Transcript Slide 1

Welcome to the
Guided Tour!
Please click through
the presentation at
your own pace.
The Master Scheduler
Welcome to the TMS Guided Tour
TMS is the Public Transit Planning,
Scheduling, Operations, and
Information tool that's perfect for
agencies and contractors of all sizes.
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This Presentation…
…is both a comprehensive sales pitch and a
step-by-step “refresher” tutorial
In it, TMS is covered front-to-end.
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Schedule Masters, Inc.
Schedule Masters, Inc. is a full-service company, offering a line of software
products, customizations, network integration, and training and data
development.
The Master Scheduler (TMS) is in production use at more than 100 large
and small properties.
TMS has also been field-tested and proven in the “Special Events” arena.
All Schedule Masters clients run the same version of the software. When
one customer requests a change or addition, all other clients are updated
with the newer version.
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More about TMS…
TMS interfaces directly with the MapInfo for Windows street mapping
package, and with the Crystal Reports report writer. Interfaces to
ArcInfo and ESRI shape files are included with the MapInfo package.
Both MapInfo and Crystal are bundled with TMS, and form part of the
base software installation.
The TMS database follows a relational model. Individual signups are
maintained in separate folders, with no preset limit to the number of
available databases. Database security is maintained on a network and
station level. The system administrator has the ability to turn off
update access to the database on a table-by-table and station-bystation basis.
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The Guided Tour
Using dialog box snapshots taken directly from a live TMS session, the
following slides will take you on a tour of the system.
You will see that data is entered into the system only once.
Each time a previously-defined data item is referred to, it is selected
from a list and never retyped.
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This is the TMS front end
Tables and functions are
grouped logically at the left
Let’s start the tour with the “Tables” tab
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The Directions Table
The Directions Table holds the list of all
user-defined directions and abbreviations.
There is no preset limit to the number of
directions that can be maintained in the
database.
Both context-sensitive and
full Windows Help are
available in every dialog
box in TMS.
Comment codes can be attached to any
direction record, or any other record within
the system.
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The Routes Table
The Routes Table holds the list of all
user-defined routes.
There is no preset limit to the number
of routes that can be maintained in the
database.
Each route can travel in one or two
directions, and can be flagged as an
employee shuttle and/or a school
route.
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The Services Table
The Services Table holds the list of all
user-defined service names.
There is no preset limit to the number
of services that can be maintained in
the database.
A sort number is used to
govern the order in which
the service name appears in
subsequent dialog boxes.
Services can include Weekday,
Saturday, Sunday, Special Events,
Friday Only, and so on.
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The Jurisdictions Table
The Jurisdictions Table contains the list
of user-defined operational jurisdictions.
There is no preset limit to the number of
jurisdictions that can be maintained in
the database.
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The Divisions Table
The Divisions Table contains the list of
all user-defined operational divisions.
There is no preset limit to the number
of divisions that can be maintained in
the database.
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The Nodes and Stops Table
The Nodes and Stops
Table keeps the list
of all user-defined
timepoints and stops.
There is no preset
limit to the number
of nodes that can be
maintained in the
database.
Timepoint numbers aren’t used in TMS, but
they can be maintained and unloaded to older
legacy systems
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Each node can be
assigned a number
of user-customizable
associated data
elements and flags.
The Patterns Table
The Patterns Table keeps
the list of all user-defined
patterns on a route,
service, and direction
basis.
There is no preset limit
to the number of
patterns that can be
maintained in the
database, nor is there a
preset limit to the
number of nodes that
can appear in a pattern.
The “BASE” pattern tells TMS how nodes are organized along a
route. Any number of sub-patterns can appear after the BASE,
indicating express service, short turns, and so on.
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Nodes and stops may be
repeated within patterns.
The Connections Table
The Connections Table contains
the list of all user-defined node-tonode connection times.
There is no preset limit to the
number of connections that can be
maintained in the database.
Since all connection data is
maintained in a central location,
the scheduler has the option of
selecting which connections are to
be displayed.
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The Connections Table
By simply selecting “From” and
“To” nodes, and entering the time
it takes to move between them,
the scheduler can create a
general-case connection for use by
any route and service.
In this example, the connection
has been qualified by route,
service, and direction of travel,
thereby controlling when and
where the connection is used.
Normally, TMS will calculate node-to-node
distances by following the streets on the map.
You can override that distance here, if you like.
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The Bus Types Table
The Bus Types Table is
used to maintain a
“Category List” of all
vehicles in the fleet.
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The Buses Table
The Buses Table keeps the
vehicle inventory
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The Sign Codes Table
The Sign Codes Table contains codes
and text for headsigns.
