GTFS-Real Time

Important Announcement: Upcoming BART GTFS-RT Enhancements

October 18, 2018

Recently, some upstream changes have affected the quality of BART’s GTFS-RT feed. We've developed a new version of the feed that resolves many issues, and incorporates additional requirements from the Bay Area’s regional transit planning organization, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. In this new version of the feed:

  • All available predictions will be written out (not only delays)
  • Predictions will be expressed in absolute time (not offset from schedule)
  • The feed will refresh every 30 seconds (improved from 60 seconds)
  • Predictions will be more consistent with those on www.bart.gov
  • Predictions for Yellow line BART to Antioch stations are still not available. We have no ETA for resolution of this issue. For more information see the announcement below.

A test endpoint is available now. The production endpoint will be updated October 29. The test endpoint will be retired November 1:

We encourage you to evaluate your application(s) using the test endpoint and make any required modifications before the production cutover October 29.
 

Important Announcement: GTFS-RT data missing for Antioch and Pittsburg Center Stations

May 24, 2018

The BART to Antioch extension is scheduled to open Saturday, May 26, 2018. Real time departures for the new stations are not yet available in BART’s GTFS-RT feed.

We’ve confirmed today that data from the new BART to Antioch system does not include a unique ID that is coordinated with schedule. As a result, we’re unable to generate real time departure predictions in GTFS-RT format for both Antioch and Pittsburg Center stations. This issue affects BART GTFS-RT only. The ‘etd’ command in the BART API and real time departure services on bart.gov are unaffected.

BART engineering and scheduling teams will coordinate further with the BART to Antioch project to scope and implement a solution. We do not have a timeline yet, but we will update you as soon as we know more here, on the BART Developers email list and the BART Developers Google Group.

Here are some additional details about the BART to Antioch implementation:

  • Two new stations, Pittsburg Center (PCTR) and Antioch (ANTC), extend Yellow Line Routes 1 and 2 in the Northbound direction.
  • BART to Antioch schedules are available in GTFS format and schedule calls to the BART API.
  • In the BART API, trips planned to/from new stations before May 26, 2018 will display the opening day scheduled and an <error> message with details about the opening. Trips planned on or after May 26, 2018 will be handled accordingly.
  • Real time estimates are not available for new stations until revenue service begins on May 26.
     


BART worked with Google and an international partnership of transit agencies to create a standard, lightweight way to describe real time arrivals and service advisories. The resulting General Transit Feed Specification - Real Time is built with the General Transit Feed Specification in mind, so if you're already using BART's GTFS Schedules you're good to go!
 

  • No registration required
    We won't make you jump through hoops to use BART open data. Just follow our short and simple Developer License Agreement, give our customers good information and don't hog community resources
     
  • Please keep your work up to date
    Things change. When they do we'll try to give you plenty of notice through the BART developer email list.
     
  • Please don't use the official BART logo or system map
    Only we get to use official BART trademarks and copyrighted works to let customers know they're getting info directly from BART versus one of the tons of other places that use BART open data. (If you need a BART system map for your project, check out our editable App Map with a CC-By license).
     
  • Don't forget about us!
    Give us a shout out or a link back and let us know about the cool stuff you're doing.
     

http://api.bart.gov/gtfsrt/tripupdate.aspx
http://api.bart.gov/gtfsrt/alerts.aspx

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Will you help me troubleshoot?
    Sorry. If we help you, it's only fair that we help everyone else, too. We simply don't have the resources for that. But you can always ask questions to the unofficial BART Developers Google Group.
     
  • What are your plans for future development?
    All of our developer services are created on what we call "BART one percent time." In that context, we're doing our best to add new features, fix problems and keep it all going. Drop us a line if you have any suggestions.