# GTFS + GTFS-Realtime Transit Feed Monitor (open-licensed) (`bytehavenstudios/gtfs-transit-monitor`) Actor Normalize and monitor open-licensed public-transit feeds. Static GTFS (zipped CSV) to schedule snapshots and diffs; GTFS-Realtime (protobuf) to alerts, vehicle positions and trip updates. Only verifiably open-licensed feeds are decoded; each record carries its source license and attribution. - **URL**: https://apify.com/bytehavenstudios/gtfs-transit-monitor.md - **Developed by:** [ByteHaven Studios](https://apify.com/bytehavenstudios) (community) - **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools, Travel - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 0.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing Pay per event This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## GTFS + GTFS-Realtime Transit Feed Monitor Normalize and monitor **open-licensed** public-transit feeds. Static GTFS (zipped CSV) becomes a schedule snapshot and, in monitoring mode, a schedule diff. GTFS-Realtime (Protocol-Buffers binary) becomes normalized **service alerts**, **vehicle positions**, or **trip updates**. Every record is stamped with its source feed's license and attribution. This Actor is **compliance-first**. It decodes and redistributes feed content **only** for feeds whose license is verifiably open. See the data-source & licensing section below — it is load-bearing, not boilerplate. ### Modes | `mode` | Input feed | Output records | |---|---|---| | `vehicle-positions` | GTFS-RT `.pb` | vehicle id/label, trip, route, lat/lon, bearing, speed, status, stop, timestamp | | `service-alerts` | GTFS-RT `.pb` | cause, effect, header/description text, active periods, informed entities | | `trip-updates` | GTFS-RT `.pb` | trip, route, per-stop arrival/departure delays + predicted times | | `static-diff` | GTFS `.zip` | first run: schedule snapshot (route/stop/trip counts, service window); later runs: added/removed routes/stops/trips vs the previous run | ### Input | Field | Type | Default | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | `feeds` | string[] | — (required) | Mobility Database `mdb_source_id`s (e.g. `mdb-1` or `1`) or direct GTFS/GTFS-RT URLs | | `mode` | enum | `vehicle-positions` | see table above | | `openLicensesOnly` | boolean | **`true`** | **compliance filter — keep ON** (see below) | | `sinceDate` | string | `""` | monitoring filter (YYYY-MM-DD) | | `maxRecordsPerFeed` | integer | `0` | 0 = no cap | | `requestDelayMs` | integer | `500` | polite pacing between feed fetches | | `fetchRetries` | integer | `2` | extra attempts on transient fetch failures (network / HTTP 408/429/5xx), exponential backoff; permanent 4xx never retried | | `retryBaseDelayMs` | integer | `500` | retry backoff base; wait doubles each attempt | | `proxyConfiguration` | object | proxy off | most open feeds are plain public HTTP; enable only if an agency rate-limits by IP | Mobility Database IDs are resolved against the **CC0** catalog CSV automatically; direct URLs skip the catalog. ### Output One dataset item per normalized record, plus these fields on every item: - `_feed` `{ sourceId, url, dataType }` - `_license`, `_licenseUrl`, `_attribution` — the source feed's license and provider (**always propagate these downstream**) - `_mode`, `_fetchedAt` Feeds skipped by the license filter emit a `{ _skipped: true, reason: "license-not-open", … }` marker instead of content. Fetch/decode failures emit `{ _error: true, stage, … }` (`stage` = `fetch` / `decode` / `emit` — where it broke). A feed reached and decoded but carrying no entities emits an un-charged `{ _empty: true, … }` marker so an idle feed is recorded rather than silently dropped. Transient fetch failures are retried with backoff before an `_error` is emitted (see `fetchRetries`). ### Pricing (pay-per-event) Charges one `record-returned` event per normalized record pushed. Skipped/errored feeds are not charged. Honors the platform per-run charge limit (`eventChargeLimitReached`) and stops cleanly. --- ### Data source & licensing — READ THIS This Actor sits on top of the **Mobility Database** and public agency feeds. The compliance posture is captured in full in [`COMPLIANCE.md`](./COMPLIANCE.md). Summary: - **Catalog metadata is CC0.** "All metadata generated by MobilityData is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal." So resolving feed IDs, URLs, provider, and location from the catalog is unrestricted. - **Feed content is each agency's license, and the consumer is responsible.