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“The Computer Assisted Dispatching/

Automatic Vehicle Location System is a

primary tool for managing our system. Mobile

Data Terminals feed critical information into

our scheduling software which we use to

assign trip requests to specific routes. The

system also helps us identify vehicles that are

beginning to fall behind schedule, which

allows dispatchers to be more proactive in

problem-solving.”

—Raye Miles, Manager of LIFT Operations,

Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation

District (TRI-MET) Portland, Oregon

Automated Scheduling and Dispatching

Software Helps Provide Better Customer

Service

The assignment of requested trips to specific

vehicles for busy systems, if done manually, is

a complex and time-consuming task. Most

paratransit systems operating more than a

handful of vehicles have purchased

scheduling software of some degree of

sophistication to help in this process.

Agencies using the least sophisticated

packages normally require one or more days

notice for requested trips. The more

advanced software can quickly determine the

best placement for trip requests, and allows

agencies to accept trips on short notice,

thereby providing better customer service.

The most advanced software can also send

the vehicle routing to the driver automatically

via a Mobile Data Terminal.

“In the event of a cancellation or no-show,

our scheduling and dispatching software

attempts to fill the space created by the

cancellation/no-show, while keeping other

scheduled customers on time, and mitigating

Terminals through radio communications to

provide drivers with their scheduled pick-ups

and drop-offs.”

—Judith McGrane, General Manager,

Community Transit of Delaware County,

Pennsylvania

Automated scheduling and dispatching

software can also be useful in managing

paratransit services that are contracted out to

several vendors.

“Our computer-assisted routing and dispatch

system has provided us with consistency in the

efficiency of our several service providers, has

brought stability to our paratransit program,

has shown us where we can consolidate

service and take excess vehicles off the street,

and has provided us with an enhanced

monitoring capability.”

—Edward Wisniewski, Manager of

Paratransit Services, Broward County

Mass Transit, Florida

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Mobile Data Terminals Have Proven to

Be Very Effective Communications

Devices

Text messages can be sent between the

dispatch office and paratransit vehicles via

Mobile Data Terminals. This capability

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Automatic vehicle location gives paratransit

call-takers the ability to give patrons estimates

of the arrival times of their pick-up vehicles.

This is especially helpful when pick-ups are

running late and patrons are getting anxious.

“The automatic vehicle location system allows

the LIFT staff to provide a reasonably close

estimate of arrival times to passengers calling

to find out when their overdue bus will arrive.

This is an important customer relations

function.”

—Raye Miles, Manager of LIFT Operations,

Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation

District (TRI-MET) Portland, Oregon

While short notice requests can be handled in

some manner by most paratransit systems,

automatic vehicle location greatly facilitates

this process and increases the likelihood that

the best choice of pick-up vehicle will be

made.

“The automatic vehicle location system is of

great assistance in scheduling delayed return

trips. It gives the dispatcher the capability to

see in real time which vehicle is the closest to

the requested pick-up point.”

—Larry Harman, Project Manager for Cape

Cod Regional Transit Authority,

Massachusetts

Automatic vehicle location also provides data

that allows paratransit staff to review prior

days’ operations to investigate driver behavior

or customer complaints.

“We are now better able to recreate the events

of a prior day based upon pick-up, drop-off,

and any text messages sent by the drivers

combined with the automatic vehicle location

position information.”

—Kristie Chilcote, Operations Supervisor,

Laidlaw Transit Company—Portland,

Oregon

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