We have seen the emergence of specialized markets, the rise of on-demand ride-sharing and ride-hailing services and the arrival of future transportation technology such as autonomous vehicles. These developments have resulted in the gradual move away from personal vehicle ownership and a decrease public transit ridership, especially in urban areas. For the first time, 2018 saw ridership on TNCs exceed that provided by public transit. It’s easy to continue to use a manual scheduling process, but it’s not practical. Successful agencies are preparing for tomorrow’s success by learning about and adopting automated scheduling today.
Automated scheduling is the process whereby an algorithm determines the quickest and most cost-effective solution for vehicles to get riders from one location to another within a continuously-changing, real-time environment. In addition, successfully automated scheduling delivers high on-time performance (OTP). Recent FTA audits are requiring public transit agencies to provide an OTP above 90 percent for demand-response services, such as ADA paratransit.
The “pen and paper approach” (and most manual scheduling systems) opens itself to the vulnerabilities of unexpected events throughout the day, such as cancellations, no-shows, driver error, traffic, and inclement weather as an automated system does. This approach is not sustainable given the massive demand for transportation with 10,000 Baby Boomers retiring each day and the general public’s shift away from fixed schedules. As we move forward, effective automated scheduling will be the only possible solution to manage the volume of ridership while delivering them an excellent experience.
Truly automated scheduling systems are incredibly complex but are easy to operate. It adapts and adjusts to a changing environment seamlessly; more than 95 percent of the work is being performed, which alleviates guesswork and frees staff members to concentrate on other tasks. Automated systems run continuously and monitor changes throughout the day in real time, whereas systems that merely are claimed to be automated do not have these capabilities.
Automated scheduling should result in SMART goals being attained (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely). As a scheduling software provider, Ecolane examines if clients are saving on fuel costs, can do more rides per hour and with fewer vehicles, are putting less mileage per day on each vehicle, can increase their on-time performance, and other quantifiable metrics. On average, this has resulted in a 44 percent increase in productivity on the day of service for transit companies that have implemented Ecolane.
When you decide to invest in new scheduling software, be sure you know the process of training and implementation before you commit. Some companies offer very little concerning implementation and only offer scant training or a couple of webinar tutorials.
By contrast, Ecolane sends experienced technical specialists on site to train and implement transit agency staff. There is a 3D process prior to the Go Live:
Prior Go Live, Ecolane utilizes a Learning Management System (LMS) that tests the 3Ds on key concepts and complements the onsite training to ensure all key stakeholders are ready for launch. After launch, Ecolane remains onsite to address any questions that might arise in real-life scenarios as they become acclimated to the system.
In some ways, the riders benefit the most because they can come to rely on the vehicles arriving on schedule. Successful scheduling alleviates customer panic and rush to find alternative transportation. Ecolane software specifically offers a number of rider add-ons, such as SMS messaging, self-booking, ability to monitor the vehicle, and Alexa integration. Riders can also share their travel itinerary with a watcher, such as an adult child or hospital reception.
The world of transportation is changing rapidly and the public’s expectations are only growing. Choosing the right software solution to meet your needs and the demand of your customers is vital to future success. That is why it is important to partner with a company that offers unlimited support and continually releases updates and new products to keep pace with the changes in the industry.
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Ecolane offers a complete line of products and services designed to enable transportation managers to serve their communities better. By implementing innovative solutions, dispatchers and drivers are able to focus on providing reliable, efficient service while leaving the complicated logistics to the routing algorithm within the demand-responsive software. By optimizing schedules in real-time, increases in productivity metrics, such as rides per hour (RPH) on the day of service happen in a manner that is not achievable using other software. Additionally, in today’s “mobile” world, dial-a-ride passengers maintain flexibility and control over their own schedules similar to a TNC app.
Learn more about Ecolane DRT or schedule a demo today.
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