NexTrip API

This page last updated: 03/28/2012
Metadata created using Minnesota Geographic Metadata Guidelines



Metadata Summary

Originator Metropolitan Council - Metro Transit
Abstract The NexTrip API is a real-time transit departure data web service for third-party application developers using Metro Transit information

NexTrip departure information updates every 30 seconds. Help conserve our bandwidth and server resources by writing your applications responsibly. Third party applications should not update departure information more frequently than every 30 seconds. Applications making excessive calls and updating more frequently than 30 seconds will be subject to restriction.
Browse Graphic none available
Time Period of Content Date
Currentness Reference Information in the NexTrip API is updated every 30 seconds to reflect real-time changes in transit service.
Access Constraints None
Use Constraints None
Distributor Organization Metro Transit
Ordering Instructions This dataset is available for direct use via web services via direct link by clicking below after 'Online Linkage'
Distribution Liability NOTICE: The Geographic Information System (GIS) Data to which this notice is attached are made available pursuant to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13). THE GIS DATA ARE PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY AS TO THEIR PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. The GIS Data were developed by the Metropolitan Council for its own internal business purposes. The Metropolitan Council does not represent or warrant that the GIS Data or the data documentation are error-free, complete, current, or accurate. You are responsible for any consequences resulting from your use of the GIS Data or your reliance on the GIS Data. You should consult the data documentation for this particular GIS Data to determine the limitations of the GIS Data and the precision with which the GIS Data may depict distance, direction, location, or other geographic features. If you transmit or provide the GIS Data (or any portion of it) to another user, it is recommended that the GIS Data include a copy of this disclaimer and this metadata.
Online Linkage I AGREE to the notice in "Distribution Liability" above. Clicking to agree will begin the download process (See Ordering Instructions above for details.)


Full Metadata

NexTrip API

Go to Section:
1. Identification Information
2. Data Quality Information
3. Spatial Data Organization Information
4. Spatial Reference Information
5. Entity and Attribute Information
6. Distribution Information
7. Metadata Reference Information

 
Section 1 Identification Information   Top of page
Originator Metropolitan Council - Metro Transit
Title NexTrip API
Abstract The NexTrip API is a real-time transit departure data web service for third-party application developers using Metro Transit information

NexTrip departure information updates every 30 seconds. Help conserve our bandwidth and server resources by writing your applications responsibly. Third party applications should not update departure information more frequently than every 30 seconds. Applications making excessive calls and updating more frequently than 30 seconds will be subject to restriction.
Purpose The service provides a predictable, uniform and easy way for developers to use NexTrip data in their own apps.
Time Period of Content Date
Currentness Reference Information in the NexTrip API is updated every 30 seconds to reflect real-time changes in transit service.
Progress Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency Every 30 seconds
Spatial Extent of Data Twin Cities 7 County Metropolitan Area. Some data information may extend into Sherburne County
Bounding Coordinates -94.012
-92.732
45.415
44.471
Place Keywords Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Twin Cities, Anoka County, Carver County, Dakota County, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Scott County, Washington County
Theme Keywords transportation, transit, buses, nodes, transportation, lrt, light rail, real-time
Theme Keyword Thesaurus None
Access Constraints None
Use Constraints None
Contact Person Information John Siqveland, Public Relations Manager
Metro Transit
560 Sixth Avenue North
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411-4398
Phone:
FAX:
E-mail: john.siqveland@metc.state.mn.us
Browse Graphic none available
Browse Graphic File Description No Image available
Associated Data Sets

 
Section 2 Data Quality Information Top of full metadata Top of page
Attribute Accuracy Attributes are assumed to be accurate.
Logical Consistency N/A
Completeness Metro Transit service area is covered.
Horizontal Positional Accuracy Positional Accuracy has not been formally tested but is typically within 3-5 meters when reported. Zero values in the location coordinate fields indicate an unreported position.
Lineage
Source Scale Denominator
 
Section 3 Spatial Data Organization Information Top of full metadata Top of page
Native Data Set Environment
Geographic Reference for Tabular Data None
Spatial Object Type Point
Vendor Specific Object Types
Tiling Scheme
 
Section 4 Spatial Reference Information Top of full metadata Top of page
Horizontal Coordinate Scheme Other
Ellipsoid GRS80
Horizontal Datum NAD83
Horizontal Units
Distance Resolution
 
Section 5 Entity and Attribute Information Top of full metadata Top of page
Entity and Attribute Overview
There are six requests with three different response schema. 

