Staff Report #6
March 26, 2025
To All Commissioners
Re: Specialized Service Scheduling System Implementation Update
Recommendation
The report be NOTED and FILED.
Background
At the February 26, 2025 meeting, the Commission received an update report on the implementation of the specialized service scheduling software replacement system (see Staff Report #7, dated February 26, 2025). This report provides an update on progress over the past four weeks.
Phase I Implementation
Continuing over the past number of weeks, administration has worked with the vendor to adjust pick-up time, duration on bus, backtracking and load capacity parameters to maximize service efficacy while at the same time adhering to all trip policies. As reported previously, schedules that were created by the system in February were achieving expectations to the satisfaction of administration; however, continuous improvement is the desired goal.
The vendor also continues to work on issues relating to the stability of the cloud-based platform, noting there have been numerous incidents of the system going offline during the operating day, most often when reports are run. These incidents result in the inability for call takers, trip assigners and drivers to access the system for short periods of time while the system resets. Mitigation strategies have been put in place to allow for trip assigners to work from hardcopy manifests and provide direction to drivers via radio versus the on-board terminals. Unfortunately while the system is offline, call takers are unable to book trips so customers are left waiting in the queue. Adjustments made recently by the vendor are anticipated to rectify this issue, noting until such time as the system is stable, the final milestone of Phase I will not be considered complete.
Phase II Implementation
Phase II involves the launch of the Passenger Portal, which provides the ability for customers to manage their trip bookings and also submit trip requests online versus calling the booking line.
Given the experience with the Phase I launch, the approach for Phase II was to utilize a small group of registrants to pilot the Passenger Portal in cooperation with administration. The identified group received training on the use of the Portal in the last week of February and they began testing the system immediately following the training by requesting bookings via the Portal and utilizing the Portal for trip viewing and trip management. To date, very few concerns have been returned with respect to information availability and ease of use, and feedback has been positive. Additionally, administration has gained experience processing trip requests that have been entered via the portal, and have identified a process to ensure fairness while accepting both online trip requests and those made via telephone once the Passenger Portal has been rolled out to all customers.
As testing is coming to an end and the information received from the test group with respect to their experiences has been compiled, a communication piece containing instructions on the use of the Portal has been created and will soon be available for distribution. The pamphlet will be provided to all customers, new and current, in advance of the full launch of the Passenger Portal. Access to the Passenger Portal for the customer base will be granted in phases once the instruction pamphlet is ready for distribution. To facilitate a phased approach in such a way to ensure that internal resources are available to provide support to customers both with the creation of their client profile and the use of the Portal to request, view and cancel trips, distribution of the Portal information inviting customers to create their profile will take place alphabetically by small groups at the onset. This approach will also provide insight into the number of customers that will choose to utilize this feature so that staff resources can be allocated or adjusted accordingly between telephone lines and on-line request processing.
Recommended by:
Brandon Goldstone, Manager of Service Integration
Shawn Wilson, Director of Operations
Concurred in by:
Kelly S. Paleczny, General Manager