_stops.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+location_group_id,stop_id
+1,123
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/location_groups.txt b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/location_groups.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b9ac54dbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/location_groups.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+location_group_id,location_group_name
+1,"Area referencing a stop"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/locations.geojson b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/locations.geojson
index efae1fe8c..948f5c0be 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/locations.geojson
+++ b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/locations.geojson
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
       "id": "area_1469-2",
       "properties": {
         "stop_name": "Templeboy to Ballisodare",
-        "stop_desc": "Templeboy to Ballisodare Door-to-door pickup area"
+        "stop_desc": "Templeboy to Ballisodare Door-to-door pickup locationGroup"
       },
       "type": "Feature",
       "geometry": {
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
       "id": "area_1469-1",
       "properties": {
         "stop_name": "Dromore West to Templeboy",
-        "stop_desc": "Dromore West to Templeboy Door-to-door pickup area"
+        "stop_desc": "Dromore West to Templeboy Door-to-door pickup locationGroup"
       },
       "type": "Feature",
       "geometry": {
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@
 	  "id": "area_246",
       "properties": {
         "stop_name": "Moville to Letterkenny",
-        "stop_desc": "Moville to Letterkenny Door-to-door pickup area"
+        "stop_desc": "Moville to Letterkenny Door-to-door pickup locationGroup"
       },
       "type": "Feature",
       "geometry": {
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@
       "id": "area_251",
       "properties": {
         "stop_name": "Muff to Moville",
-        "stop_desc": "Muff to Moville Door-to-door pickup area"
+        "stop_desc": "Muff to Moville Door-to-door pickup locationGroup"
       },
       "type": "Feature",
       "geometry": {
diff --git a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/stop_areas.txt b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/stop_areas.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 3f900c131..000000000
--- a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-1/stop_areas.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-area_id,stop_id
-1,123
-2,area_1469-1
-3,123
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/areas.txt b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/areas.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 3f8aefce7..000000000
--- a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/areas.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-area_id,area_name
-1,"Area referencing a stop"
-2,"Area referencing a location"
-3,"Multi areas"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/location_group_stops.txt b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/location_group_stops.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f964d1401
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/location_group_stops.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+location_group_id,stop_id
+1,123
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/location_groups.txt b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/location_groups.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b9ac54dbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/location_groups.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+location_group_id,location_group_name
+1,"Area referencing a stop"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/locations.geojson b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/locations.geojson
index efae1fe8c..948f5c0be 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/locations.geojson
+++ b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/locations.geojson
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
       "id": "area_1469-2",
       "properties": {
         "stop_name": "Templeboy to Ballisodare",
-        "stop_desc": "Templeboy to Ballisodare Door-to-door pickup area"
+        "stop_desc": "Templeboy to Ballisodare Door-to-door pickup locationGroup"
       },
       "type": "Feature",
       "geometry": {
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
       "id": "area_1469-1",
       "properties": {
         "stop_name": "Dromore West to Templeboy",
-        "stop_desc": "Dromore West to Templeboy Door-to-door pickup area"
+        "stop_desc": "Dromore West to Templeboy Door-to-door pickup locationGroup"
       },
       "type": "Feature",
       "geometry": {
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@
 	  "id": "area_246",
       "properties": {
         "stop_name": "Moville to Letterkenny",
-        "stop_desc": "Moville to Letterkenny Door-to-door pickup area"
+        "stop_desc": "Moville to Letterkenny Door-to-door pickup locationGroup"
       },
       "type": "Feature",
       "geometry": {
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@
       "id": "area_251",
       "properties": {
         "stop_name": "Muff to Moville",
-        "stop_desc": "Muff to Moville Door-to-door pickup area"
+        "stop_desc": "Muff to Moville Door-to-door pickup locationGroup"
       },
       "type": "Feature",
       "geometry": {
diff --git a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/stop_areas.txt b/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/stop_areas.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index 3f900c131..000000000
--- a/src/test/resources/com/conveyal/datatools/gtfs/fake-agency-with-flex-version-2/stop_areas.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-area_id,stop_id
-1,123
-2,area_1469-1
-3,123
\ No newline at end of file