Two departure requests, GetTimePointDepartures and GetDepartures, return NexTrip departure information.
GetTimePointDepartures requires Route, Direction and Stop as part of the URL. GetDepartures requires stopID

The GetTimePointDepartures and GetDepartures requests respond with NexTrip departure information formatted in these fields:
Actual: Transit vehicle departure prediction is using Actual(real-time) or scheduled information
BlockNumber: Relates to 'block_id' in the Google transit feed data.
DepartureText: Departure time if 'Actual' field is false, Countdown in minutes if Actual is true
DepartureTime: Predicted departure time
Description: Text describing transit vehicle destination as well as vehicle scroll (above front windshield)
Gate: Gate of predicted departure if applicable
Route: Route number for current departure
RouteDirection: Direction of route
Terminal: Terminal letter of route - indicates variant of route
VehicleHeading: Not currently in use
VehicleLatitude: location coordinate field - decimal degrees latitude
VehicleLongitude: location coordinate field - decimal degrees longitude

Route requests returns a list of routes with description and providerID.

The Route Directional (North, South, East or West), Providers (Metro Transit, MVTA, etc...) and Stop requests return lists of directionals by route, providers, or nodes by route and directional respectively. The response schema is the same for all three request types:
Text: String content - depending on request either Routes, Directionals, Providers or Nodes
Value: String content - depending on request either Routes, Directionals, Providers or Nodes

Direction values:
1 = Southbound
2 = Eastbound
3 = Westbound
4 = Northbound

The value field in the response from the above requests can be used to compose the GetTimepointDepartures request URL

For example, to get a list of routes:
http://svc.metrotransit.org/NexTrip/Routes

To get a list of directionals on a route (21, in this case):
http://svc.metrotransit.org/NexTrip/Directions/21

To get a list of Stops on a route by direction (21, Westbound):
http://svc.metrotransit.org/NexTrip/Stops/21/3

To get NexTrip information by Route, Directional, and Stop:
http://svc.metrotransit.org/NexTrip/21/3/SNUN
Entity and Attribute Detailed Citation http://svc.metrotransit.org/NexTrip/help/operations/GetDepartures
 
Section 6 Distribution Information Top of full metadata Top of page
Publisher Metropolitan Council
Publication Date Unpublished material
Contact Person Information John Sanborn
Principal Web Developer
Metro Transit
560 Sixth Avenue North
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411-4398
Phone:
FAX:
E-mail: john.sanborn@metc.state.mn.us
Distributor's Data Set Identifier NexTripAPI
Transfer Format Name XML or JSON
Transfer Format Version Number
Transfer Size
Ordering Instructions This dataset is available for direct use via web services via direct link by clicking below after 'Online Linkage'
Distribution Liability NOTICE: The Geographic Information System (GIS) Data to which this notice is attached are made available pursuant to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13). THE GIS DATA ARE PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY AS TO THEIR PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. The GIS Data were developed by the Metropolitan Council for its own internal business purposes. The Metropolitan Council does not represent or warrant that the GIS Data or the data documentation are error-free, complete, current, or accurate. You are responsible for any consequences resulting from your use of the GIS Data or your reliance on the GIS Data. You should consult the data documentation for this particular GIS Data to determine the limitations of the GIS Data and the precision with which the GIS Data may depict distance, direction, location, or other geographic features. If you transmit or provide the GIS Data (or any portion of it) to another user, it is recommended that the GIS Data include a copy of this disclaimer and this metadata.
Online Linkage I AGREE to the notice in "Distribution Liability" above. Clicking to agree will begin the download process (See Ordering Instructions above for details.)
 
Section 7 Metadata Reference Information Top of full metadata Top of page
Metadata Date 03/28/2012
Contact Person Information Matt McGuire, GIS Web Administrator
Metropolitan Council
390 Robert Street North
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1805
Phone: 651-602-1964
FAX:
E-mail: matt.mcguire@metc.state.mn.us
Metadata Standard Name Minnesota Geographic Metadata Guidelines
Metadata Standard Version 1.2
Metadata Standard Online Linkage http://www.gis.state.mn.us/stds/metadata.htm


This page last updated: 03/28/2012