Mountain Mobility has provided paratransit services to the residents of Buncombe County since 1989. Completing more than 500 trips per day with 42 vehicles, Mountain Mobility began using their Paratransit ITS System in January 2010. Lori Hembree, Director at Mountain Mobility, discusses the benefits ITS has brought to her agency.
1. Has the system changed how dispatchers interact with drivers?
Our dispatchers have become more proactive in monitoring driver schedules. They can monitor all the drivers and see whether they are running on-time, early or behind. With this information, they are able to move trips between vehicles without verbal communication or pencil and paper. Also, we can more easily accommodate customers who are early or miss their pick-up. This has helped us improve customer service and keep our on-time performance at an appropriate level.
2. Has the system affected your same-day scheduling procedures?
We didn’t change any of our policies in terms of on-the-fly schedule changes but we are able to accommodate people that are ready early. For example, customers that had a scheduled pick-up but the doctor finished with them two hours ahead of time. We’re much more able to accommodate them and provide a fairly accurate time for when they can expect the van to arrive. It also arrives more quickly than it did before we had the technology. So from that perspective, customer service has improved dramatically.
3. Have you seen changes in the office and bus work environments?
We’ve definitely cut back on radio communication, which has been a great improvement. Even drivers who thought they would dislike it, turned out to really like the technology. They like getting rid of the paper and not having to write everything down. They also like all the information they are able to access by touching the screen, and having turn-by-turn directions when needed.
Since we’re not using paper anymore, there’s been a lot less stress trying to verify trips and our validation process. We also have a lot more information to provide customer agencies that call to ask a question about a no-show. For example, we’ve had situations where an agency has called and said, “this person said they were waiting but the bus never came to pick them up.” We can now go and play back the route. We have the geographic location and the time stamps of all the vehicles so we can assure passengers the van was there and that it waited the required amount of time.
4. Has the system affected your fleet’s on-time performance?
We now have a more accurate reflection of what our on-time performance used to be. With paper records there were a lot of instances of drivers writing down rather suspect times. Now we now have a realistic picture of how much we’re on-time and I’m pretty happy with where it’s at.
5. At this stage in your agency’s growth, what do you think the impact of not having fleet management technology would be?
I think customers would start to notice things going backwards in terms of getting vehicles to them quickly and receiving accurate information over the phone. I think if we were to go backwards at this point we might lose our dispatchers entirely, they’d probably just walk away. Drivers can’t imagine having to go back to paper now. They really like having the computers on-board. So I think from that perspective we would see a revolt!
From the administrative side, I think people’s job stress would fly through the roof if we went back to the verification process we had prior to having the new system and having to try to deal with service issues when it was all a guessing game. I know in my job it would be hard trying to deal with a customer complaint if I couldn’t pull up that van and take a look at it live or play back its route for the day.
Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, Wake Coordinated Transportation Services manages the contractors who provide trips throughout Wake County. The agency has been using a complete Paratransit ITS Solution since June 2009. Ray Woodall, Transportation Broker, discusses the benefits ITS has brought to his operation.
1. Have you seen a change in how dispatchers and drivers communicate?
All of the dispatchers are alive! No, actually, there’s been a very significant improvement in terms of the communication between drivers and dispatchers because with mobile computers, dispatchers can send trips directly to the vehicles. This frees up dispatchers to provide drivers with additional information they may need throughout the day. Plus it’s helped clarify addresses, names, destinations and things like that. When dispatchers repeat details over the radio it doesn’t necessarily get translated in the same way as when it’s written down on a driver manifest. With the system, drivers have the written information right in front of them on their screen. That has helped them to improve their ability to deliver services and increase their on-time performance as well.
2. Has the system affected the complaint resolution process?
It has helped some customer complaints drop, particularly with issues of being on time or late for pickups. We have seen a reduction in the number of monthly complaints that we had been receiving. If there is a complaint that is lodged because of a late pickup or drop off, we can go in and use the data from the mobile computer to tell the passenger “this is when the driver arrived” and “this is how long you were on the vehicle.” A lot of times when a complaint comes in saying, “it took me two hours to get home,” when you give them the data from the Ranger it turns out to be thirty minutes. It’s made it a lot easier to resolve those issues because it’s kind of tough to argue with the hard data. Now that customers know we can do that, it’s helped contribute to a reduction in those types of complaints.
