nz-buses

Fetch live Metlink Wellington bus arrivals, routes, and alerts as JSON.

24|6|Updated Apr 10, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/thecolab-ai/.skills --skill nz-buses
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: nz-buses
Source: https://github.com/thecolab-ai/.skills/tree/main/skills/nz-buses
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/thecolab-ai/.skills --skill nz-buses

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Live Wellington bus information is hard to query reliably from within an AI workflow, forcing users to manually browse feeds or reverse-engineer endpoints.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Search Wellington bus stops and routes: Find stops by name/code/id and list bus routes for the Wellington-region Metlink network.
  • Fetch live arrivals and vehicle positions: Get near-real-time departures/arrivals and active vehicle locations as structured data for agent chaining.
  • Surface service alerts: Retrieve active bus service alerts and filter them to bus-relevant routes.

Quick Start

Run nz-buses to return live bus arrivals for a specific Metlink stop by asking your agent to execute: python3 skills/nz-buses/scripts/cli.py arrivals 5011 --json.

Frequently Asked Questions about nz-buses

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I get live Wellington bus arrivals in JSON format for AI workflows?

Fetch live Wellington bus arrivals as structured JSON by executing the CLI command with a specific Metlink stop ID. It requires setting the METLINK_API_KEY environment variable to authenticate and filter real-time transit data.

What data is included in Metlink GTFS real-time bus feeds?

Metlink real-time bus feeds include stop arrivals, departures, active vehicle positions, and active service alerts. The data is scoped to Wellington-region bus route types only, excluding other transit modes like rail or ferry.

Do I need an API key to query Wellington public transit bus routes?

Yes, you must configure the METLINK_API_KEY environment variable before querying Wellington public transit bus routes. This key authenticates all read-only polling requests for stop searches, route discovery, and real-time arrivals.

Can I search for Wellington bus stops by name or proximity?

Yes, you can search for Wellington bus stops by name, code, or ID query, as well as by geographic proximity. The Skill returns matching Metlink stop data in a machine-usable format suitable for agent chaining.

How do I retrieve active service alerts for Wellington buses?

Retrieve active bus service alerts by running the CLI command to poll the Metlink API. The Skill filters and surfaces only bus-relevant route alerts, excluding service disruptions for other transit modes in the Wellington region.

What are the limitations of using CLI commands for public transit data integration?

The CLI commands provide read-only polling and deterministic JSON output scoped to Wellington buses only. It does not support writing data back or managing transit configurations, and requires a valid Metlink API key for every request.