The codes and text from this table
appear on the Driver Paddles produced
by TMS.
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The Comments Table
The Comments Table
contains a central
repository of codes
and notes associated
with other TMS data
items.
There is no preset
limit to the number of
comment codes or
notes that can be
maintained in the
database.
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The Trips Table is the first selection in the
Trips/Blocks tab
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The Trips Table
In TMS, trip data is maintained by
route, service, and direction.
There is no preset limit to the
number of trips that can appear in
the database.
Only one trip time is recorded in the
database, and that’s the time at the
“Maximum Load Point” (MLP).
Whenever the trip used anywhere
in the system, the most recent
node, pattern, and connection data
is used.
You never need to regenerate trips.
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Sorting Trips
Trips can be shifted, sorted, assigned
unique trip numbers, and have other
data modifications made to them.
This is a sample of the “Sort trips”
dialog.
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Graphical Trips
This is the
graphical trips
display of the
Weekday Route 1
in Bermuda.
The graph reads
down for
Outbound, and
then up for
Inbound.
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Layover Parameters
TMS allows the scheduler to select from a number of default layover options.
The simplest is by time in minutes. Another option is layover by percentage
of trip time. The last option permits the scheduler to choose between
minutes or percentage or trip time, and then by whichever is lower or higher.
TMS supports both “standard” (bus) blocking and, for those properties
offering rail service, “dropback” (crew) blocking.
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Blocking
The TMS Optimal Blocker produces a mathematically provable “least cost”
solution based on user input. In addition to minimizing the peak vehicle
requirement, the optimal blocker will also minimize the number of pull-outs,
pull-ins, and total layover.
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This is the front
end to both the
Optimal and
Interactive Blockers
in TMS.
Here, the scheduler
can choose which
route(s) to block.
If applicable,
parameters such as
the minimum and
maximum number
of vehicles, interlining, and deadheading can be
specified.
Deadheading can
be further constrained by the
deadhead time in
minutes.
Interactive Blocking
This list control contains all
the trips that have yet to be
blocked. The trips are sorted
by “From Time”.
This list control holds the
trips that are currently blocked.
Block 1932 is currently being
created.
This list control has all
those trips that can hook
(based on interlining, layover,
and deadheading parameters)
with the highlighted trip in the
“Existing blocks” list box.
The “Vehicle” column is empty because no vehicle type was assigned to these trips.
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Pull-ins and Pull-outs
Once blocks have been formed,
this dialog is used to assign
pull-out and pull-in garages to
them. If there’s more than one
garage or depot, TMS can
automatically assign the closest
garage to the start and end
points of a block.
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Block Summaries
Instant block summaries are
provided in TMS via this dialog
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Multiple Garage Assignment
In properties with multiple garages,
blocks can pull out of one garage
and into another.
If runs are cut by garage, this
dialog tells TMS which garage
particular blocks belong to.
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Other Blocks Table Functions
Other functions available on the Blocks Table include:
 Renumbering
 Hooking and Unhooking
 Compressed Display (one-line block summary)
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The Runs Table is the first selection in the
Runcutting tab
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The TMS Runcutters
TMS Has three different runcutters built into the system.
Each employs a different strategy.
They are:
 Manual – the scheduler chooses which blocks to cut and
where
 Min-Cost Matcher – used to produce one and two-piece runs,
with or without a meal break, based on blocks cut into the
desired piece size
 Recursive – creates one to ten-piece runs, with or without a
meal break, feeding on its own solution each step of the way
until the best cut is found
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Runtypes
Runtypes and their
characteristics are userdefinable and maintainable.
“Min” and “Max” define the
lower and upper bounds of a
particular type of run.
“Desired” numbers are used
by the TMS optimal
runcutters as a starting
point when cutting runs.
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Runtype Attributes
This dialog shows the piece attributes of
the run defined on the previous slide.
On and off times can be set when runs
must be defined by such designations as
AM, PM, and so on.
Minimum and maximum pay times can be
established on a piece-by-piece basis in
addition to a set minimum pay time for
the run.
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Overtime
All overtime rules
pertaining to the
runcut are userdefinable.
Overtime can be set
out on a day-of-service
basis.
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Premium Definitions
The next few slides show dialogs that control
“Premium Definition” in TMS.
All non-platform time, with the exception of pad time, is defined in this
manner. (Pad, or make-up, time was defined on the “Runtypes” slide
under “Minimum pay time”).
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Premiums – Start / End Travel
This dialog shows the definition
of a “Start / End Travel”
premium.
