28 STEPS
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Before using the AutoSchedule feature for the first time there are a few things you should check.
First open CTS Software - TripMaster and with your mouse, hover over Master Pages -
First we'll check your vehicles to make sure they have reasonable boarding preparation times.
Click Vehicle Master to see your vehicles. -
To see where boarding preparation time is entered and edit it for any of your vehicles, click Edit on the vehicle you'd like to check.
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Boarding Preparation Minutes is the time in minutes that your driver must spend to prepare the vehicle for each stop.
The AutoSchedule feature will add this time to every stop the driver makes.
Typically this value is low, from 1-3 minutes. -
This value can be edited later at any time, and it can help to check here first to resolve any issues.
Once you have adjusted the Boarding Preparation Minutes and verified the information is correct for this vehicle, click Save. -
Next, navigate back to the Master Pages drop down menu and click Schedule Profile Master
Here we'll adjust loading and unloading times, as well as time windows for scheduling trips. -
Schedule Profiles are only used by the AutoSchedule feature.
You can set up as many Schedule Profiles as needed, but for now we'll check the default.
To see details and edit the default Schedule Profile, click Edit. -
First we'll check the loading and unloading times.
Average Load (and Unload) Duration is the time it takes an ambulatory rider to get on (and off) the vehicle. Typically this value is low.
Here it takes 1 minute for a rider to get on or off. -
Additional Wheelchair Load Duration represents additional time given to riders with wheelchairs. This time is added to the Average Load Duration to determine total time.
Here it would take 6 minutes for a wheelchair rider to get on or off the vehicle -
Additional Stretcher Load Duration represents additional time given to riders in stretchers. This time is added to the Average Load Duration to determine total time.
Here it would take 6 minutes for a stretcher rider to get on or off the vehicle. -
The Load Duration is applied per passenger being loaded. If at one stop the driver has to load 1 ambulatory rider and 1 wheelchair rider, the total time allotted to load at this stop would be 7 minutes.
This does not include Boarding Preparation time -
Next, when a ride is marked Dropoff Priority the AutoSchedule feature will get the rider there as close as possible to their drop off time without allowing the driver to arrive late.
Here we can adjust how this functions. -
Here we can set how early the AutoSchedule feature can pick passengers up before their drop off time.
This represents the amount of time a rider can be on the vehicle.
Here a rider can be picked up a maximum of 1 hour before their priority time. -
If you have long drive times, it may be helpful to select Add Direct Drive to Earliest Pickup which will add any time spent travelling directly to their drop off location to the maximum of 60 minutes, allowing the rider to be on the vehicle longer.
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Next we can select how early a passenger can be dropped off on location before their priority time.
Here a rider can be dropped off 45 minutes before their priority time.
This ensures appropriate arrival time. -
When a ride is marked as Pickup Priority the rider must be picked up as close to their priority time as possible, but not earlier.
Here we can adjust how to AutoSchedule feature does this. -
Here we can choose the latest time we can pick up a rider after their priority time.
Here we can be up to 45 minutes late to allow for drive time and other riders. -
Next we can choose how late a passenger can be dropped off after their pickup priority time. This represents the amount of time the rider may spend on the vehicle.
Here they can be on the vehicle a maximum of 1 hour after their priority time. -
Again we can select Add Direct Drive to Latest Dropoff to account for longer drive times.
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Wider windows allow for the AutoSchedule feature to be more efficient, but may result in longer ride times for riders, more wait time for their appointments when they're dropped off early, and more wait time when waiting to be picked up afterward.
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A trainer will assist you in setting up the details of your Schedule Profile.
Leave all values at default positions at first to see how they effect the AutoSchedule feature.
When you are finished looking over the Schedule Profile, click Save. -
Other variables that effect the AutoSchedule feature are found in your Company Master page.
On this page it is especially important to have a trainer help you adjust the variables. -
In your Company Master, the highlighted fields effect how the AutoSchedule feature operates.
Any change from the default values you see here may negatively affect AutoSchedule performance.
Let a trainer assist you with adjusting these for your needs. -
For the last three steps, click the Daily Schedule to begin using AutoSchedule.
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First select the day you'd like to schedule. Here we'll select tomorrow's date.
The next two steps will need to be completed every time you wish to use AutoSchedule. -
To prepare, select the Geocode Day button. This button will verify that all of your locations are in the system and tied to real coordinates.
A pop-up will appear if you need to fix or adjust any sites for the computer to verify them. -
After all sites are verified, click Calculate Direct Drives. This will calculate all of the drive distances and times for every reservation.
A pop-up will appear to confirm that all Direct Drives are calculated. -
That's it! You're successfully set up to use the AutoSchedule feature. In the next tutorial we will press the AutoSchedule button to efficiently schedule all reservations in one step.
Here's an interactive tutorial for the visual learners