Leveraging Public APIs for Social Good: A Technical Deep Dive into the Motion Bus Card Balance & Status Bot

In the realm of technology and social impact, the Motion Bus Card Balance & Status Bot represents a seamless fusion of innovation and community service. This project was born out of a commitment to utilize technology not just for advancement, but for the tangible benefit of everyday people. By integrating with public APIs provided by Cyprus Public Transport and JCC, this bot offers an indispensable service for public transport users, free of charge.

Recognizing the Contributions of Cyprus Public Transport and JCC

Our journey to creating a more accessible public transport system wouldn’t be possible without the public APIs from Cyprus Public Transport and JCC. These organizations play a pivotal role in the ecosystem of public services, and by tapping into their APIs, we’re able to extend the functionality and convenience of their systems to the users of our bot.

Cyprus Public Transport

Cyprus Public Transport is operated under the oversight of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works of the Republic of Cyprus. It offers extensive bus services across cities, rural areas, and tourist destinations in Cyprus, featuring innovations like the Pame Mobile App for real-time bus information and 5G Wi-Fi connectivity on buses and at stations. A significant step towards sustainability has been made with the introduction of electric buses, showcasing their commitment to green mobility.

JCC

JCC plays a crucial role in facilitating secure and efficient payment solutions, crucial for smooth transactions across various services. JCC’s infrastructure supports a wide array of payment processing needs, demonstrating their pivotal role in the financial ecosystem of Cyprus and beyond.

Safeguarding Public Resources

In leveraging these public APIs, we’re acutely aware of the responsibility to use these resources wisely and respectfully. To this end, we’ve implemented measures within our bot to protect the integrity of these APIs:

• Rate Limiting: We’ve instituted a policy where a single Telegram user can only send a limited number of requests within a certain timeframe. This prevents any undue strain on the APIs and ensures fair usage among all users.

• Privacy and Security: While our bot facilitates access to public information, we prioritize user privacy and data protection, ensuring that personal information is never compromised.

Harnessing Cutting-Edge Technologies for Social Impact

The creation of the Motion Bus Card Balance & Status Bot is a testament to the power of modern technology to serve community needs. This section delves into the diverse technologies utilized in both the bot and website development, illustrating the project’s technical backbone.

Python

The bot is developed in Python , a versatile programming language known for its readability and broad support for web services and APIs. Python’s extensive libraries and frameworks made it an ideal choice for building the bot’s core functionalities:

• python-telegram-bot : A library that provides a convenient way to build Telegram bots with Python, offering straightforward integration with the Telegram Bot API. Its comprehensive features allow for easy message handling and bot management.

• httpx : An async HTTP client for Python, enabling asynchronous requests. It’s designed for high performance and concurrency, making it well-suited for service-to-service communication and API calls in modern web applications.

• FastAPI : A modern, fast (high-performance) web framework for building APIs with Python 3.7+ based on standard Python type hints. The key features include automatic API documentation, validation, and serialization, which facilitate the rapid development of robust APIs.

Redis

Although not currently in use, Redis is implemented for potential future caching of API requests. This advanced in-memory data structure store is set to enhance the bot’s performance by reducing load times.

Docker

Utilizing Docker , the bot’s deployment process is streamlined through the use of Dockerfiles. This ensures that the bot operates consistently across different development and production environments.

Google Cloud Run

This fully managed platform allows the bot to be deployed in a scalable cloud environment. Google Cloud Run supports containerized applications, providing the flexibility to handle variable traffic efficiently.

Google Analytics 4 Measurement Protocol

For anonymous usage statistics, the bot integrates with Google Analytics 4 Measurement Protocol , enabling detailed insights into user interactions without compromising privacy.

Hugo

The website is crafted using Hugo , a fast and modern static site generator. Hugo’s simplicity and efficiency in managing content make it an excellent choice for developing the bot’s web presence. Our website enhances its functionality and design by incorporating the Hugoplate theme, a synergy of Hugo and TailwindCSS. This choice reflects our commitment to using cutting-edge technology for an optimized web experience. More about Hugoplate can be found on its GitHub page .

Cloudflare Services

The website leverages various Cloudflare Services for DNS management, website protection, and acceleration. Cloudflare’s comprehensive suite ensures a secure and optimized user experience.

Cloudflare Pages

The website is hosted on Cloudflare Pages , which offers fast and secure web hosting solutions, ensuring the website is reliably available to users worldwide.

Cloudflare Turnstile

As a user-friendly alternative to CAPTCHA, Cloudflare Turnstile helps protect the website’s feedback form from spam and automated abuse without compromising user convenience.

Cloudflare Workers

To enable serverless functionalities like sending messages from the feedback form to Telegram, Cloudflare Workers are utilized. This method allows the Hugo-based website to incorporate dynamic features without the need for a traditional backend.

GitHub

Our project utilizes GitHub for secure version control and internal collaboration. GitHub plays a crucial role in ensuring our development process is streamlined and efficient.

GitHub Actions

We leverage GitHub Actions for Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD), automating our development workflows. This enhances our efficiency in deploying updates and ensuring the reliability of our services.

Each technology plays a pivotal role in the project, from ensuring the bot’s responsive and efficient operation to providing a secure and user-friendly website. This combination of tools and services not only supports the bot’s functionality but also aligns with the project’s goal of leveraging technology for social good.

Embracing the Future: A Conclusion

As we reflect on the journey of the Motion Bus Card Balance & Status Bot, it’s clear that this project is more than just a technical achievement; it’s a step towards a more connected and accessible world. Through the integration of advanced technologies and public APIs, we’ve not only improved the daily commute for many but also showcased the power of innovation for social good. As we look to the future, the possibilities are boundless. We remain committed to exploring new ways to leverage technology, enhance community services, and contribute to a sustainable and inclusive future. This initiative is just the beginning of our quest to make a lasting impact on society through technological excellence and a deep-seated desire to serve the community.