Christina School District: Using the Web to deliver timely, accurate information

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"...it puts the right information in the right hands."

Charlotte Walker, Transportation Specialist, Christina School District

Challenges

Prior to implementing Trapeze NOVUS-DR, LCAT had a manual scheduling system in place that was Excel based and worked with tracking charts. It was very time consuming to generate reports for KDOT and LCAT’s management.
The dispatchers had to do most of the routing manually. This system clearly wasn’t perfect and riders that had booked their trips were frequently “forgotten” and then filed complaints.
When KDOT decided to promote and fund the statewide use of NOVUS, LCAT was among the first agencies in Kansas to implement the Trapeze software.

Solution

NOVUS-DR is Trapeze’s demand response software solution. From call taking to dispatching, browser-based NOVUS-DR is an easy-to-use application for many aspects of LCAT’s demand response operations.
NOVUS-DR also offers reporting functions that make it easier for Transit Managers to produce performance and overview reports, as well as follow-up on client complaints. Ridership numbers and other performance indicators are automatically generated with the new system.

Results / Conclusion

Within the first month of the NOVUS-DR go live in April 2010, ridership at LCAT increased by 29 percent and remained at that level ever since. The system divides the LCAT service area into zones and picks up and drops off customers in the most effective manner. “NOVUS comes up with routes that we’d never thought of,” an LCAT dispatcher says. Thus the agency realizes significant savings on gas as well.

To further utilize NOVUS’ routing capabilities, LCAT widened the standard pickup window from five to 15 minutes, giving the system the opportunity to create even more efficient routes. Riders happily accepted the new pickup window policy when they noticed that the reliability of LCAT greatly increased. Complaints have gone down by as much as 70 percent.

LCAT plans to equip its vehicles with mobile computers in the near future, further streamlining their operations.