Optimizing Public Transportation Amid Driver Shortages: A Case Study on Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA)
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Transportation Management Systems (TMS)
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Automotive
- Transportation
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Driver Performance Monitoring
- Public Transportation Management
Services
- Testing & Certification
About The Customer
The Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA) is a public transportation agency serving the greater Youngstown, Ohio area. The agency operates thirty scheduled bus routes and caters to over one million annual passengers. WRTA plays a crucial role in the community, with 48% of its riders relying on its services to get to their jobs and 69% of riders not owning cars. The agency was facing a significant driver shortage, leading to service cancellations, delays, and increased pressure on drivers, agencies, and operators. Despite these challenges, WRTA was committed to maintaining its services and optimizing its operations.
The Challenge
The Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA), a public transportation agency in the greater Youngstown, Ohio area, was grappling with a significant driver shortage. This led to large-scale service cancellations, delays, and increased pressure on drivers, agencies, and operators. The agency, which operates thirty bus routes and serves over one million annual passengers, was struggling to maintain its services. The situation was further complicated by the fact that a significant portion of their ridership, 48% use WRTA to commute to their jobs and 69% do not own cars. The challenge was to manage the driver shortage without compromising the quality of service, while also optimizing their budget and improving the quality of drivers' work shifts.
The Solution
To address the driver shortage and its associated challenges, WRTA turned to Optibus' planning and scheduling modules. The agency used Optibus' Multiple Scenario Creation to create a valid weekday run cut with no part-time runs, a 17% reduction in average split duration, and nearly identical service levels. This allowed WRTA to customize runs to meet drivers' preferences while reducing runs, maintaining peak services, and minimizing splits. Optibus also made it easy for WRTA to perform accurate spread premiums and other calculations per their union contract. Furthermore, WRTA switched from using two separate systems for planning and scheduling to Optibus' comprehensive, end-to-end platform. This move simplified route planning and calculations, saving the agency significant time in the planning process.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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