Any travel time can be
dynamically calculated by TMS
by having the driver move
to/from a relief location via
another regularly scheduled bus,
and/or a vehicle that’s pulling
out or in.
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Premiums – Start/End Travel
There are a number of
factors that could affect
the way this premium is
paid.
This dialog shows them,
and gives the user control
over which qualifier(s) to
apply to the premium.
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Premiums – Start/End Travel
This is the last stage of this premium’s definition
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Other Premiums
An unlimited number of other premiums can be applied to runs.
Some examples are:
 Report and/or turn-in time
 Travel between pieces of work
 Pulling a bus out or pulling it in
 Driving a particular vehicle type
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Relief Points
Nodes that are eligible to be relief points are identified on the Nodes and
Stops Table. Relief points can be set out by service day. In those cases
where the scheduler chooses to omit certain relief points from runcutter
consideration, TMS will accept different relief point identifiers. In the
above dialog, the system is indicating that four unique identifiers were
created on the Nodes and Stops Table: “C”, “G”, “P”, and “S”.
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Runcutting Parameters
This is the Runcut Parameters dialog. This is where
the scheduler can guide the runcut by making
various combinations of selections.
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Runcutting
This dialog is the front end to the Interactive Runcutter.
Here, the scheduler can choose which blocks to cut into runs.
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The Visual Runcutter
The Visual Runcutter consists of two primary windows.
The Block Plot is seen on the next slide, and the Runs Display is seen
later on.
Both windows are sizeable and modeless - you can switch between
them at any time without closing one or the other.
TMS will remember, from one session to the next, the size and position
of both windows.
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The Block Plot
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The Block Plot Explained
This slice of a Block Plot window shows block 1011 pulling out
from G at 615A, and pulling back in to FL at 1235P.
The total block length is 6:20.
This block has been cut in its entirety into run 101.
Under the line is the length of the segment in hours and minutes.
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Colors
Pressing the Colors
button on the Block Plot
window displays the
Colors dialog:
Each color selected here is displayed in the status field whenever a
run or run portion is displayed.
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The Runs Display
The Runs Display shows the details of runs that have been cut.
The color in the status column corresponds to the colors in the Blocks Display.
All the columns in this display are settable, sizeable, and moveable.
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The Block Plot Context Menu
Right-clicking on a block in the Block Plot window displays the
context menu.
The Cut menu item gives the user access to the automatic and
optimal runcutting features of TMS.
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Context Menu: Jump to Run
Many different runs can be
cut out of a block.
The Jump to Run selection
allows the user to “jump” to
a particular run in the Runs
Display window.
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Context Menu: Display Blocks
This menu selection allows the user to display a subset of blocks on the
screen: All the blocks, just those with uncut work, or just those that
have pieces cut into illegal runs.
Context Menu: Sort by
The Sort by menu selection changes the order of appearance in the
Blocks Plot. The sort choices are by block number, block length, block
on time, and block off time.
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Context Menu: Select / Deselect All
This menu selection will highlight (or remove the highlighting) of the
blocks in the Blocks Plot window.
Individual blocks, or ranges of blocks, can be selected using the mouse
with <Ctrl> and <Shift>, in a manner identical to the Windows
Explorer.
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Context Menu: Properties
The Properties box on the Block Plot
window shows the status of the block
at all its cut points, the run(s)
associated with those points, the
relief point names and times, and how
far into the block each relief point is.
Left-clicking any row will show the
details of the trip on which a relief
point occurs.
Right-clicking any row that hasn’t
been cut yet will display the Manual
Cut dialog.
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Manual Cut
The Manual Cut dialog initially
assumes the start and end of the
relief point range as the cut
points. If this were the case,
pressing OK would cut the block
there. If different points were
desired, then the relief location
and time in question can be
dragged and dropped into the
Start relief and End relief controls.
If a run isn’t paying out, it means there’s something
wrong with it. Press the “Why is the run paying 0:00”
button to display the reason.
Whenever the contents of those
controls change, the run is
automatically recosted and its new
costing displayed.
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The Runs Display Context Menu
Right-clicking on a run in the Runs Display
displays the context menu.
The Commands pop-up is:
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Context Menu: Commands
Freezing a run will cause its Status color to change to the color selected
on the dialog. Thawing it will change it back.
Reassigning a runtype will cause TMS to recost a run.
The “Hook runs” selection takes two or more individual pieces and
combines them into a single run.
“Unhook pieces” will separate a run into individual pieces and keeps those
pieces cut, while “Undo entire run” deletes it from the current cut.
