🚌 CATA Bus MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides live and static schedule data for the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) bus system in State College, PA.

🌟 Features

• Real-time vehicle positions - Track buses live on their routes

• Trip updates - Get delay information and predicted arrivals

• Service alerts - Stay informed about detours and disruptions

• Static schedule data - Access routes, stops, and scheduled times

• Fast in-memory storage - No database required, pure Python performance

Related MCP server: Winnipeg City MCP Server

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/Pranav-Karra-3301/catabus-mcp.git
cd catabus-mcp

# Install dependencies
pip install -e .

Running the Server

# Run in stdio mode (for MCP clients)
python -m catabus_mcp.server

# Run in HTTP mode (for testing)
python -m catabus_mcp.server --http

The HTTP server will be available at http://localhost:7000

🛠️ Available Tools

💻 API Examples

Using with cURL (HTTP mode)

# List all routes
curl -X POST http://localhost:7000/mcp \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"list_routes_tool","params":{}}'

# Search for stops
curl -X POST http://localhost:7000/mcp \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"search_stops_tool","params":{"query":"HUB"}}'

# Get next arrivals
curl -X POST http://localhost:7000/mcp \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"next_arrivals_tool","params":{"stop_id":"PSU_HUB","horizon_minutes":30}}'

Integration with ChatGPT

1. Install the MCP client in ChatGPT

2. Add this server configuration:

{
  "name": "catabus",
  "command": "python",
  "args": ["-m", "catabus_mcp.server"],
  "description": "CATA bus schedule and realtime data"
}

3. Ask questions like:

   • "When is the next N route bus from the HUB?"

   • "Are there any service alerts for the V route?"

   • "Show me all buses currently on the W route"

Integration with Claude Desktop

Add to your Claude Desktop configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "catabus": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "catabus_mcp.server"]
    }
  }
}

🧪 Development

Running Tests

# Install dev dependencies
pip install -e ".[dev]"

# Run tests
pytest

# Run with coverage
pytest --cov=catabus_mcp

Code Quality

# Format code
black src/

# Lint
ruff check src/

# Type checking
mypy src/catabus_mcp/

📊 Data Sources

This server uses official CATA data feeds:

• Static GTFS: https://catabus.com/wp-content/uploads/google_transit.zip

• GTFS-Realtime Vehicle Positions: https://realtime.catabus.com/InfoPoint/GTFS-Realtime.ashx?Type=VehiclePosition

• GTFS-Realtime Trip Updates: https://realtime.catabus.com/InfoPoint/GTFS-Realtime.ashx?Type=TripUpdate

• GTFS-Realtime Alerts: https://realtime.catabus.com/InfoPoint/GTFS-Realtime.ashx?Type=Alert

Data is cached locally and updated:

• Static GTFS: Daily

• Realtime feeds: Every 15 seconds

🏗️ Architecture

catabus-mcp/
├── src/catabus_mcp/
│   ├── ingest/          # Data loading and polling
│   │   ├── static_loader.py
│   │   └── realtime_poll.py
│   ├── tools/           # MCP tool implementations
│   │   ├── list_routes.py
│   │   ├── search_stops.py
│   │   ├── next_arrivals.py
│   │   ├── vehicle_positions.py
│   │   └── trip_alerts.py
│   └── server.py        # FastMCP server
└── tests/               # Test suite

⚡ Performance

• Warm cache response time: < 100ms for all queries

• Memory usage: ~50MB with full GTFS data loaded

• Rate limiting: Respects CATA's 10-second minimum between requests

📝 License

MIT License - See LICENSE file

🙏 Attribution

Transit data provided by Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA). This project is not affiliated with or endorsed by CATA.

Built by Pranav Karra.

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please:

1. Fork the repository

2. Create a feature branch

3. Write tests for new functionality

4. Ensure all tests pass

5. Submit a pull request

📞 Support

• Issues: GitHub Issues

• Discussions: GitHub Discussions

🎯 Roadmap

• Add trip planning capabilities

• Support for accessibility features

• Historical data analysis

• Geospatial queries (nearest stop)

• Multi-agency support

✅ Manual Acceptance Checklist

• pip install -e . completes without errors

• python -m catabus_mcp.server starts successfully

• Static GTFS data loads on startup

• Realtime polling begins automatically

• list_routes_tool returns CATA routes

• search_stops_tool finds stops by query

• next_arrivals_tool returns predictions with delays

• vehicle_positions_tool shows bus locations

• trip_alerts_tool displays active alerts

• Tests pass with pytest

• Type checking passes with mypy

Version: 0.1.0
Status: Production Ready
Last Updated: 2024