ITS Element: Paratransit Services Dispatch

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Description: Private and public transit systems that provide service to elderly, disabled riders and other eligible clients.
Status: Existing
Stakeholder: Paratransit Service Providers
Mapping: Transit Management
Other Transit Management

Interfaces:

Paratransit Service Vehicles
Market Packages: APTS01 - Transit Vehicle Tracking - Social Agencies Transit/ School Districts
APTS03 - Demand Response Transit Operations - Social Agencies Transit
Functional Requirements:

Transit Center Paratransit Operations

  • The center shall process trip requests for demand responsive transit services, i.e. paratransit. Sources of the requests may include traveler information service providers.
  • The center shall monitor the operational status of the demand response vehicles including status of passenger pick-up and drop-off.
  • The center shall generate demand response transit (including paratransit) routes and schedules based on such factors as parameters input by the system operator, what other demand responsive transit schedules have been planned, the availability and location of vehicles, the relevance of any fixed transit routes and schedules, road network information, and incident information.
  • The center shall dispatch demand response (paratransit) transit vehicles.
  • The center shall exchange information with Maintenance and Construction Operations concerning work zones, roadway conditions, asset restrictions, work plans, etc.
  • The center shall disseminate up-to-date schedules and route information to other centers for demand responsive transit services (paratransit).
  • The center shall collect the log of passenger boardings and alightings from the paratransit vehicles.

Transit Center Vehicle Tracking

  • The center shall support an interface with a map update provider, or other appropriate data sources, through which updates of digitized map data can be obtained and used as a background for transit tracking and dispatch.
  • The center shall provide transit operational data to traveler information service providers.
  • The center shall provide collected transit probe data to traffic management centers and traveler information service providers for use in measuring current traffic conditions.
  • The center shall monitor the locations of all transit vehicles within its network.
  • The center shall determine adherence of transit vehicles to their assigned schedule.

Transit Vehicle Operator Assignment

  • The center shall maintain records of a transit vehicle operator's performance. This may be done utilizing standardized performance evaluation criteria set forth by governmental regulations and transit operating company policies, assessing the transit vehicle operator's driving history, and assessing comments from the transit vehicle operator's supervisor(s) as well as noting any moving violations or accidents, supervisor comments, government regulations, and company policies.
  • The center shall assess the transit vehicle operator's availability based on previous work assignments, accumulated hours, plus health and vacation commitments.
  • The center shall assign transit vehicle operators to transit schedules based on their eligibility, route preferences, seniority, and transit vehicle availability.
  • The center shall provide an interface through which the transit vehicle operator information can be maintained - either from the transit vehicle operator, center personnel, or other functions.
  • The center shall generate supplemental vehicle operator assignments as required due to change events that occur during the operating day.

Last updated: 01-30-14