MBTA Transit App

Inspiration

Boston commuters deal with delays, dead zones, and confusing station routes every day. We wanted to build something that works anywhere, even without internet, and makes navigating the MBTA simpler, smarter, and more reliable.

What it does

Our app finds the fastest route to any MBTA station, provides real‑time arrival data, and includes an offline AI chatbot that can answer transit questions even with no connection. It’s a pocket‑sized transit assistant built for real‑world commuting.

How we built it

Integrated MBTA’s real‑time API for live schedules and alerts Built an LLM‑powered chatbot using API keys for intelligent responses Added offline fallback logic so the chatbot works without internet Designed a clean, intuitive UI for quick station lookup and routing Developed and tested the app on android studio for rapid iteration

Challenges we ran into

Handling inconsistent or delayed real‑time API responses Ensuring the chatbot remained useful and responsive offline Optimizing route calculations for speed and accuracy Balancing features with the limited time of a hackathon Trying to fit the logo into the frame using canva

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Successfully combining real‑time transit data with offline AI Creating a smooth, user‑friendly experience under tight deadlines Building a reliable routing system that works even in dead zones Delivering a polished, functional prototype by the end of the hackathon Integrated augmented reality to find the nearest station implementing maps on our app

What we learned

How to integrate and troubleshoot real‑time public transit APIs Techniques for building offline‑capable AI tools The importance of UX simplicity in high‑stress environments like commuting How to collaborate quickly and effectively under time pressure implementing LLM's on our application and choosing which one to fit

What's next for MBTA Transit App

Adding full trip planning with transfers and walking directions Improving the offline model and online model chatbot with more local knowledge Implementing push notifications for delays and service changes Expanding beyond MBTA to support other transit systems Publishing the app for real commuters to use daily