** Per the Mobility Database Terms: *"Content within the feeds is licensed by their respective data owners"* and *"API users are solely responsible for ensuring compliance with the licensing requirements for each feed they access."* MobilityData grants **no** rights to the underlying schedules/positions. - **Therefore this Actor filters to verifiably-open feeds only.** With `openLicensesOnly = true` (the default), a feed is decoded/redistributed only if its catalog license matches a standard open license (CC0 / CC-BY / ODC-BY / public-domain) **or** it is on the built-in verified-open allowlist (feeds hand-confirmed open out-of-band, e.g. MBTA — the Mobility Database carries **no** license metadata for real-time feeds). - **Reality of the open universe:** in the current US catalog, ~85 % of static feeds declare no license and only ~0.5–0.9 % carry a standard open license. This Actor is intentionally scoped to the open subset, not "every transit feed." Turning `openLicensesOnly` **off** shifts per-feed license compliance onto **you**. - **Attribution:** every emitted record carries `_license` / `_licenseUrl` / `_attribution`. Open licenses (notably CC-BY / ODC-BY and MBTA) require attribution on downstream use — keep these fields. The GTFS-Realtime format decoder derives from the `google/transit` spec (Apache-2.0); decoding the *format* is unrestricted — the constraint is on the feed *data*, handled by the license filter above. ### Docs - [`docs/SCOPE.md`](./docs/SCOPE.md) — what the Actor is and honestly is not (curated open-feed sizing). - [`docs/PRICING.md`](./docs/PRICING.md) — pay-per-event model (concrete price values owner-gated). - [`docs/LISTING.md`](./docs/LISTING.md) — Apify Store copy draft. - [`COMPLIANCE.md`](./COMPLIANCE.md) — the load-bearing license gate. ### Local development ```bash npm install npm run smoke # one request to the MBTA open feed; proves license filter + protobuf decode apify run # full Actor run (needs an input.json / Apify CLI) ```` # Actor input Schema ## `feeds` (type: `array`): Each entry is either a Mobility Database mdb\_source\_id (e.g. "mdb-1" or just "1") or a direct feed URL. Static GTFS = a .zip URL; GTFS-Realtime = a protobuf (.pb) URL. Mobility Database IDs are resolved against the CC0 catalog and license-checked automatically. ## `mode` (type: `string`): static-diff = decode zipped GTFS into a schedule snapshot (and diff vs the previous run when monitoring); service-alerts / vehicle-positions / trip-updates = decode a GTFS-Realtime protobuf feed of that entity type. ## `openLicensesOnly` (type: `boolean`): COMPLIANCE FILTER — keep this ON. When on, a feed is decoded/redistributed only if its license is verifiably open (catalog license matches CC0 / CC-BY / ODC-BY / public-domain, or the feed is on the built-in verified-open allowlist). Feeds with unknown/absent/restrictive licenses are skipped. Turning this OFF makes YOU responsible for each feed's license per the Mobility Database Terms. ## `sinceDate` (type: `string`): Monitoring filter. static-diff: only report schedule changes effective on/after this date. service-alerts: only alerts active on/after this date. Leave empty for no date filter. ## `maxRecordsPerFeed` (type: `integer`): Cap normalized records emitted per feed (vehicle positions, alerts, trip updates, or diff rows). 0 = no cap. ## `requestDelayMs` (type: `integer`): Pacing between successive feed fetches, to be a polite client of agency servers. ## `fetchRetries` (type: `integer`): Extra attempts after the first when a feed fetch hits a transient failure (network error, HTTP 408/429/5xx), with exponential backoff. Permanent errors (403/404/…) are never retried. 0 = no retry. ## `retryBaseDelayMs` (type: `integer`): Base delay for retry backoff; the wait doubles each attempt (base, 2×, 4×, …). ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): Optional. Most open GTFS/GTFS-RT feeds are plain public HTTP and need no proxy. Enable Apify Proxy only if a specific agency host rate-limits by IP. ## Actor input object example ```json { "feeds": [ "https://cdn.mbta.com/realtime/VehiclePositions.pb" ], "mode": "vehicle-positions", "openLicensesOnly": true, "sinceDate": "2026-01-01", "maxRecordsPerFeed": 0, "requestDelayMs": 500, "fetchRetries": 2, "retryBaseDelayMs": 500, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": false } } ``` # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "feeds": [ "https://cdn.mbta.com/realtime/VehiclePositions.pb" ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("bytehavenstudios/gtfs-transit-monitor").