3. Have you seen any changes in the office and bus work environments since you started using the system?
The stress level has gone down considerably. Radio traffic has decreased in terms of providing additions or changes to the schedule but we have been able to use the radio to provide other types of information to drivers, such as daily safety messages and more general information about traffic or construction issues. Dispatchers have been able to use the radios to provide that type of information instead of devoting so much radio time to modifications and schedule changes. It’s been a win-win on both sides, with the mobile computers and the use of the radio.
4. Has the data entry process been affected?
The time we spend on data entry has absolutely lessened. When I used to go into the scheduling application I would have to go back at least 7-10 days to pull up verified data. Now I can go in and the services that were done, for example, on Monday, are available for me to review on Tuesday because they’ve already been verified. We’ve been able to have the verification clerk assume other duties because the automatic data entry has simplified the process for her.
5. Has the system affected your fleet’s on-time performance?
We’ve seen a significant increase. We have an on-time performance requirement in our contracts with our vendors. In order to meet the requirements of the contract, they have to be at a performance level, for example, of 92% for the month. We’ve seen that go up on average 2 to 4 points per month. The only time that we see any issues with that is when they first bring new hires on board. The percentage will drop slightly for a couple of weeks, but it starts climbing right back up again. We’ve had some great success as far as on-time performance goes.
6. Where have you seen the most changes in your operation?
The greatest change that we have seen is the improvements in the ways that the drivers, schedulers, and dispatchers are doing the scheduling. With dispatch being able to do on-the-fly changes it’s certainly helped keep the schedules more in-line with using vehicles as efficiently as possible, which in turn improves on-time performance. There’s also been an improvement in the quality of data we’ve been able to get back from the vehicles with the mobile computers.
Are you trying to find ways to improve your agency’s on-time performance, streamline operations and increase customer satisfaction? With shrinking budgets and a growing need for paratransit service, it can seem like a daunting task.
Check out this free webinar and learn how ITS technology can be used to manage your day-to-day challenges while improving customer service and increasing efficiency. In the webinar, our Transit Project Manager will demonstrate real-life examples of how you can save time, improve on-time performance, make easy on-the-fly schedule changes, and reduce operating costs.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) provides paratransit service to sixty towns and cities in and around Boston. With over 800 vehicles, the MBTA completes more than 1.9 million trips each year. Their paratransit service, called THE RIDE, is contracted to three companies: Greater Lynn Senior Services, Joint Venture TTI/YCN and Veterans Transportation Services. Paul Strobis, Assistant Manager, Paratransit Contract Operations for the MBTA talks about the benefits ITS technology has brought to their operation.
1. What does your company look for in a technology provider? What do you value most?
When we went looking for technology partners for our next five year service contract we wanted to look for stability and the best value for the MBTA, especially in the current economic climate. And with that stability and value, we wanted to be able to provide quality service to the disabled community which is our customer base.
2. How has the system improved how dispatchers interact with drivers?
I think it’s reduced the amount of radio traffic. One-on-one messaging capabilities with the drivers mean that messages don’t need to be broadcast fleet-wide. Using the mobile computers, dispatchers can communicate directly with a driver for same-day orders or manifest changes. I think that’s been the biggest difference.
3. Has the system helped you to more effectively monitor the on-time performance of your fleet?
The information we get back from the AVL technology absolutely gives me a solid feeling about our on-time performance data. Previous to this system, the reporting was being done manually and the MBTA had to take at face value that what was being reported was accurate. Now it’s all uniform, accurate reporting.
This system gives us data so we know when we’re arriving, when we’ve departed, and when we arrive at the drop-off location. All of that data can be collected and reported on, which allows us to see where the problems are. Our scheduling folks can assess this data and are able to tweak the schedule and improve it.
4. Where are you seeing the most benefit?
We are seeing the most benefit in the accuracy of reporting and improved customer service by being able to tell the customer where the vehicle is instead of guessing. I would imagine that fleet utilization and driver utilization is more beneficial to the vendors, as they can keep their man power down by accurately knowing what their slack time is, where their holes are in the schedule, and by being able to dispatch on-the-fly versus sending out paper manifests.
