Collect real-time data via a GTFS-RT interface

This guide describes how to configure an Exchange Partner so that Ara can collect real-time data from a remote GTFS-RT feed. For Ara’s role and the common concepts, see the Ara Guides page.

Principle of a GTFS-RT collection

Ara collects a remote GTFS-RT feed by polling it periodically (HTTP retrieval of the protobuf feed). A single connector ingests the whole feed and feeds Ara with:

• trip updates (Trip Updates): real-time stop-time predictions, delays, cancellations;

• vehicle positions (Vehicle Positions);

• service alerts (Service Alerts).

Example Exchange Partner configuration

Open

The following corresponds to the default configuration of a new Exchange Partner collecting a GTFS-RT feed:

Connectors

• GTFS-RT collector

Settings

• remote_url: the public URL of the remote GTFS-RT feed to poll. If the feed is protected, the access token is usually included directly in this URL (e.g. https://example.com/gtfs_rt?token=...).

• remote_code_space: the type of identifier to use to match the collected data with the scheduled data (in relation with the other Exchange Partners defined in Ara).

For a public feed, the feed URL and the code space are enough; if the feed is protected, the access token is usually included directly in the URL (see Settings).

For the full description of all parameters, see Ara Partner Parameters.