The “Improve runcut” command examines the current solution and tests
the feasibility of moving relief points back and forth in an effort to
improve the total cost of the solution.
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Commands Menu: Shifting Runs
The start and end points of any piece of any run
can be shifted forward or backward.
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Commands Menu: Swapping Pieces
Pieces of runs can be easily
switched via the
“Swap Run Pieces” dialog.
When the desired pieces are
highlighted and the Swap
button is pressed, the pieces
are switched and TMS displays
the newly formed runs.
The scheduler can then either
accept or reject the changes.
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Commands Menu: Renumber
Within the Visual Runcutter, the
Scheduler has the ability to
renumber runs, and optionally sort
them at the same time.
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Context Menu: Display
The Runcut
Summary
can be displayed
at any point
during the
runcut.
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Display Menu: Block Profile
This is the profile
graph of the current
runcut.
The red bars in the
graph represent the
original blocks.
The blue bars show
the remaining work to
be cut.
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Context Menu: Properties
All run details are listed in the
Runs Display window.
The Properties box displays a
confirmation message if the run is
legal, or an information message if
the run is not.
The only way to create an illegal
run in TMS is to do it manually.
The two optimal runcutters will
not create runs outside the
parameters.
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Travel Instructions
Travel times and instructions can be dynamically calculated by
the TMS Trip Planner and made part of the driver’s paddle.
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Crew Only Runs
Runs in TMS do not have to be part of
a block.
If your property uses “Stand-by”
drivers in case of emergency,
sickness, or overloads, you can define
them on the Crew Only Runs Table.
These runs can be made part of the
Roster or left on the Daily Assignment
Sheet.
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The Driver Types Table is the first selection
in the Workforce Management tab
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The Driver Types Table
The Driver Types Table holds the list of
user-defined driver classifications.
There is no preset limit to the number
of classifications that can be
maintained in the database.
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The Driver Data Table
The Driver Data Table
holds the list of userentered drivers.
There is no preset
limit to the number of
drivers that can be
maintained in the
database.
There is a “Driver Data” loader in TMS. It was created to
save the trouble of manual entry of existing information.
The load routine can accept data in any number of formats.
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The Driver Data Table
TMS always uses
four-digit years in its
database.
When two or more
drivers have the
same seniority date,
you can specify
who’s first via the
“Seniority sort #”
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The Driver Data Table
License information
can also be tracked
and maintained in
TMS
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Rostering - Service Days
The TMS Rostering System relies upon
user-defined days of service
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Rostering Parameters
For the actual rostering
process, this dialog tells the
system the types of runs
that can operate together
from one day to the next.
There is also an option to
“Equalize Work”. When
work equalization is
selected, TMS will
automatically produce
rosters of as close to equal
length as possible.
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Choosing the Runs to Roster
This dialog is used to tell
TMS which runs to include
in the rostering process.
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Interactive/Optimal Rostering
This is the TMS
Interactive Rostering
dialog.
The top list control
contains the runs
that are still to be
rostered.
The bottom list
control contains all
the existing rosters.
Each list control has
a context-menu
associated with it.
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Online (Cafeteria-Style) Bidding
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Online (Cafeteria-Style) Bidding
In the Operator Bidding Module, TMS processes drivers from the Drivers Table in
seniority order, by driver type.
Along with a “Bidding Administrator”, operators use this dialog to select their work
for the next cycle. The Bidding Administrator has the ability to skip a driver, alter a
particular driver’s status, suspend the bidding process, or to rewind the bid back to a
particular driver, and resume from there. Each one of these functions requires a
password.
As the instructions on the dialog state, the operator must first choose an off-day
pair. The number in parentheses following each pair shows the number of
remaining pairs.
Once the driver has chosen all of his/her work, the “Verify” button is enabled. When
pressed, TMS either displays a message stating that the combination of runs is valid,
or it tells the operator that his/her selections are invalid, and why. If a valid roster
has been entered and verified, the system will print out assignment sheets for the
driver to sign as accepted. Once complete, the next driver in seniority order makes
his/her selections.
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Daily Operations
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Daily Operations
The TMS Daily Operations Module uses a front end dialog to allow
dispatchers to perform day-to-day tasks.
There are four main components to the module:
Vehicle Assignment
Operator Check-in and Check-out
Operator Absence Recording
Open Work Monitor
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Daily Ops – Vehicle Assignment
This portion of
the dialog allows
dispatchers to
easily move
buses in and out
of service.
TMS tracks
assignments,
check-ins, and
when and where
vehicle swaps
take place.