5. At this stage in your company’s growth, what would have been the impact of not equipping your operation with this new technology? How would your customers/staff have been affected?
If we didn’t have this ITS system I would imagine chaos, so I don’t think about that. We’d probably need to hire more staff to be able to handle what is now mostly automated.
Prior to this ITS infrastructure, we used an old Windows 98-based product. We did have an AVL system but it was spotty at best and all the reporting had to be done manually. When we implemented the new ITS technology we saw a swing in reporting where some of our percentages really skewed in the first fiscal year because it was based on the AVL technology and the data coming out of the system versus manual reporting.
The improvement in customer service has been huge. Instead of getting the old ‘Where’s my ride, oh it’s five minutes away, ten minutes away, right around the corner’. Now it’s ‘Your vehicle’s on Smith Street, three minutes away ETA’. Because we really do know where the vehicle is today.
There is a continuing debate surrounding the best type of device for use in field service or enterprise businesses: BlackBerry smartphones or rugged devices? This article, from Mobile Enterprise Magazine, looks at the merit of both, and suggests that rugged devices still have the upper hand in the industry. Here are some advantages rugged devices offer over smartphones:
While the BlackBerry’s versatility is an attractive feature, rugged devices are designed specifically for the needs of the job and don’t blur the lines between business and personal use.
For large field forces that have a large inventory of devices used by employees on a daily basis, the ability to personalize a BlackBerry offers no particular advantage; rugged devices, in this case, are more desirable.
Rugged devices stand up to harsh environments, such as construction sites. BlackBerry smartphones are more susceptible to damage and have a shorter life cycle.
This video highlights the great new features of the Purchase Area Regional Transit’s (PART) groundbreaking Travel Management Coordination Center (TMCC) in Western Kentucky. PART is a cooperative effort between four transit providers in Western Kentucky: Paducah Area Transit System, Easter Seals West Kentucky, Fulton County Transit Authority and Murray-Calloway Transit Authority. They have implemented an ITS solution to more efficiently manage the transportation and information needs of those living in the Purchase Area region of Western Kentucky.
The four transit agencies are connected through a centralized computer network which increases dispatching efficiency. Using Computer Assisted Scheduling and Dispatching (CASD) and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL), dispatchers can keep track of all trips and vehicles. AVL constantly sends every vehicle’s precise location to the central dispatching computer network so that PART dispatchers always know the nearest vehicle to a caller.
The centralized computer network communicates with all the vehicles of the four transportation providers through in-vehicle mobile computers. The in-vehicle units keep drivers aware of all pick-ups and drop-offs, and dispatchers can send messages directly to the driver’s in-vehicle computer if there are changes to their schedule.
Customers will be able to access the TMCC by phone or via the PART website to make or modify travel plans. Customers will be able to receive information not only for transportation, but for health and human services and general governmental and educational information as well. For more information about PART, and their exciting new project, click here to visit their website.
Understanding the basics of the technology used is important for any person working in fleet management. Simply put, much of the technology used in fleet management can be described as “machine-to-machine,” or “M2M” for short. Essentially what this means is that two or more machines communicate to one another. If you plug an iPod into a USB slot on your stereo to control the iPod via the stereo and listen to music through different speakers, you are employing M2M technology.
In the world of fleet management, M2M technology connects machines of various different types together, and most often by a wireless connection. For example, a vehicle can have a sensor embedded into its engine to monitor gas usage, speeds, idling, and excessive braking. As the information is collected, the sensor transmits it over a wireless data network. The information is received in a separate office where it is stored and analyzed.
Collecting this information is highly beneficial to a company because it saves both time and money: if, for example, a vehicle has engine trouble the company will be automatically informed and can repair the vehicle before it falls into disrepair. There is also no need to service a vehicle when it does not need work done, saving time (vehicle downtime), money (the cost of servicing) and fuel (bringing a vehicle in from the field).
