WMATA operates the second largest rail transit system and the sixth largest bus network in the U.S. Of the four million people in their service area, 45 percent rely on mass transit to get to work in the center core of Washington and Arlington County. WMATA also offers MetroAccess, an ADA paratransit service that complements its bus and rail service for people with disabilities.
The service program, one of the largest in the country, previously relied on radio technology to dispatch trips and update driver schedules. Job details were also manually entered into the computer system. These processes were labor intensive, prone to inaccuracies, and inefficient.
WMATA wanted an automated scheduling system to improve the efficiency of the call center because of the large volume of calls MetroAccess receives every day. Real-time, accurate fleet data was also needed to effectively measure the fleet’s performance. They were also looking for technology that would improve system productivity with instant driver-dispatcher communications.
MetroAccess drivers were fairly accepting of the new technology but like anything new, there was a learning curve. The speed at which the drivers understood the new technology depended on their existing level of computer knowledge. Also, with new addresses and streets continually being added to the region, there were issues with the in-vehicle maps failing to display the correct address. To remedy this, updated maps were installed in the Ranger mobile computers.
"This technology is an excellent platform upon which future enhancements to our program can be built. The availability of more complete and accurate data on system performance will provide policy makers the information they need to structure the service for the future."
WMATA utilized an end-to-end solution that included Ranger, a fixed-mount mobile computer.
Running on the Ranger platform is Mobility, a mobile software application, that lets drivers communicate in real time with dispatchers. At the dispatch center, the Trapeze PASS software gives dispatchers the ability to electronically assign trips and send real-time schedule changes to vehicles.
After just two months of using the new communication system, Christian Kent, Assistant General Manager of Access Services, said, "The immediate benefit of the system is that we know exactly where our vehicles are and can examine this data either in real-time or after the fact. This increases our credibility with the customer and makes it possible for us to give quick and accurate information on trip status, or to facilitate the investigation of a customer service complaint. For example, if a customer tells us that a driver didn’t show up at the scheduled pickup time, we can review the AVL data and confirm. With this objective data, we can respond to the customer’s concerns with greater certainty."
Bus
Rail
Paratransit