LYNX provides transit services for one of the largest service areas in the United States as it stretches over 2,500 square miles and spans three counties. They operate 300 buses to serve an annual passenger count of 27.3 million with 77 routes. The service area’s sheer size translates into an unusually high average of 265 miles per day per bus or a fleet average of over 96,667 miles per day. These high numbers can strain any transit system thus it’s critical to have sensible processes in place and rely on the best software solutions.
Maintaining the fleet to meet such heavy demands fell to Joe Cheney, the former Deputy Chief of Operations - Maintenance. Joe and his team of 72 technicians ensured that their hard-working fleet received timely preventive maintenance to maximize availability and operational efficiency. They also ensured that defects and road calls were handled immediately. Both LYNX garages are open 365 days a year to meet the demands of maintaining all 300 buses to the highest level of safety and performance.
The LYNX maintenance department relies on Trapeze's Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software to assist in the goals of safety, performance, and reliability. EAM helps LYNX track the total cost of ownership of all vehicles and components, from cradle to grave. By making EAM the single system of record for all fleet maintenance tracking, Cheney and his team had the data at their fingertips to make decisions based on the facts.
The database in the software updates in real-time so information is always current. "The realtime information is very important in helping to make management decisions. Each morning I am able to review information such as the previous day’s time card report, road calls, and road call follow up s. Knowing what is going on helps me to make smarter decisions when I start the day," said Cheney.
Since fleet maintenance can best be viewed as the sum of many parts and not just the vehicle as a whole, EAM also helps LYNX track individual components on and off the vehicles, from transmissions to radios to fare boxes, allowing fleet managers to identify, track, and manage separate preventive maintenance (PM) intervals for each component. This component-based scheduling has allowed LYNX to adhere to an extended oil drain PM interval and extend the life of transmissions for example.
As with any system, EAM is only as good as the data it receives, so making the application as userfriendly as possible is paramount.
"Technicians find the system very easy to use, whether they are very tech savvy or not," said Elvis Dovales, Maintenance Supervisor. "They are able to research prior work orders and prior tasks which helps them with the vehicle they are working on at the time."
"Technicians find the system very easy to use, whether they are very tech savvy or not. They are able to research prior work orders and prior tasks which helps them with the vehicle they are working on at the time."
The type of maintenance detail provided by EAM allows LYNX to determine the operating costs of different buses. Through detailed reports generated by EAM, Cheney has been able to track the long-term operating costs of the older buses and compare that to a possible capital expenditure for a new bus. Armed with reliable data, LYNX can make informed decisions about what buses will be retired and when.
LYNX maintains a parts inventory valued at well over $1 million. There are over 5,600 Lines of inventory items, half of which show frequent activity. To manage this large and constantly revolving inventory, LYNX trusts EAM as it allows their staff to view the inventory on hand, track it by the parts’ classification, and see the work order history associated with a given part. This full audit capability allows technicians and management to not only track when and where parts are issued, but also which parts may be failing more frequently than others and which are subject to warranty.
Bus
Rail
Paratransit