Tracking vehicles

For our first real-time data source, we’ll use the excellent Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) real-time GTFS feed. GTFS, originally developed by Google, is a standardized data format that public transportation agencies use to share scheduling and geographical information. Imagine it as the DNA code for a transit system, detailing when and where buses or trains stop, the routes they follow, and even fare structures. This data is often used in various applications and services to provide real-time transit information to the public.

Getting API keys

The examples in this chapter require free API keys for the different services used. Sample keys are provided for testing, but they are limited, so you are strongly encouraged to register with each of these data services and obtain your own key.

Getting a vehicle location

We’ll use Google’s GTFS library to access the WMATA real-time bus feed and track the location of a...