Getting the Most Out of an M2M System
There are various ways of wirelessly connecting two machines, and they all have pros and cons. A reputable vendor will assist you in setting up, running, and trouble-shooting problems. Knowing which system will best provide the functionality you need, at an affordable price will take research, but is worth the time invested. M2M solutions can bestow multiple benefits on a user, including improved customer service, more efficient processes, reduced operating costs and a sharpened competitive edge.
M + 2 + M = Success
Industries of all kinds are filled with success stories from implementing M2M technology. To learn how real-world businesses have applied M2M technology, click here to read the full article from Integrated Solutions: For Wireless, Mobility and RFID. Also included is a useful glossary of terms common to the M2M industry.
As an increasing number of fleet-based operations employ mobile computers to manage their mobile workers, managing the mobile computers themselves becomes an increasingly high priority. This is known as an MDM (Mobile Device Management) solution. Many enterprise or government mobility solutions consider a mobile device management solution to be critical, with “minimizing device downtime” being the primary concern to achieve a return on their investment. In addition, “the scope of device management solutions continues to expand. Key capabilities include not only remote maintenance and troubleshooting…but [also] software provisioning and increasingly security management.”
VDC Research Group, a technology market research and strategy consulting firm, conducted a study to examine the cost of running mobile computers. They estimate that the cost of a fully-burdened staff to support a mobile device without mobile device management works out to $39.40 per hour. Furthermore, the use of a mobile device management solution saves an organization over $230 per device, per year, in support costs. While this might seem insignificant, the numbers quickly spiral upward when time and multiple units are factored into the equation. VDC’s research found that a company with 1,000 units will save in excess of $1.1 million over a five year period with an MDM solution.
While including a mobile device management solution along with the implementation of mobile computers may seem an unnecessary additional expense, including an MDM solution will both easily pay for itself and save a company even more money in the long run.
[1] Krebs, David. “Total Cost of Ownership Models,” Track 1, Volume 3: Mobile Device Management Software – An Executive Brief. VDC Research Group, Inc., 2010. p. 3.
In a continued effort to battle distracted driving practices, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced a federal ban on texting while driving by drivers of commercial vehicles, like buses and large trucks. This move is part of a larger DOT campaign to put an end to distracted driving.
But how does this affect transit agencies or fleet-based businesses already using in-vehicle mobile devices with integrated SMS, or texting, technology? Is it possible to continue using these devices without violating the new DOT measures?
It is possible to reach a middle ground between using in-vehicle mobile devices, which make your jobs more efficient, and following safe driving practices. Here is a white paper dedicated to the issue of selecting mobile computing technology which minimizes driver distraction and can increase safety. It’s free for you to read.
Because of the large volume of calls WMATA’s MetroAccess Paratransit receives every day, management wanted an automated scheduling system to improve the efficiency of the call center. Real-time, accurate fleet data was also needed to effectively measure the performance of the fleet. And MetroAccess was also looking for technology that would improve system productivity with instant driver-dispatcher communication.
To improve their operations WMATA choose to implement a Paratransit ITS solution. Christian Kent, Director of MetroAccess, says: “The immediate benefit of the system is that we know exactly where our vehicles are and can examine this data either in real time or after the fact. This increases our credibility with the customer and makes it possible for us to give quick and accurate information on trip status, or to facilitate the investigation of a customer service complaint. For example, if a customer tells us that a driver didn’t show up at the scheduled pickup time, we can review the AVL data and confirm. With this objective data, we can respond to the customer’s concerns with greater certainty.”
A blog for those of us who live and work in fleet management. Topics include engine diagnostics, driver safety, mobile workforce management, CAD/AVL, vehicle maintenance, truck distribution, global computing, work order management, and field services.
Free White Paper: Decreasing Driver Distraction
With driver distraction being a leading cause of vehicle accidents, selecting an in-vehicle computer for your fleet that lets you control when drivers/device interaction is crucial to your fleet’s safety, as well as your bottom line.
Mountain Mobility has provided paratransit services to the residents of Buncombe County since 1989. Completing more than 500 trips per day with 42 vehicles, Mountain Mobility began using their Paratransit ITS System in January 2010. Lori Hembree, Director at Mountain Mobility, discusses the benefits ITS has brought to her agency.
