Solutions » Planning and Dispatch

To ensure the success of demand-response transport, a high level of customer service must be offered, while the transport must be performed to the customer’s satisfaction. However, at the same time the transport must be planned to ensure the best and cheapest solution.

The Trapeze System is a tried and tested system and, as proven by hundreds of installations over the years, is one of the best tools for handling demand-response planning and dispatch.

The Trapeze System offers:

• Automatic generation of timetables and scenarios
• Access to detailed information about departures, collection and delivery times and the travelling time for each trip
• Calculation of exact time of arrival based on boarding and alighting times, route, travelling speed etc.
• Overview of blocks and the possibility of ongoing changes to blocks
• Tools for tracking and registering events such as cancellations, absenteeism etc.
• Exact information as the system employs and tracks detailed customer information, for example several addresses per customer, special needs, aids, payment parties, accessibility, historical travel information etc.

Based on Correct Data

An important part of a modern system for demand-response traffic is the correct registration of information and the automatic handling of various rules. Integrated transport systems place heavy demands on the handling of complex information at the time of booking.
 
In the Trapeze System, any number of administrative units can be set up, and a large number of rules can be laid down for these units.

Simple handling of different transport schemes

The system can easily be set up to handle different transport schemes and can easily be adapted to reflect any future changes to the rules. This means that a high degree of automation of the information flow is possible, leaving the booking staff to handle as little information as possible. This minimises the risk of error, while at the same time providing the data required for correct planning and subsequent settlement – this applies both in relation to the paying authorities and to contractors.

Automatic planning and optimisation of multi-modal transport

A transport is automatically planned when a booking is made, and the person receiving the booking can therefore instantaneously tell the customer what the transport alternatives are if the desired time of travel is not possible.

With a view to optimising timetables and improving the economy of the transport options, it is possible to optimise the trips in relation to an underlying timetable, either a public timetable or a hidden timetable, in relation to co-rides with several passengers travelling together, or in relation to multi-modal transport involving more than one mode of transport.

If, for example, it is possible for the customer to walk to and from a bus stop, the system can automatically select various planning alternatives, such as flexline, a bus, a train or a combination of different modes of transport. Another solution may be to take a taxi to a bus stop slightly further away, or a bus some of the way and finally a taxi to the final destination. All solutions are compared. They can be compared on the basis of general data (kilometres, time, idling time etc.) and on the basis of specific contract costs (additional costs) per transport alternative.

The system selects the shortest route

In its fully automatic planning, the system also uses the “shortest route” algorithms which calculate all distances on the basis of geographical maps. Unlike conventional systems which use adjusted methods (e.g. zones or bee-line with double white lines), this results in a far more accurate calculation of distances. The system uses both hours and kilometres and uses them in relation to both optimisation and settlement.

Semi-automatic or manual planning – to suit customer requirements

Planning can be handled automatically, semi-automatically or manually. All planning modes have their purposes and applications. For example, it is often expedient to be able to adjust planning manually when planning basic blocks for school transport, whereas large volumes of spontaneous trips, such as e.g. the transport of disabled passengers (färdtjänst/TT transport) or the transport of patients are handled automatically as it is known from experience that this ensures the optimum use of resources. The system handles a large number of transport types in a fully integrated manner: Disabled transport (Färdtjänst/TT transport), patient transport, special school transport, work transport, complementary transport and other types. Both as regards rules and as regards integrated planning, these transport types can be handled in the same system.

Real-Time System

The Trapeze System is a real-time system with the fully automatic dispatch of trips to vehicles or other booking systems. The vehicles can be connected to the central database by means of two-way communication, either via Trapeze’s own vehicle computer solution or via other similar solutions. The system constantly monitors vehicles, warning of any delays which have occurred or any rules which will be breached unless the traffic planners take action. The system can also be expanded to include GPS which provides traffic planners with an even better overview of the entire fleet of vehicles.

Please contact us to learn more about our products and offers or request product information.