> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://herwaka.shesharp.org.nz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Smart Commute: Auckland Transport Real-Time Alerts

> Just ask 'Is my bus running late?' and AI checks the real-time data for you — get personalised commute intelligence for Auckland using voice or text. No coding required.

<Tip>
  **Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Easy** · Estimated time: \~30–45 minutes
</Tip>

It's 7:30 AM. You're heading to work in Auckland. Is the Northern Express on time? Is there a disruption on the Western Line? You could open three different apps, scroll through alerts, and piece together an answer — or you could just say:

> "Is my bus running late? Check the Auckland Transport data and tell me."

And AI checks everything and tells you what matters, in plain English.

**That's what we're building.** A voice-first workflow where you speak a question about your commute, AI fetches real-time Auckland Transport data, and you get personalised advice — instantly.

<Info>
  **Tutorial led by [Chan Meng](https://chanmeng.org/)** — Senior AI/ML Engineer, open-source contributor, and former ByteDance developer. Chan has built 30+ live applications and specialises in AI-powered solutions. She is also a panel speaker at this event and the developer behind this website.
</Info>

## But first — do you even need this?

There are already some great tools for Auckland commuters. Let's be honest about them.

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Google Maps" icon="map-location-dot">
    **Already great for most people**

    "Time to leave" notifications, live traffic, crowd-sourced delay reports, and alternative route suggestions. Free, no setup required.
  </Card>

  <Card title="AT Mobile App" icon="mobile">
    **The official option**

    Real-time departures, boarding reminders, service disruption alerts, and route subscriptions. Free from Auckland Transport.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Transit App" icon="route">
    **Multi-modal planner**

    Real-time arrivals, service alerts, trip planning across bus, train, and ferry. Free, clean interface.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tip>
  **These apps are excellent.** If all you need is "when is my next bus?" then Google Maps or the AT Mobile app will serve you well. This tutorial is for people who want to go further — combining multiple data sources, asking complex questions in natural language, and building custom commute intelligence that no single app provides.
</Tip>

## So why use AI + the AT API?

| Capability                                          | Google Maps / AT App  | AI + AT API (this tutorial)         |
| --------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| Next bus departure                                  | Yes                   | Yes                                 |
| Service alerts                                      | Yes                   | Yes, with plain-English explanation |
| "Is route 62 faster than the train today?"          | No                    | Yes — just ask                      |
| "Are there delays on any of my 3 commute routes?"   | Check each separately | One question, one answer            |
| "Give me a morning briefing for my commute"         | No                    | Yes — say it and it happens         |
| Custom logic (e.g. "only tell me if delay > 5 min") | No                    | Yes                                 |

## What you will build

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Connect" icon="key">
    Register for the free Auckland Transport API and get your access key
  </Card>

  <Card title="Ask" icon="microphone">
    Speak or type commute questions — Gemini CLI fetches real-time data for you
  </Card>

  <Card title="Understand" icon="sparkles">
    AI analyses the raw data and gives you plain-English commute advice
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## How it works

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
    A["You ask a\ncommute question"] --> B["Wispr Flow\nconverts to text"]
    B --> C["Gemini CLI fetches\nAT API data"]
    C --> D["AI interprets\nand advises"]
```

You speak a question about your commute (or type it, if you prefer). Wispr Flow converts your voice to text. Gemini CLI fetches live data from Auckland Transport's API, analyses it, and gives you a clear, actionable answer in plain English.

<Tip>
  **You can either speak your prompts using Wispr Flow, or type/paste them into Gemini CLI. Both work exactly the same way.** Wispr Flow is optional — it just makes the experience hands-free. Every prompt in this tutorial works whether you speak it or type it.
</Tip>

## What you will learn

* How to register for a free public API and use an API key
* How AI can fetch and interpret real-time data from the web
* How to write prompts that combine data from multiple sources
* How to ask complex commute questions using natural language — by voice or text
* How to work with real-world transport data (GTFS Realtime format)
* How to use voice input with Wispr Flow for a hands-free workflow

<Note>
  **No coding required.** You will speak or paste prompts into Gemini CLI. The AI handles all the technical work — your job is to ask the right questions about your commute.
</Note>

## Tools

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Gemini CLI" icon="terminal">
    Google's free AI assistant that runs in your terminal. It can fetch web data and interpret results.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Wispr Flow" icon="microphone">
    Optional voice input tool — speak instead of type. Works in any application, including your terminal.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Auckland Transport API" icon="bus">
    Free real-time data for all Auckland buses, trains, and ferries. Updated every 30 seconds.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Node.js" icon="node-js">
    Required to install Gemini CLI. Quick one-time setup.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Terminal" icon="square-terminal">
    The command-line app built into your computer. On macOS it is called Terminal; on Windows it is called PowerShell or Command Prompt.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Cost

| Tool                   | Cost                                                                               |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Gemini CLI             | Free (1,000 requests/day)                                                          |
| Wispr Flow             | Free trial ([invite link for a free month of Pro](https://wisprflow.ai/r?CHAN115)) |
| Auckland Transport API | Free (600 calls/min, 35,000/week)                                                  |
| Node.js                | Free                                                                               |
| **Total**              | **\$0**                                                                            |

## Prerequisites

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="A laptop with internet" icon="laptop">
    Windows or macOS. No special hardware needed.
  </Card>

  <Card title="About 30–45 minutes" icon="clock">
    Take your time — there's no rush. You can pause and come back anytime.
  </Card>

  <Card title="An Auckland commute (or curiosity)" icon="bus">
    You don't need to live in Auckland, but the data is Auckland-specific. Great for anyone who uses AT buses or trains.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  Ready to get started? Head to [Set up your tools](/tutorial/auckland-commute/setup) to register your API key and install Gemini CLI.
</Note>