EasyRide, Ontario: Browser-based Demand Response Management
Download PDF"Trapeze NOVUS has enabled seven community support service agencies to create a system of service delivery across our two-county urban and rural geography. By using centralized scheduling we have been able to increase both efficiency and capacity and position our service, EasyRide, to meet the current and future needs of our aging population. We expect the benefits will increase exponentially as the delivery of healthcare evolves over the next decade. "
Wendy Orchard, Executive Director
Stratford Meals on Wheels & Neighbourly Services
Background
EasyRide is a transportation service shared by Community Support Service (CSS) agencies across the Huron and Perth Counties in Ontario Canada. This area is filled with many rural areas and small communities that do not have the infrastructure or budget to effectively and efficiently transport many of its citizens who require assistance.
By teaming up and sharing vehicles and drivers, Community Support Service Agencies can now offer frequent and flexible door-to-door service. With the help of Trapeze demand response software, clients in Huron and Perth dial one number for door-to-door service with EasyRide; a new and innovative program that has the potential to be adopted system-wide across the province.
| Snapshot |
|---|
| One of largest LHINs – 22,000 km2 |
| 920,000 people |
| Many rural areas/small communities |
| Large proportion of seniors |
| 7 collaborative agencies |
|
25 agency owned/operated vehicles • 7 wheelchair accessible buses • 10 full size wheelchair accessible vans • 5 wheelchair accessible low-floor minivans • 3 7-passenger minivans |
|
2,500 clients and 57,000 annual trips delivered |
|
Types of Services Offered • Wheelchair accessible • Volunteer • Passenger vans • Coordinated (taxis, patient transfer vehicles, etc.) • Stretcher Transportation |
The Goals of EasyRide
EasyRide wanted to establish and build together, through Local Health Integration Network (LHIN)-sponsors, a transportation service that enables seniors, adults with disabilities, unique populations, and those without transportation to get to appointments, treatments, Adult Day Centres, shopping, errands and social occations. Crossing boundaries and working with external partners that at one time were seen as barriers to bring people together to build a health caresystem that balances access, quality and sustainability.
Efficiency outcomes can increase through better utilization of vehicles, with more potential for shared trips across their largely rural geography.
Local agency employees can now have additional time to do other work, which in turn should allow reinvestment of dollars in service delivery. Bringing together independent agencies with individual governance structures, eligibility criteria, funders and funding levels, values, interests, service deliverables, client fee variations, hours of service, etc. is very challenging, time consuming and costly. It is imperative to have consensus from everyone before moving forward. Small Community Support Service Agencies have limited staff and even finding time for everyone to gather around the table to obtain a consensus can be difficult.
Solution
Huron and Perth County agencies saw the need to be innovative as well as to continue with collaborative initiatives. Other agencies and potential clients had difficulty knowing who to call for service, and indicated that the many transportation services were “fragmented” and “difficult to access”.
After completing a detailed overview of existing providers; reviewing issues, needs and opportunities; and looking at best practices for effective service coordination, a coordination framework and implementation plan was recommended and then accepted by the governing body of each agency. Local agencies needed to understand that the local service is not being lost, but rather a system is being developed with standards and additional capacity to meet clients’ needs.
Technology was a key component of the integration and software compatibility takes time and expertise. With the help of the Trapeze NOVUS demand response software solution, Easy Ride could provide a more cost-effective transportation alternative while focusing on client needs and comfort as well as the agency’s needs by providing the following:
- Single point of contact for clients – toll free and local phone number
- Central office has access to all agency vehicles and books trip based on what makes best sense
- Web-based scheduling software is accessed centrally as well as at local agency
- Interface between database and scheduling software
- Browser-based system allows local agencies to access NOVUS remotely for real-time information sharing
- Permission based security
- Advanced scheduling algorithms ensure efficient use of resources
- Client registration
- Dispatching
- Reporting
The Result
A complete system for Community Support Services Transportation was developed that enabled local agency staff to do other work, and, in turn allow reinvestment of these dollars in service delivery. The new one number to call for CSS transportation reduced client/other agency confusion over who to call, reduced duplication of services and increased the potential for shared rides – which in turn increased capacity.
EasyRide now offers affordable and accessible transportation for clients throughout Huron and Perth. Local agencies have realized increased efficiencies, access to more vehicles, drivers and volunteers through the centralization of client intake, software / computer solutions, databases scheduling and dispatch, standard policies and procedures and finally, centralized marketing and public awareness.
