bts_transport_compare_ports
Compare two to eight U.S. land-border ports on one consistent official BTS crossing measure over a shared rolling window. Ranks ports by current count and returns prior-window count, reported-month completeness, percent change, exact window, stable port codes, and provenance. Use this for 'compar...
This record as markdown: /tools/io-github-blackboxfoundry-livedatalink/bts-transport-compare-ports.md
What bts_transport_compare_ports does on Livedatalink
AI agents call bts_transport_compare_ports to retrieve information from Livedatalink without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
ports | array | Yes | Two to eight exact four-digit port codes or unambiguous port names. |
measure | string | Yes | Official BTS crossing measure. Measures have different units and must not be added together. |
end_month | string | — | Calendar month in YYYY-MM format. |
response_format | string | — | Human-readable markdown or machine-readable JSON. Default markdown. |
trailing_months | integer | — | Months per current/prior comparison window. Default 12. |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why bts_transport_compare_ports is rated Low
Even though bts_transport_compare_ports only reads data, uncontrolled read access leaks sensitive information and racks up API costs: an agent caught in a retry loop can make thousands of calls a minute without anyone noticing.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs bts_transport_compare_ports safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Livedatalink, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For bts_transport_compare_ports, this is the rule to start with:
bts_transport_compare_ports is read-only, so it stays allowed. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Livedatalink, apply this rule, and every bts_transport_compare_ports call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about bts_transport_compare_ports
Compare two to eight U.S. land-border ports on one consistent official BTS crossing measure over a shared rolling window. Ranks ports by current count and returns prior-window count, reported-month completeness, percent change, exact window, stable port codes, and provenance. Use this for 'compare truck crossings at Laredo, El Paso, and Otay Mesa' or 'which selected Canada-border port has more train crossings?'. It does not compare wait times, outbound flows, or cargo value. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Livedatalink MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
bts_transport_compare_ports accepts 5 parameters: ports, measure, end_month, response_format, trailing_months. Required: ports, measure. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Livedatalink MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for bts_transport_compare_ports: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Livedatalink. Nothing to install.
bts_transport_compare_ports is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the bts_transport_compare_ports rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for bts_transport_compare_ports. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
bts_transport_compare_ports is provided by the Livedatalink MCP server (https://livedatalink.ai/mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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