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "feeds": ["https://cdn.mbta.com/realtime/VehiclePositions.pb"] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("bytehavenstudios/gtfs-transit-monitor").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "feeds": [ "https://cdn.mbta.com/realtime/VehiclePositions.pb" ] }' | apify call bytehavenstudios/gtfs-transit-monitor --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=bytehavenstudios/gtfs-transit-monitor", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "GTFS + GTFS-Realtime Transit Feed Monitor (open-licensed)", "description": "Normalize and monitor open-licensed public-transit feeds. Static GTFS (zipped CSV) to schedule snapshots and diffs; GTFS-Realtime (protobuf) to alerts, vehicle positions and trip updates. Only verifiably open-licensed feeds are decoded; each record carries its source license and attribution.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "lq0w1UafazCymcbSw" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/bytehavenstudios~gtfs-transit-monitor/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-bytehavenstudios-gtfs-transit-monitor", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/bytehavenstudios~gtfs-transit-monitor/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-bytehavenstudios-gtfs-transit-monitor", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/bytehavenstudios~gtfs-transit-monitor/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-bytehavenstudios-gtfs-transit-monitor", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "feeds" ], "properties": { "feeds": { "title": "Feeds (Mobility Database IDs or direct GTFS / GTFS-RT URLs)", "type": "array", "description": "Each entry is either a Mobility Database mdb_source_id (e.g. \"mdb-1\" or just \"1\") or a direct feed URL. Static GTFS = a .zip URL; GTFS-Realtime = a protobuf (.pb) URL. Mobility Database IDs are resolved against the CC0 catalog and license-checked automatically.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "mode": { "title": "Mode", "enum": [ "vehicle-positions", "service-alerts", "trip-updates", "static-diff" ], "type": "string", "description": "static-diff = decode zipped GTFS into a schedule snapshot (and diff vs the previous run when monitoring); service-alerts / vehicle-positions / trip-updates = decode a GTFS-Realtime protobuf feed of that entity type.", "default": "vehicle-positions" }, "openLicensesOnly": { "title": "Open-licensed feeds only (compliance filter)", "type": "boolean", "description": "COMPLIANCE FILTER — keep this ON. When on, a feed is decoded/redistributed only if its license is verifiably open (catalog license matches CC0 / CC-BY / ODC-BY / public-domain, or the feed is on the built-in verified-open allowlist). Feeds with unknown/absent/restrictive licenses are skipped. Turning this OFF makes YOU responsible for each feed's license per the Mobility Database Terms.", "default": true }, "sinceDate": { "title": "Only records/alerts on/after (YYYY-MM-DD)", "type": "string", "description": "Monitoring filter. static-diff: only report schedule changes effective on/after this date. service-alerts: only alerts active on/after this date. Leave empty for no date filter." }, "maxRecordsPerFeed": { "title": "Max records per feed", "minimum": 0, "type": "integer", "description": "Cap normalized records emitted per feed (vehicle positions, alerts, trip updates, or diff rows). 0 = no cap.", "default": 0 }, "requestDelayMs": { "title": "Delay between feed requests (ms)", "minimum": 0, "maximum": 60000, "type": "integer", "description": "Pacing between successive feed fetches, to be a polite client of agency servers.", "default": 500 }, "fetchRetries": { "title": "Fetch retries (transient failures)", "minimum": 0, "maximum": 6, "type": "integer", "description": "Extra attempts after the first when a feed fetch hits a transient failure (network error, HTTP 408/429/5xx), with exponential backoff. Permanent errors (403/404/…) are never retried. 0 = no retry.", "default": 2 }, "retryBaseDelayMs": { "title": "Retry backoff base (ms)", "minimum": 0, "maximum": 30000, "type": "integer", "description": "Base delay for retry backoff; the wait doubles each attempt (base, 2×, 4×, …).", "default": 500 }, "proxyConfiguration": { "title": "Proxy configuration", "type": "object", "description": "Optional. Most open GTFS/GTFS-RT feeds are plain public HTTP and need no proxy. Enable Apify Proxy only if a specific agency host rate-limits by IP.", "default": { "useApifyProxy": false } } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```