diff --git a/aequilibrae/transit/transit_elements/pattern.py b/aequilibrae/transit/transit_elements/pattern.py
index b5a3b0dd2..539d62a08 100644
--- a/aequilibrae/transit/transit_elements/pattern.py
+++ b/aequilibrae/transit/transit_elements/pattern.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def __init__(self, route_id, gtfs_feed) -> None:
         self.network_candidates = []
         self.full_path: List[int] = []
         self.fpath_dir: List[int] = []
-        self.pattern_mapping = []
+        self.pattern_mapping = pd.DataFrame([])
         self.stops = []
         self.__map_matching_error = {}
 
@@ -94,13 +94,14 @@ def save_to_database(self, conn: Connection, commit=True) -> None:
                          total_capacity, geometry) values (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ST_Multi(GeomFromWKB(?, ?)));"""
         conn.execute(sql, data)
 
-        if self.pattern_mapping and self.shape:
+        if self.pattern_mapping.shape[0]:
             sqlgeo = """insert into pattern_mapping (pattern_id, seq, link, dir, geometry)
                         values (?, ?, ?, ?, GeomFromWKB(?, ?));"""
             sql = "insert into pattern_mapping (pattern_id, seq, link, dir) values (?, ?, ?, ?);"
 
             if "wkb" in self.pattern_mapping.columns:
-                data = self.pattern_mapping[["pattern_id", "seq", "link_id", "dir", "wkb", "srid"]].to_records()
+                cols = ["pattern_id", "seq", "link_id", "dir", "wkb", "srid"]
+                data = self.pattern_mapping[cols].to_records(index=False)
                 conn.executemany(sqlgeo, data)
             else:
                 data = self.pattern_mapping[["pattern_id", "seq", "link_id", "dir"]].to_records()