Automatic route planning for para-transit, dial-a-ride and demand response programs

Paratransit organizations have some of the most complex and demanding transportation scheduling requirements. With expensive-to-run vehicles, passenger requests constantly changing and hundreds of rides to route on a daily basis having software and dispatch automation is a necessity. Legacy software exists that has worked in this area for decades and although economically efficient for large metropolitan transit organizations can be prohibitively expensive for smaller urban and rural organizations. SPEDSTA’s low-cost scheduling platform allows these organizations to now stretch their dollars and leverage the software automation efficiency of their larger transit cousins. Low-cost techniques such as leveraging open-source software and modern server infrastructure all contribute to this new option for paratransit, dial-a-ride, and demand response organizations.

Check out some of the SPEDSTA tools available:

1. Automatic Route Planning: using robust algorithms, the routing of rides can be done in one click. Options for routing include load time, pickup and dropoff windows, seating capacity, # of vehicles, depot location, and more. Optimized routes can be created that save on both fuel cost and driver time.
2. Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance logs: shift time, fuel, vehicle inspection points, start and end mileage are all data points that can be digitally entered and monitored to ensure vehicle health. 
3. Admin/Dispatcher Manifest lists: admins and dispatchers have the capability to monitor in real-time any driver route. Included is the real-time capability to add new rides, cancel rides and remove rides for any given driver manifest. Once a given manifest is created the ability to copy, pause the manifest or delete the manifest and restart a new manifest is available.
4. Driver Manifest lists: each driver or vehicle has access to their pickoff and dropoff locations through tablets/phones including the capability to cancel and communicate directly with passengers and dispatchers. All addresses are available for turn-by-turn navigation and GPS location. Upon confirmation of dropoffs, data can be gathered including digital signatures, payment options, and notes by the driver. 

If your organization runs a small demand-response transportation service, then contact us now to talk about our low-cost solution for automatic routing planning and management.