Inspiration
We were inspired by the number of unreliable or overly complicated subway and bus apps available today. Living in New York, many of us have experienced the daily frustration of trying to figure out whether the bus will actually show up, or when the next train is arriving. We wanted to create something simple and trustworthy.
What it does
MTA Bus Alerts is a prototype mobile app that shows nearby bus stops and the next arrival times. Uses your location (or mock data if unavailable) to find the closest stops. Displays the next 2–3 arrival times for each stop. Refreshes automatically to mimic real-time updates.
How we built it
Frontend: React Native with Expo for fast cross-platform development. Mock Data: Hardcoded nearby stops and arrival times to simulate real-world functionality. Design: A simple, clean UI optimized for clarity and quick reading.
Challenges we ran into
Parsing the official MTA GTFS-Realtime feeds was much harder than expected. Dealing with TypeScript, Expo, and dependency errors slowed down our workflow. Time constraints prevented us from fully integrating the backend API.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Built a functional prototype with mock data that demonstrates the concept clearly. Learned how to use React Native + Expo to build a mobile transit app. Designed a user-friendly interface that’s far simpler than many real-world transit apps.
What we learned
GTFS-Realtime transit data is complex and not beginner-friendly. How to handle fallbacks in an app (mock data when the “real” data isn’t available). Importance of scoping projects for hackathons — better to have a working demo with mock data than no demo at all.
What's next for MTA Bus Alerts
Finish backend integration with the MTA API for live data. Add subway support alongside buses. Push notifications for delays or service changes. Polish the UI and release on the App Store / Play Store once it works with live data.it does
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