Upgrading of On Demand Scheduling System - GoBus

completed

This project will fund an upgrade to the system used by GoBus to schedule trips to more efficiently met user demmands. Since 2013, the number of annual trips on the GoBus system has increased from 90,000 to 145,000 with further increases forecasted in future years. With increasing demand on the system, it is imperative that the trip scheduling be as efficient as possible to maintain service levels and reduce costs. Under this project, the current RouteMatch On Demand Scheduling Software will be replaced with a Novus On Demand Scheduling Software that is more user friendly and more economical to operate on an annual basis. It will also upgrade the aging onboard equipment (Rangers) used to communicate daily trip schedules to drivers which are currently experiencing failures on a regular basis. As both the Novus On Demand Scheduling Software and on board Rangers are sourced from the same provider, communications regarding scheduling, including real time schedule changes, will be communicated seamlessly between dispatch and the drivers resulting in a much more efficient use of resources. In the past, having two different providers for the onboard equipment and the scheduling software has resulted in unnecessary inefficiencies and increased costs in the system. It is estimated that the payback period for the invesrment will be approximately 4.5 years based on direct savings in annual operating costs. additional operational savings will be achieved through improvements in the scheduling of trips.