Testimonial

Being able to more effectively monitor our on-time performance is something we use the most because it allows us to take steps to get back on track quickly. If we are running behind we don’t have spend time contacting the drivers, we can see where they are and make the necessary changes right away, which is wonderful.

Karen Estes, Senior Manager, Knox County CAC Transit

ROI

75% reduction in data entry
More efficient driver/dispatcher communication
98% on-time performance
Instant schedule changes
Fewer customer complaints
Accurate reporting

Knox County Community Action Committee Transit

On-time Performance Benefits from Technology Partnership

68 vehicles
1,000 trips per day
Service area extends over 500 square miles

In Tennessee, Knox County Community Action Committee (CAC) Transit provides demand response transportation services for Knox County residents living outside the city limits and for Knoxville residents who have no other means of transportation. Knox County CAC Transit also provides employment-related transportation services for Knox County residents and persons with disabilities who cannot use Knoxville Area Transit. With a goal of 100% on-time performance, Knox County CAC Transit wanted a technology system that would lead to greater efficiency across their organization and allow them to provide even better service to their riders.

Challenges

Knox Country CAC Transit struggled with monitoring efficiency and communicating with drivers to gain an accurate picture of the service they were providing to riders. To manage these challenges, Knox County CAC Transit decided it was necessary to equip their operation with a sophisticated technology solution. As Senior Manager Karen Estes explains: "We realized it was time to get a system where we could not only communicate with our drivers but know their exact location and eliminate their paper log sheets as well. We wanted to have more real-time information available to us."

Solution

Knox County CAC Transit equipped their 68-vehicle fleet with Mentor Ranger® rugged in-vehicle mobile data terminals to allow for real-time communication between drivers and dispatchers, enable instant trip updates, provide on-screen navigation and automate data collection. CTS Software Inc. provided Trip Master Enterprise Edition (TMEE) paratransit management software in the office. The TMEE software from CTS helps Knox County CAC Transit quickly and easily manage all aspects of their operation, from billing and reporting to scheduling and dispatch. TMEE interfaces seamlessly with Ranger, improving service flexibility.

The technology solution also includes Mentor XGate® middleware which compresses, packages, and sends messages between drivers and dispatchers over the Sprint network. Mentor XMobile Manager® (XMM) software is used for over-the-air programming of the Ranger mobile data terminals.

End Results

Since implementing the technology system, one of the areas Knox County CAC Transit has seen the most benefit is in monitoring the on-time performance of their fleet. “Being able to more effectively monitor our on-time performance is something we use the most because it allows us to take steps to get back on track quickly. If we are running behind we don’t have to spend time contacting the drivers, we can see where they are and make the necessary changes right away, which is wonderful,” says Karen.

Customer Service That Works: Client Testimonials Video

We caught up with some of our transit clients to find out first-hand what they really think of our customer service, and why they chose our technology solutions. Hear what they had to say.
Watch the Video