cta

# CTA Chicago Transit

Real-time Chicago CTA transit data — L train arrivals, bus predictions, service alerts, and route information. Requires free API keys for train and bus data; alerts work without any keys.

## When to Use

- User asks about CTA, L train, Blue Line, Red Line, Brown Line, or any Chicago rail line
- User asks about Chicago bus routes, bus tracker, or train tracker
- User asks "when is the next train" or "is the Red Line running" in a Chicago context
- User mentions specific CTA stations (O'Hare, Midway, Clark/Lake, Belmont, etc.)
- User asks about CTA fares, Ventra, or how to ride Chicago transit
- User asks about CTA service alerts, delays, or detours
- User asks about nearby stops or route information in Chicago

## Data Sources

CTA uses 3 proprietary REST APIs. Train Tracker and Bus Tracker require free API keys. Customer Alerts is open access.

### Train Tracker API (requires `CTA_TRAIN_API_KEY`)

Get a free key at: https://www.transitchicago.com/developers/traintrackerapply/

| Endpoint | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| Arrivals by station (`mapid`) | Train arrivals at a parent station |
| Arrivals by stop (`stpid`) | Train arrivals at a directional stop |
| Train positions (`rt`) | Live positions of all trains on a line |
| Follow a run (`runnumber`) | Track a specific train run |

Data refreshes approximately once per minute. Daily limit: 50,000 requests per key.

### Bus Tracker API v2 (requires `CTA_BUS_API_KEY`)

Get a free key at: https://www.transitchicago.com/developers/bustracker/

| Endpoint | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| Predictions by stop | Bus arrival predictions at a stop |
| Predictions by vehicle | Predictions for a specific bus |
| Vehicle locations | Live bus positions on a route |
| Routes list | All active bus routes |
| Route directions | Available directions for a route |
| Stops for route/direction | All stops along a route |

Bus data updates approximately every 30 seconds.

### Customer Aler...

# :metro: CTA Chicago Transit — OpenClaw Skill

> **Real-time Chicago transit data for your OpenClaw agent.** Get L train arrivals, bus predictions, service alerts, and route info for all CTA services.

[![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-blue.svg)](LICENSE)
[![Node.js 18+](https://img.shields.io/badge/node-18%2B-green.svg)](https://nodejs.org)
[![ClawHub](https://img.shields.io/badge/ClawHub-Skill-green.svg)](https://clawhub.ai)

---

## Why This Skill?

**For anyone who rides CTA and wants:**
- Real-time L train arrivals — know exactly when the next train comes
- Bus predictions — see when your bus will arrive at your stop
- Live vehicle tracking — see where trains and buses are right now
- Service alerts — know about delays, detours, and disruptions before you leave
- Stop and route lookup — find the nearest stop or explore a route's path

**How it works:**
Data comes from CTA's three official APIs — [Train Tracker](https://www.transitchicago.com/developers/traintracker/), [Bus Tracker](https://www.transitchicago.com/developers/bustracker/), and [Customer Alerts](https://www.transitchicago.com/developers/alerts/). Train and bus data require free API keys. Alerts always work with no key.

---

## Quick Start

### Step 1: Get Your API Keys (free)

1. **Train Tracker key:** Apply at https://www.transitchicago.com/developers/traintrackerapply/
2. **Bus Tracker key:** Apply at https://www.transitchicago.com/developers/bustracker/

### Step 2: Set Environment Variables

```bash
cp .env.example .env
# Then edit .env and add your keys:
# CTA_TRAIN_API_KEY=your-train-key-here
# CTA_BUS_API_KEY=your-bus-key-here
```

### Step 3: Install the Skill

```bash
# Copy to your skills directory
cp -r cta-skill ~/.openclaw/skills/cta

# Or for a workspace-specific install:
cp -r cta-skill <workspace>/skills/cta
```

### Step 4: Download Transit Data

```bash
# One-time download of routes, stops, and schedules
node scripts/cta.mjs refresh-gtfs
```

Note: Re-run...