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Daily Ops – Operator Check-in/out
If your Agency requires drivers to
check in or out, dispatchers may do
so here. TMS will record the time
and date in its audit trail.
If you don’t require drivers to
check in or out, TMS can easily be
configured to simply record missouts, mid-shift book-offs, and lates.
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Daily Ops – Operator Absence
Current or future Operator absences can
be maintained in TMS.
When vacation and other future time off
is recorded, the system knows who is
and is not available for extra work, and
what runs or rosters need to be covered.
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Daily Ops – Open Work
The Open Work Monitor allows the Dispatcher to assign runs to
available personnel.
The Available Operator List can be ordered by seniority or on a
rotation basis.
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Discipline
Operator Discipline can be
tracked with the Discipline
Module.
All Violation types, Violations,
and Actions are completely
user-customizable and
modifiable.
The “Duration” column
shows how long each offence
will stay on the Operator’s
record.
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Trip Planning is available from within TMS,
and through a web-based interface
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Web-Based Trip Planner
The TMS Trip Planner dialog allows for the entry of origin and
destination information as an address, intersection, or landmark.
Options pertaining to trip time and vehicle characteristics may be
entered prior to pressing “Get Travel Instructions”.
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Trip Planning - Results
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Customer Comments
This is the front end to the TMS Customer Comments Module.
This is where new complaints are registered, or old complaints are
selected for review.
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Customer Comments Entry
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Customer Comments Entry
The previous screen was designed to make the customer call as
conversational as possible. The call taker, reading from the dialog, can
prompt the caller for all input in an effort to keep the customer as
focused as possible.
Data entry in this screen has the following features:
 A reusable and updatable database of customers
 Tracking of previous calls
 Details on any incident including date, time, vehicle number, and
driver identification
 Route, location, and direction details
 Vehicle speed and customer time difference
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Customer Comment Processing
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Customer Comment Processing
Once the call is complete, the call-taker processes the customer’s
comment.
The dialog on the previous slide shows, on the left side, an
English-language representation of the entry dialog. The calltaker has the option of adding additional user-defined comments
on the right.
Options exist to print an acknowledgement letter, and/or to print
or email the log.
When the log is printed for employee review, customer data is
omitted.
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Customer Comment Follow-Up
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Customer Comment Follow-Up
The “Supervisor Worksheet” is accessible only by those with
password clearance.
In it, the person that finalizes the call assigns or redirects the
customer’s comment to the appropriate department, and follow up
with the customer.
If the call was a complaint, an employee’s written response can be
scanned in and kept as part of the complaint record.
All the drop-downs in this dialog – as with the rest of the Customer
Comment Module, are user-configurable.
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Customer Comment Reports
Reports in the Customer
Comment Module can be
generated with any of the
criteria listed to the left.
Date ranges and sorting
criteria can be used to tailor
the output
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Timechecks
The Timechecks dialog
allows Planners to
record and analyze
street data for future
incorporation into the
schedule.
Timecheck data can be
recorded by either
route or trip number.
When trip number is
selected, the scheduled
times are displayed, as
well as defaulted to.
Actual times can be
entered directly into
the edit controls,
statistically analyzed,
and then written out
directly to the TMS
Connection Times
table.
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TMS Preferences
The TMS Preferences dialog
sets (on a user-by-user basis)
what is seen during a TMS
session.
Since all TMS users are on the
same version of the software,
users can specify what
appears in the Reports Menu.
All other parameters are
maintained from session to
session.
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TMS Reports and Downloads
TMS ships with the following reports:
 Block Paddle (two types)
 Block/Run Assignments by Trip
 Public Timetable Data
 Dispatch Sheet (five types)
 Driver Paddle (three types)
 Productivity Report
 Stop Listing and Distances (report and Excel format)
 Time/Distance by Route
 Time/Distance by Block
 Timepoint Activity
 Unassigned Drivers
 Unrostered Runs
 HTML Download
 Legacy System downloads
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TMS Reports and Downloads
The Crystal Report templates that come with TMS are user-modifiable.
Whenever Schedule Masters is commissioned to write a new report,
that report becomes part of the system. All users of TMS benefit
because all users stay on the same release of the software.
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Availability and Pricing
We can be at your property in as little as a week upon receipt of a
purchase order.
Most agencies are up and running in five days with their existing
schedule, runcut, and roster in place, and their staff fully trained
in the use of the system.
Please email us at [email protected].
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Thanks!
…for taking the time to view this presentation.
Please feel free to call or email us with any questions you have.
For an up-to-date list of the Public Transit properties using TMS, please see
our web page. All of our users will give you an honest appraisal of our
product, and of our customer support.
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