YardRyde: Jamaica's Real-Time Transit Tracker

YardRyde is a high-performance, real-time transit tracking platform built to solve the unpredictability of commuting in Jamaica. Focused initially on Kingston and St. Andrew, YardRyde enables riders to visualize JUTC bus positions, track live ETAs, and contribute to crowdsourced "vibe" reports.

🇯🇲 The Mission: Kingston & St. Andrew

In Kingston, commuters often face long, unpredictable waits at bus stops. YardRyde provides:

• Live Tracking: See exactly where your bus is on the map.
• Smart Planning: Input your destination to find the best JUTC routes and estimated arrival times.
• Driver Empowerment: A dedicated interface for drivers to broadcast their live GPS location with a single tap.
• Vibe Reports: Crowdsourced real-time updates on delays, crowding, and AC status ("Cold AC ❄️").

🌍 Multi-Region Capability

While our heart is in Jamaica, YardRyde is built on a robust, multi-region architecture. The app dynamically switches based on the DATA_SOURCE configuration:

• Kingston Mode (kingston): Our primary focus. A high-fidelity simulator and driver-broadcasting system tailored for JUTC routes.
• NYC Mode (nyc): A technical proof-of-concept using live New York City (MTA) bus data (SIRI/GTFS-RT) to demonstrate real-world API integration at scale.

Core Features

• Real-Time Map Visualization — Interactive Leaflet maps with sub-2s position updates.
• Trip Planner — Advanced routing logic to tell you which bus to take to reach your destination.
• Proximity Notifications — Browser alerts when your watched bus is within 500m.
• Driver Dashboard — Simple, mobile-first toggle for drivers to share their live location.
• GTFS-RT Compatibility — Backend generates Protocol Buffer streams for professional transit integration.
• Cross-Platform — Responsive web client for riders and a React Native companion app for deep mobile integration.

Tech Stack

Component	Stack
Client (Web)	React 19, Vite 7, Leaflet, Socket.io-client 4.x, Tailwind CSS 4, Google Maps API
Server	Java 21, Spring Boot 3.4.3, netty-socketio, Maven, GTFS-RT / Protocol Buffers
Mobile	React Native 0.78, TypeScript, react-native-maps, @notifee/react-native
Data Sources	Kingston Simulator (In-memory), NYC MTA (SIRI / GTFS-RT APIs)

Project Structure

Real-Time_Transit_Tracker/
├── client/           # React Web Application (Rider & Driver views)
├── server/           # Spring Boot Backend (Orchestration & Simulator)
├── mobile/           # React Native App (iOS/Android)
├── Documentation/    # PRD, Roadmaps, and Hackathon Specs
└── README.md

Quick Start

1. Configure Environment

Client (client/.env):

VITE_DATA_SOURCE=kingston # Set to 'nyc' for MTA demo
VITE_SOCKET_URL=http://localhost:3001
VITE_GOOGLE_MAPS_BROWSER_KEY=your_key_here

Server (server/.env):

TRANSIT_DATA_SOURCE=simulator # Set to 'mta' for NYC data
TRANSIT_MTA_API_KEY=your_mta_gtfs_key
MTA_BUSTIME_API_KEY=your_mta_bustime_key

2. Run the Platform

Backend:

cd server && ./mvnw spring-boot:run

Web Client:

cd client && npm install && npm run dev

Supported Routes (Kingston)

Route	Name	Color
800	Half-Way-Tree to Portmore	Green
76	Cross Roads to Downtown	Blue
42	UTech to Constant Spring	Orange

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YardRyde — Launched today for the Intellibus Hackathon 2026. Bringing transparency to Jamaican transit, one stop at a time.